The Walking Dead returned to AMC for the start of Season 7, and as you probably know, Negan kicked it all of by killing a couple of familiar faces. The Season 6 finale left the crew at the hands of the leader of The Saviors. Someone was going to die, and we had to wait all summer for an answer.
Fans got that answer during an intense and emotionally gripping season premiere. Rick and Negan came head-to-head, and Rick was left with a few decisions to make: would he continue to fight and lead his own people or will he bow down to Negan in order to assure his group's safety? Along the way, a few other pivotal moments happened as well, and we're breaking down this week's biggest developments.
Warning: Spoilers for the Season 7 premiere of The Walking Dead below.
Fans knew someone was going to die, but the curveball was that two characters were killed off. The scenes were incredibly graphic, and there were a couple small moments that matched what happened in The Walking Dead #100, which was probably incredibly hard for any of the fans of the comic series to watch. More importantly, these moments are Negan displaying dominance. This is just the beginning, and if Negan is willing to go this far upon first meeting the group, how far is he willing to go if Rick and company start fighting back?
Negan is all about wearing people down, so they'll be more susceptible to what he says. While he may seem crazy, there is a method to his madness, which is shrouded by the cold, yet highly-charismatic, persona he puts on. This episode did wonders for character development for that character. Viewers got a clear and concise vision of who Negan is and what he wants.
Much like the moment with Negan and Rick in the RV, this scene really helped define who Negan is. He knows how to get people on his side: through fear. This was almost as hard to watch as Negan bashing in Abraham's skull. Actor Andrew Lincoln did a tremendous job at showing emotion as he was about to hurt his son for the greater good.
Negan is keeping Daryl as insurance, just in case Rick and his group get any bright ideas. He may be ruthless, but Negan is showing that he's smart. He didn't get to where he is at just by killing off people. He always has a backup plan. However, what does this mean for Daryl? Will Negan try to break him and make him join The Saviors, or will he be locked up and forgotten about?
The Season 7 premiere was an emotional rollercoaster. While it was incredibly frustrating to have to wait for 20 minutes to find out who died, it paid off in the end. This episode wasn't so much about who was going to die as it was a one-hour of character development for this season's villain. Rick and the people of Alexandria are in for one hell of a ride. How will they overcome this monster? Comic book readers may have a good idea of how that will happen, but it seems like all hope is lost for the group.
Mat Elfring on Google+