There are moments in television that refuse to fade from our memories, moments so charged with tension, shock, and sheer audacity that they make our hearts race, our palms sweat, and our jaws drop in disbelief. The Walking Dead had many of these, but there's one scene from the zombie series that still sticks with me (and probably every fan who watched it). It's the epic scene between Rick and Negan at the Alexandria Safe-Zone in the season 7 finale.
We're first introduced to Negan in the season 6 finale, and from the very moment he appears, it’s impossible not to feel the weight of his presence. Charismatic, menacing, and completely unpredictable, he immediately dominates every scene, turning even simple dialogue into a game of fear and power. He doesn’t ease into the series. He immediately leaves his mark by brutally killing two beloved characters who belonged to Rick's group.
As a result, the conflict between him and his Saviors and Rick’s group intensifies dramatically. Negan returns to Alexandria to seize supplies and returns again later in the season 7 finale to do the same thing, but this time with Sasha in tow. He's taken her hostage and placed her in a coffin, hoping that he can use her life as a bargaining chip to break Rick and his group’s spirit and force them into submission. But what he doesn't know is that Sasha has a plan of her own.
She's made the heroic choice to sacrifice herself by taking a cyanide suicide pill so that she can come back as a walker and launch a surprise attack on Negan once they arrive in Alexandria. Her death is then turned into a final act of defiance that shocks Negan and gives Rick and his group a crucial opportunity to strike back. But unfortunately, Rick and Carl wind up captured again by the Saviors. This is when that iconic scene between Rick and Negan happens.
As Rick and Carl are forced to kneel on the ground, Negan gets in their faces, his grin both charming and terrifying, as he delivers a chilling monologue that reminds them just how ruthless and in control he truly is. He tells Rick that he's going to kill Carl, but it's not just the words that terrify. It's the way in which he says them and how he describes in detail, exactly what he plans to do.
But that's not it. In order to really drive it home, Negan mockingly explains to Rick that after he kills Carl with his barbed-wire-wrapped bat, he’ll place the weapon in his hands. How much more twisted could it get? To force a father to hold the very bat that just ended his son’s life, while making him live every horrifying second of it. That's really messed up!
"I’m gonna kill Carl now. I’m gonna make it one nice, hard swing, try to do it in one because I like him. I just want you to put that in your brain and roll it around for a minute. I’m gonna kill Carl, and then Lucille here, she’s gonna take your hands." - Negan
Rick doesn't cower and back down, though. Instead, he delivers a powerful, defiant speech. He stares Negan directly in the eyes and tells him that he's going to kill him and his group eventually. Every word drips with determination and unshakable resolve, a clear warning that no matter how much fear Negan tries to instill, Rick’s spirit and the fight for his people remain unbroken.
"You can do it right in front of me. You can take my hands. I told you already, I’m gonna kill you. All of you. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but nothing is gonna change that. Nothing. You’re all already dead." - Rick
Rick’s defiance instantly provokes Negan, who readies his bat to strike Carl. But just as he prepares to strike, the moment is interrupted as the Kingdom and Hilltop forces arrive and successfully drive Negan and his Saviors away.
Both Andrew Lincoln and Jeffrey Dean Morgan deserve every bit of praise for this scene. You could practically feel the tension through the screen. Talk about Oscar-worthy performances! This is just one of many moments in The Walking Dead that truly live rent-free in my head.
The Walking Dead is available to stream on Netflix.