Throughout the course of The Walking Dead franchise, Maggie and Negan's relationship has been one of the most contentions and tenuous in the whole series — and for good reason. After Negan killed Glenn, Maggie's hatred for him consumed any other feelings she could associate with him. That's what makes their reunion in Dead City all the more interesting to watch.
In the first season, Maggie calls on Negan's help with finding Hershel, which turned out to be a ruse Maggie used to bring their rival to an end and pull one over on him. Dead City season 2 found Maggie and Negan once again at odds, leading to a final confrontation in the season finale wherein Maggie attempted to finally act on her revenge for Glenn by stabbing and attempting to kill Negan.
Behind the Dead episode 9, which was recently released on YouTube and takes fans behind the scenes of Dead City season 2 and Daryl Dixon season 3, revealed an unexpected detail about Maggie and Negan's confrontation in Dead City season 2 episode 8. Lauren Cohan shared that she improvised Maggie's closeness to Negan during the stabbing scene, an aspect that wasn't scripted.
Maggie and Negan's 'bear hug' wasn't scripted in Dead City season 2 finale
"It's interestingly the closest that they've ever been," Cohan explained in Behind the Dead. "It wasn't scripted that we would do it that way. It was just the way I sort of come upon Jeffrey [Dean Morgan]. I don't think it's any coincidence that it appeared as a bear hug."
For fans and especially the characters, the scene was the culmination of years of tension between Maggie and Negan. In the scene, Maggie runs up from behind Negan and literally stabs him in the back. Rather than keeping her distance, Maggie essentially hugs Negan while stabbing him. Even though Cohan's choice wasn't scripted, it ended added more meaning to the altercation.
Maggie intends to finish killing Negan with Lucille, his beloved weapon of choice, but a stark realization leads Maggie to accept that she must release her desire for revenge in order to find some semblance of peace and move on. Obviously, that epiphany doesn't come from hugging Negan, but that improvised moment layers in some depth. It's also symbolic, an extension of her decision to spare him and to work with him and Perlie and build something better as a team.
When it comes to these two, especially in a series as unpredictable as The Walking Dead universe, you never know how long their supposed truce could last, but it's definitely a concept and massive change for season 3 to explore. Let's see how Maggie and Negan actually move forward after that shocking confrontation. Maybe that "bear hug" really did bring them closer.
The Walking Dead: Dead City season 3 returns to AMC sometime next year.