Rumors swirled that filming had concluded for The Walking Dead: Dead City season 3, leaving many hopeful that the new season will air in 2026. However, if it does, the situation between Negan and Maggie needs to be buried once and for all.
Yes, we sort of fibbed, because we will be discussing not one but two characters Dead City needs to figure out what to do with. If you guessed Negan and Maggie, you are correct.
The duo have a complicated partnership, to say the least. What started as Negan killing Glenn in front of Maggie that fateful night on The Walking Dead, transformed into a side plot for revenge as Rick and other groups decide to stand up to Negan's Sanctuary.
After losing the war and facing a lifetime behind bars, Negan cracks, a rather satisfying fate for Maggie, who finally had the chance to kill him. After Maggie leaves Alexandria, Negan finds his footing, becoming an asset for the community, earning his freedom, and singlehandedly killing Alpha, the leader of The Whisperers.
Maggie's unexpected return meant her old feud with Negan was reignited, and the two worked together to help her new community from The Reapers. Negan and Maggie find themselves at odds repeatedly, but in the end, they part ways, having reached little to no success in being at least cordial with each other.
All of that changes when they reunite some time later, now dealing with the corrupt The Commonwealth. Negan is married with a child on the way, but still has his community to join Maggie and the others.
By the time The Walking Dead concludes after 11 seasons, the two bury the hatchet, or so we thought. Fast-forward to Dead City, where years later Maggie finds Negan, asking for his help rescuing her son Hershel, who was taken by The Croat.
The two venture into New York City, where it becomes clear Maggie only told Negan part of the truth. In order to save her son, she'll need to deliver Negan.
Despite their teamwork and comradery Maggie is willing to throw it all away, instead of working with him to find a new way to save her son. Negan willingly accepts his fate but is surprised to learn he's needed alive as opposed to dead.
Negan's reputation as leader of the Saviors intrigues The Dama, The Croat's boss. Season 1 concludes with him making the choice to become that man once more and bring together all the factions of Manhattan in order to keep Hershel safe.
Season 2 becomes a muddled mess as the factions of the island and the New Babylon Federation all seek the methane in Dama's possession. As Negan tries to work his magic and do as ordered, Maggie and Hershel are back, where another reunion occurs.
Both Negan and Maggie try to avoid their past, focusing on the current situation, thankfully avoiding the usual tropes most films and TV shows do. But when the time comes for Maggie to harness Negan's new Lucille, while the man is down, we couldn't help but facepalm.
No, Maggie does not kill Negan; she's interrupted when they discover Ginny had tragically died and turned. She seemed to have snapped out of her spur-of-the-moment lack of judgment, but at this point, these two need to officially end the feud.
Negan had long since asked and earned forgiveness. He has no quarrels with Maggie even after she betrayed him.
He continues to place her son's needs before his own. Maggie, however, needs to make a decision that will hopefully not end with either of them dead. The season 2 finale hinted at them and Perlie all coming to a silent agreement that they need to work together to survive as New Babylon reinforcements flood the city streets.
Hershel had willingly returned to Dama, meaning we're sort of back to square one. It's been frustrating to see Maggie narrowed down to a widow who can't cope, no matter how much time has passed.
Just as Negan can't seem to ever catch a break with finding happiness, his past continues to haunt him no matter where he goes. But we're hoping these two will finally get their happy endings next season with some finality as to where they stand with each other.
Stream The Walking Dead: Dead City on AMC and AMC+.