Negan Smith

Lore & Background

After Rick Grimes and his fellow survivors agree to begin a trading relationship with the Hilltop Colony, they are ambushed by the Saviors and forced to obey Negan's orders to give the Saviors half of their supplies, as the other communities do. Initially obedient, Rick and his group conspire with other communities in the Washington, DC, area to prepare for war against the Saviors. Negan is defeated by this alliance and incarcerated for years, until the Whisperers emerge as a threat to the communities. Transformed into an antihero, Negan kills the Whisperers' leader Alpha and participates in subsequent battles, earning himself a pardon to live alone in exile. Negan later appears in the Commonwealth arc and the series finale of the comic books, and the character returns in the final season of the television series and the spin-off Dead City, where he is partnered with Maggie Greene as a protagonist.

In Their Own Story

In the comic book series, Negan is introduced as the leader of the Saviors, a group that demands half of all supplies from communities like the Hilltop Colony. He forces Rick Grimes's group to kneel and, after a long talk about his new world order, chooses Glenn as his victim. Negan slams Lucille down and laughs as Glenn attempts to get to his feet. After Glenn addresses his final words to Maggie, Negan swings Lucille at him, breaking his skull and knocking out an eye, and beats Glenn to death. Later, Negan arrives at Alexandria for their tribute, deciding not to take any food as he doesn't want Alexandria to starve. When Spencer Monroe suggests that Negan assassinate Rick and give him control of the community, Negan responds by telling Spencer that Rick may hate him but has guts, unlike Spencer, who acted like a coward. Negan then disembowels Spencer, killing him.

Reader's Guide

Negan Smith is a fictional character in the comic book series The Walking Dead, its television adaptation, and the spin-off miniseries Dead City. In the television series, he is fully named Negan Smith. He initially appears as an antagonist, the leader of the Saviors who oppresses other survivor communities and forces them to pay tribute; later he becomes an antihero. In the comics, the character's appearance is based on Henry Rollins, as confirmed by artist Charlie Adlard. Jeffrey Dean Morgan portrays Negan in the television series, having first appeared in the sixth-season finale. When offered the role, Morgan immediately accepted, as he was already a fan of the comic book series. Morgan has received critical acclaim for his portrayal, earning the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series, MTV Movie Award for Best Villain, and Saturn Award for Best Guest Starring Role on Television. Although the character himself initially received a mixed reception as the main antagonist of Seasons 7 and 8, with some critics calling him 'ridiculous', his redemption arc in the later seasons has caused him to become viewed by many as among the best and most well-developed characters in the series.

Did You Know?

• Negan's surname, Smith, is officially revealed in the spin-off series Dead City.
• Negan's appearance in the comics is based on Henry Rollins, as confirmed by artist Charlie Adlard.
• Jeffrey Dean Morgan immediately accepted the role of Negan because he was already a fan of the comic book series.
• Negan's weapon, a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire, is named Lucille after his wife in the comic book series.
• Morgan was nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series for his portrayal of Negan.