It was interesting to see some emotion from him while talking about his wife but it didn’t change anything for me - at this point in the game they’ve all lost wives, husbands, children, etc. Not all of them are narcissistic, murderous dictators like Negan.

 

He's still the same murdering dick. Everyone has a backstory.

 

You should check out the Here's Negan graphics. It's a pretty short read and it won't spoil anything about the current story if you're afraid of that. It just basically goes over the background Negan talked about in the episode but in more detail.

 

Weird seeing tears come out of him but he still bashed Glenn and Abe in the head. His confession should have been about him terrorizing and murdering innocents, but nope it was all about his wife. Things he had done, things he couldn't do for her. It's obviously the only thing that keeps him up at night, so Gabe has cracked the dam which is quite interesting and could be used against him in the future unless Gabe adheres to the seal of the confessional.

 

I wasn't moved in the slightest. It disgusted me to know he worked with kids. God only knows what he was teaching them.

 

So what was his work with kids? Did he coach a little league baseball team and that's how he ended up with a bat?

 

I bet he taught the kids to bully others so as not to be bullied.

 

It would be better if they showed "Here's Negan" but I don't think it would change things.

I get the feeling that we are supposed to see that Negan believes he is doing the right thing and that he is a savior. But they are just missing that mark. All the times he says he is saving people and he is not a bad guy, I just get the feeling he's doing it for show and doesn't actually believe it. His character would be more sympathetic if we actually believed that he believed he was a good guy.

 

It feels a bit too little, too late for me because of some of the things TV Negan has done that are out of tone with his Comic self (and I love Comic Negan). Like, it's still idiotic he threw his doctor into a furnace (oh, but NOW we say people are a resource?) and the painting of Sanctuary as so miserable that a dude was willing to run away and die rather than stay there, and don't even get me started on how the show is 100% convinced that the wives were forced into being wives (how the wives became wives in the comics is left largely ambiguous, but none of them act like they are scared or were forced or had no choice).

That being said, I guess it's nice being thrown a bone, it just doesn't really fit the narrative the show already chose for TV Negan. It felt like they took all of Here's Negan and all of the humanizing parts of the comic and dumped it all into an avalanche of one episode.

Comic Negan actually does come off as believing what he's doing is a greater good and saving people, by the way. Even though he also does enjoy showing off, talking big, and the showmanship. That's just his nature. That also doesn't justify him murdering people - but I think it adds an interesting wrinkle than just "one-dimensional psychopath".

And for those asking what Negan did with kids before the ZA - he was a basketball coach. Either middle or high school, I don't think the exact school level was said. The bat, he happened upon while surviving the ZA and essentially thinks his dead wife, Lucille, sent it to him to help protect him. Or at least views it that way, either that she sent it or sort of is embodied in it. It's why he's so obsessed with his bat. AND ALSO WHY IT MAKES NO SENSE HE REPEATEDLY BASHES HER ON A TABLE TO MAKE A POINT. But why am I surprised the show would do another thing that's off-tone like that with him.

 

I love it when Negan bashed the bat on the steel table to cut off Simon's talking. The look on Simon's face was hilarious.

 

That is a very good point about killing the doctor. I had forgotten about that but I did think of how stupid it was at the time. A trained doctor would be a very valuable asset in the za.

 

If I remember correctly he was a gym teacher and ping pong coach.

 

I am indecisive about Negan - sometimes I like having his character as part of the tv series and then there are those times when he just annoys the shit out of me and I am never sure if it is the way he is written or the the way that JDM is choosing to bring those moments to life. Negan and I have a like/hate relationship

 

He seemed less douchy to me. lol I do love his character and certainly brings something to the show. He's a love to hate character for sure.

 

This thread title spawned a stupid little thing.

I couldn't help myself.

To the tune of Billy Joel's "She's Always A Woman"

He can kill with a swing
Of his lovely Lucille
Wears a leather jacket
His nutsack’s made of steel
And he only reveals what he wants you to see
He tells a sad tale
But he’s still the same Negan to me

He can lead the Saviors
In a fight to defeat you
Killing one of your own
If you give him a look
And he’ll take half your shit with a look of sick glee
Yeah, he knows he’s an asshole
But he’s still the same Negan to me

Oh, he made Sanctuary
He can do what he wants
He’s a big swingin’ dick
Oh, he will always put out
And he never gives in
He just bashes some skulls

He will promise a game
Of shooting pool just for fun
Then he’ll carelessly cut you
And laugh about your guts
He’ll bring out the best
And the worst you can be
Blame it all on the writers
But he’s still the same Negan to me

 

DragonRacer, I think you should print this out and send it into The Talking Dead as fan art. Ooh, also send in a link to a video of someone singing it! You??

And include a note that says Jen7 wants her lunchbox. lol You never know, Chris Hardwick might send a little something for her. He's a good guy.