Season 7 episode 1 Walking Dead, will never be forgotten

On October 23, 2016, The Walking Dead aired an episode that will forever live as one many fans could never rewatch. “The Day Will Come When You Won’t Be” is the episode that picks up after the season six finale cliffhanger. We see Rick and company kneeling in a clearing in the dark, surrounded by Saviors as Negan taunts Rick, who has a shocked look on his face; sobs can be heard in the background. Viewers know that the victim has already been chosen.

This scene is directly from the comic book and fans of the comic story as well as fans of the series who knew this day was coming and longed for and dreaded this scene. In the comic, Glenn was the chosen victim, and fans waited for months to find out who would be killed in the series lineup. It was a shocking thing when Negan chose not one but two victims.

We watched as Abraham, with balls of solid gold, raises back up and defiantly looks at Negan, who had already bashed his head once, and said, “Suck… my… nuts.” There is no better way to have Abraham meet his maker. He was as tough as they come, and if we had to watch him die, giving him one last one-liner was the only way to play it out.

Glenn Rhee death: he didn’t have to die in The Walking Dead

After the episode, one topic on everyone’s mind was that Glenn didn’t have to die. Daryl, in a fit of rage, punches Negan in the face. Saviors get a hold of him before he can do anything else. Dwight holds Daryl’s own crossbow to his head, asking Negan if he can kill him. Negan declines his offer, and Dwight drags Daryl back to the lineup.

Negan proceeds to tell them that there is always a punishment for resistance. And as he says, “So…back to it…” he takes out Glenn.

There was a collective gasp within The Walking Dead fandom as fans thought Glenn lucked out and missed his comic book death. It was horrific to watch and hear Maggie’s screams.

As a die-hard Daryl Dixon fan, it was hard for me to admit that this was Daryl’s fault. But, there is no way to sugarcoat it. And, this is part of the guilt that Daryl still carries with him.

This episode was hard to stomach as it was so brutal. But, this was needed to show Negan’s true nature and set up the Savior arc of the series.

The Walking Dead will return to AMC on February 20, 2022, with season 11B.