Why is Alpha willing to work with Negan on The Walking Dead?

Season 10 of The Walking Dead has Negan looking to join the Whisperers. Beta isn’t a fan of the idea, but for some reason, Alpha seems to want him around.

The Whisperers have been a game-changer on The Walking Dead. Ever since the group was introduced, fans haven’t looked at the undead the same. Led by the ruthless Alpha, the group can weaponize and hide among the walkers, making them a massive threat.

Now, it appears as though Negan is looking to join the ranks of the Whisperers. Beta doesn’t like the idea of bringing him in, but Alpha seems fond of the former leader of the Saviors and may actually let him join the group.

But why would Alpha ever let Negan join? We posed that question to our panel of The Walking Dead experts and got their responses.

Joe says:

I think Alpha sees Negan as an opportunity to get a leg up on the survivors given his history with them and his eagerness to join the Whisperers. After passing his “test” of Beta basically leaving him for dead against a horde of walkers, Negan has proved that he is at least physically up to the challenge of being a Whisperer. With Alpha always seeking ways to get under the skin (pun intended) of the people in the communities, she likely thinks that Negan will be a powerful tool in the upcoming Whisperer War.

Jeffrey says:

Alpha is someone who is calculated and is playing the long game of survival. I think she sees Negan’s confident demeanor and ability to handle himself in dangerous situations as something she can use to her own strategic advantage. She may not fully trust Negan, but she probably knows that he has vital information about Alexandria that she could possibly get out of him, especially considering he is hard to shut up.

Dawn says:

I think she sees use in Negan whether he is genuine or not. She believes she can manipulate everyone and though he’s a challenge she is sure she’ll either make him see her way or be able to manipulate him into thinking he’s helping himself, or ASZ, but actually help her – a la Gamma

Neva says:

Alpha is an opportunist who appreciates strength and I think she sees strength in Negan. Since Dante was a spy, she knows Negan was a prisoner and probably knows his backstory. For a long time, Negan was basically the boogie man and, as we saw during the season, there was still a lot of fear and anger at ASZ toward Negan.

There is also a bit of a charmer to Negan. He managed to convince an entire group to follow him. Negan knows how to play people and exploit their weaknesses. Going by what Alpha probably knows about Negan, its believable that he would be useful to her. He listens and is observant. He knows the leaders and how they think. He knows what buttons to push and how best to get under their skin.

Alpha also has a bit of arrogance, believing once someone commits to her they are hers. The penalty for disloyalty or questioning her is a swift death. As she sees it, he came to her like so many others did in their most desperate moment. I think in some ways she sees some of herself in Negan or at least the Negan she “knows”.

Adam says:

This is a question that has been bugging me for a while. Negan doesn’t meet almost any of the qualities Alpha needs from her followers. He is loud, obnoxious, and hasn’t experienced the kind of hardship that would make him easy to brainwash into their cult-like group. Also, the fact that Beta is right to be hesitant about letting Negan into the Whisperers should say a lot about the situation.

Is it a physical attraction to his stature or power? That’s my guess. She’s been alone in the zombie apocalypse for a long time and may be thinking about taking a romantic partner. Sadly, I think she’s letting the fox into the henhouse with this move.

What is it about Negan that you think makes Alpha believe he could be a productive member of the Whisperers? And is she right to think these things in season 10 of The Walking Dead? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section!