Negan's introduction in The Walking Dead also came with the most controversial storyline: Steven Yeun's Glenn Rhee's death. The Season 7 premiere was an adrenaline-pumping, tension-filled, brutal episode for the entire fandom, and marked one of the key moments on the show. In a new appearance on First We Feast's Hot Ones, Jeffrey Dean Morgan argued that Glenn's death should have been the one storyline that shouldn't have left the writer's room.
His co-star Lauren Cohan asked him to name a storyline that he believes he should never have made it out of the writer's room. During the conversation, Morgan looked back and admitted that the creator of the franchise was there in the room with him, and he felt bad sharing his opinion.
However, Morgan continued, "I'm just going to say this. It would have made both our lives easier, maybe not kill Glenn," the actor explained, echoing an ongoing thought in the franchise.
He continued, "It would have shifted the stories in a lot of ways, but you wouldn't be mad at me." Cohan jumped in, "Maybe we'd be like buddies!"
"Yeah, we'd probably be buddies," he admitted. "I mean, Glenn probably would have died some other way, but I wouldn't have had anything to do with it. So, I'll say that just to be safe."
Glenn Rhee became a big fan favorite in the series, and his demise was the saddest death in The Walking Dead. His death was teased at the end of Season 6, which had one of the biggest cliffhangers on television. It was later confirmed in Season 7's premiere, "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be." Although the episode aired almost nine years ago, it's still one of the most controversial and talked-about episodes in the franchise's history.
Glenn's death at the hands of Negan and his bat, Lucille, was already canon in the graphic novels. However, considering the multiple changes the adaptation had made, nothing was certain. Things further escalated when Abraham Ford was the unexpected first victim, which was shockingly followed by Glenn's death after Daryl's outburst.
Negan's Storyline Continued
Although fans had a hard time forgiving Negan for Glenn's death, the storyline was necessary for a big turning point, both for Negan and Maggie. Following the end of the original series, the duo are now the protagonists of Dead City, which is currently in its second season.
In the spinoff, the two traveled into a post-apocalyptic Manhattan to search for Maggie's kidnapped son, Hershel. The show further delved into Negan's evolution and his redemption journey. In an interview with ScreenRant ahead of Season 2's premiere, Morgan teased, "With Dead City, I don't know that it's the last year at all, but I think it's forming this character who, when we first met him, was the worst person in the world. And as time has gone by, we see a different side of him."
