Walking Dead Finally Debuts the Negan-Level Threat Who We Thought Was Cut Forever

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Walking Dead Deluxe #94! Throughout The Walking Dead, fans have been introduced to no shortage of despicable villains, from characters like Negan and the Governor, to Alpha and the Whisperers. However, there was one villain who fans never actually got the chance to meet, despite his sickening reputation and lasting impact on The Walking Dead universe. At least, until now, as The Walking Dead finally debuts the Negan-level threat who fans thought was cut forever - in the most bizarre way possible.

In The Walking Dead Deluxe #94 by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard, readers are given an updated look at the classic issue, complete with full colors and the addition of Robert Kirkman answering fan mail. But there’s one other addition to this Deluxe issue that definitely stands out from the rest, and that’s Derek Hunter’s Small Bites. Small Bites is an ongoing gag comic that pokes fun at The Walking Dead, with new pages released in these Deluxe issues. In this issue, Small Bites finally debuts a previously unseen villain: Alexander Davidson.

In Small Bites, Carl and other survivors stumble upon a strange man in the woods, who is surrounded by seemingly trained squirrels. That man introduced himself as Davidson before droning on and on about how his life has been so much better after leaving Alexandria, and how he’s been thriving in the woods. He also revealed that the squirrels are, indeed, trained, and that they bring him food and supplies whenever he needs it. It’s an absurd little gag, to be sure, but also one of the most significant moments in The Walking Dead’s wider lore.

Who is Alexander Davidson? The Walking Dead’s Unseen Villain, Explained

First Appearance (Mentioned): The Walking Dead #69

Alexander Davidson was one of the founders of the Alexandria Safe-Zone, as he was a security liaison for the White House before the apocalypse, which gave him special access and information that was necessary to establish the post-apocalypse safe-haven. At first, Davidson was seemingly a good guy, with many looking to him not just as a leader, but also their savior. However, he quickly became corrupted by the power he was given, and used his position to manipulate and threaten women into sleeping with him, and punish those who refused his advances.

Davidson also forced people to work dangerous jobs without giving them a say in the matter, acting like a dictator rather than a leader. When his actions became public, Davidson was exiled and presumed dead. Throughout this chapter of The Walking Dead, Davidson was brought up multiple times as something of a ‘boogeyman’ for the franchise, but he was never seen. Many believed Davidson would return to live up to his reputation on-panel and prove to be a power-hungry villain akin to Negan, but that never happened, as The Walking Dead’s main series gave Davidson an unspectacular death off-panel.

Small Bites is a Hilarious Payoff to The Walking Dead’s Davidson Teases

Truthfully, it’s pretty surprising that The Walking Dead didn’t do more with Davidson. The series established him as a villain, left his fate open-ended, and even gave Davidson strong ties to the founding of the Alexandria Safe-Zone, which would have made him a major threat if he decided to attack. And that’s why Davidson finally being shown on-panel in Small Bites is hilariously perfect, as it flips the expectations of this despicable character in the most absurd way possible. Like, he trains squirrels in the woods? That’s Davidson’s ending? Ridiculous (but also perfect).

While Davidson’s appearance in Small Bites is more of a joke about how the series did nothing with him after arguably laying the groundwork for him to be a Negan-level villain, it’s still one of the most significant moments in the series because - gag or not - this is the first time Davidson has ever been shown on-panel in The Walking Dead after fans thought he was cut forever.