"Greatest Hits": With One Line, The Walking Dead Explains Negan's Controversial New Story

The Walking Dead: Dead City season 2 looks set to tell one of Negan's most controversial stories yet, and a single line from "Power Equals Power" sums up his future. Having once been the franchise's main antagonist, Negan has since turned a corner, ditching his Savior persona to become a better man. Not only did he save Judith's life and take down menacing villains like Alpha and Beta, but Negan started a family with Annie in The Walking Dead season 11 and found some sort of redemption, hence why he sacrificed himself to free Hershel in Dead City.

He is undeniably more selfless than ever and has genuinely good intentions, but the former villain still possesses some old traits that made him so detestable, as evidenced by a Dead City season 1 scene teasing the return of evil Negan. In the scene, Negan smashes a man's head through glass while putting on his performative tone, and season 2 is forcing him to bring this side of him back. With the Dama threatening his family, Negan has no choice but to reluctantly return to his dark ways, and one line from the Croat perfectly captures his upcoming journey.

The Walking Dead's "Greatest Hits" Line Feels Like An Analogy For Negan's Story

Both The Audience & The Croat Want To See Negan's Darker Side Return

During a conversation between Negan and The Croat inside a confession booth, the latter tells Negan, "After a long break, when a performer takes the stage again, he wants to try out new material. But in the end, all the audience really wants are the greatest hits." The villain's analogy comes after gifting Negan his electrified Lucille replacement, which he is naturally apprehensive to accept. However, this interesting line seems to have a deeper meaning, as it accurately represents Negan's upcoming arc in Dead City season 2, alongside how the viewers might feel about it.

As much as fans have enjoyed seeing Negan find redemption and grow as a person, there was still a lot of buzz when Jeffrey Dean Morgan confirmed some of his character's darker traits would make a return in the spinoff's first season. This served as a solid appetizer, and with Negan being forced to adopt more aspects of his Savior persona, the audience is sure to enjoy his "greatest hits", such as using his signature weapon again, delivering some charismatic speeches, and being a general menace to those opposing him.

The "new material" likely symbolizes Negan's attempt to do things more civilly, even while serving the Dama. Although he did shock Christos with his baseball bat during his speech, there was still a desire to have Manhattan's factions join his cause peacefully, rather than by force. Overall, the idea of evil Negan returning is hard not to enjoy - even if it's only temporary - and with the Dama, the Croat, and the audience all excited to see this side of him, this line feels like the perfect analogy for Negan's controversial journey in season 2.

Is Bringing Evil Negan Back Really The Best Movie For The Walking Dead?

Relying On Negan's More Sinister Traits Could Hurt His Character Progression

While Negan's sinister side undoubtedly makes for great entertainment, there are still questions about whether it is really the best move. Hearing some of his playful and threatening quotes will be a lot of fun as "Power Equals Power" has already proven, and seeing him dispose of those who try and cross him has the potential to be excitingly brutal. That said, these short-term moments of fun could harm his overall progression since it risks resetting him back to a cruel villain, but I'm confident Dead City will get the balance right after season 2's premiere.

The reason behind evil Negan's return in The Walking Dead comes down to his desire to protect his family. He has already shown that he won't help the Dama willingly and appears genuinely conflicted about his actions. However, watching him silently enjoy the power he's being given while also feeling guilt about his actions could be one of his best stories yet, especially if he can fight his inner demons. Thankfully, Dead City looks like it will make evil Negan's return more than simple fan service, and I'm hopeful this story will do more good than bad for the character.