Unfortunately, there is a lot of negativity coming from Walking Dead fans, who are disappointed by the outcome of the last couple of installments. However, some of them are holding on to the exceptional quality of previous seasons, especially from the flagship series, hoping that the franchise can live up to the grandeur it began with. Many of these viewers have shared their ideas about what would reignite a widespread interest in the franchise, sharing fan theories for the current spin-offs that, if they came to fruition, would keep them engaged.
This Theory Suggests Negan Won't Survive the Franchise
Many years after his redemption arc, Negan is still the most controversial character in The Walking Dead universe, with some viewers believing he never should have survived the Saviors' War in the flagship series, let alone been given a leading role in Dead City, which has lasted two seasons already. Recently, his character has become more unpopular, and the audience is waiting for a change in pace to keep them engaged in this franchise. With this in mind, some fans have shared a couple of exceptionally dark theories for the future of his character, with one standing out as a potential turning point for the post-apocalyptic universe.
A stand-out fan theory is that Negan will die at some point during the events of Dead City, redeeming himself by sacrificing himself for another person. For this theory to have the right impact on an audience, the creators would likely have to have him sacrifice himself for a notable character, such as Maggie or Hershel. For this to work in the spin-off series, this event would also have to occur towards the end of the show, especially considering how reliant the plot has been on the tension and complicated relationship between Negan and Maggie.
Many viewers might be shocked by this theory, believing that The Walking Dead franchise is too centered around long-running characters to kill one of them off and risk losing dedicated fans. On the other hand, the creators have previously made shocking decisions to kill off beloved main characters, such as Carl's untimely demise in Season 8 of the flagship series. However, every Walking Dead spin-off since the conclusion of the original show has yet to let go of a main character, making this theory unlikely despite the positive impact it could have on the future of the franchise.
Fans Would Have Mixed Responses To This
In the Season 2 finale of Dead City, the show teased Maggie's decision to finally go after Negan and avenge her husband, giving her and her son closure and a path to move on with their lives without the trauma of this painful loss. This proved to be an anticlimactic moment in the spin-off because Maggie stabbed Negan, making her move, but stopped herself when she saw him grieving the loss of Ginny. It was thrilling to see one of these characters take control of their agency after two seasons of stagnant characterization, making Maggie's ultimate decision a bit disappointing, even for viewers who aren't ready to see Negan go.
This dark fan theory would bring Dead City's plot full circle, with the events beginning with Negan and Maggie thrust back together as unwilling allies and concluding with one of them dying, breaking their endless back-and-forth between allies and enemies. At this point, viewers who were previously big fans of one character or the other are getting frustrated with the lack of progress made in this complicated dynamic. Therefore, even viewers who love Negan as a redeemed villain could take this turn in events well, appreciating him going out as a hero and concluding the most dragged-out conflict in the franchise.
However, It Would Perfectly Conclude Dead City
There are a couple of spin-offs that were accepted long before they ever aired, but Dead City was more controversial for long-time viewers, especially when it was announced that Negan and Maggie would be the main characters. Though this had the potential to feature these characters finally overcoming their past and working together for a better world, after their tension had been dragged out for so long in the flagship series, the show would have had to do this early on in the spin-off's storyline. Unfortunately, by the Dead City Season 2 ending, the two are no closure to overcoming their distrust, once again reluctant allies who could turn on each other at any moment.
This might not include killing off a major character, such as Negan, especially if the spin-off intends to run longer than three seasons. However, considering the controversy over the overall show, taking a chance and shocking the audience with this proposed plot could successfully draw back the fandom. After many years of the franchise not taking any serious risks with its main characters, a dark twist to the storyline is exactly what the horror series needs to stand out in the competitive entertainment world.
The Walking Dead Should Start Listening To Fans
