I can see how you can see it that way for sure. Personally I felt he was truly broken though.

I guess we'll see how it plays out eventually.

 

To me it wasn't about his manipulation. We already knew she wasn't gonna kill him. But we wanted to see just how the confrontation would go. I was underwhelmed honestly after all the build up and how angry Maggie was. I wish they could have had her bash Lucille against the wall and break it up in front of him. That should have really broken him. But I guess they wanted to show that Maggie took so much pity on him and decided keeping him that way was a bigger punishment.

 

I would have liked to see that too.

I'm not sure Maggie so much took pity on him but rather she felt killing him would be taking pity on him. Let him rot in a cell instead of putting him out of his misery.

 

I actually took him at his word. The fact that he was trying to antagonize her in the beginning felt like he actually wanted her to kill him and he figured she might not be up for it, so he reminded her of what he did to ensure she would go through with it.

On the other hand if he really wanted her to kill him, he would have attacked her instead of sulking back into his cell.

 

The only thing I didn't like about this episode is that Negan didn't seem to be lying/manipulating his way out of death. I was waiting for the grin/smile as Maggie left but it never happened which to me implys he did at that time want to die.

Looks like Negans going to end up being team Alexandria in the close future.

 

When Maggie yelled "WHY? TELL ME WHY I SHOULD KILL YOU" in response to Negan's begging, I actually laughed out loud.

 

So did I. The problem is, I am afraid that with time he will return to his despicable old self.

 

I believe he wanted to die in that moment. Seeing the scars/cuts on his head and us as the audience already seeing him bang his head against the wall multiple times supports that he has 'tried' to do it himself. I read the comics too and although the series doesnt follow it exactly,

 

Mrs Qua insists that Negan was manipulating Maggie. I tend to agree with CreepyCrawlies, above, that we would have seen him smile, but the scene didn't end that way. I think Maggie would have been written differently in that event anyway. To cap it all. if it was just an act on Negan's part, he was given the best opportunity he's likely to get to escape. Take Maggie as a hostage, get out of the door and away...he may not have lasted long but surely he'd have tried?