WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Walking Dead Season 11, Episode 1, “Acheron: Part 1,” which aired Sunday on AMC.
The Walking Dead is back with its final season, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Of particular interest are the interactions between Maggie and Negan. They have a history of conflict, and it comes flying to the forefront. Although teasers and marketing material seem to hint that Negan and Maggie will team up at some point, in “Acheron: Part 1,” that couldn’t be further from happening.
Food, supplies and morale are low in Alexandria after the Whisperers tore through the settlement and left everything in shambles. Faced with no alternative, Maggie leads a group of fighters out of Alexandria on a mission. She wants to return to Meridian, her old community, and retake it from the Reapers. On the way, a bad storm forces her group underground into a subway tunnel — and that’s when tempers start to flare.
Maggie decides to bring Negan on their little excursion because he knows the city and can navigate. Along the way, though, it’s clear that no one wants any additional advice from him. Negan has come a long way from his days as a Savior and is giving sound advice. However, Maggie has not been around for his growth and cannot get over their past. Accordingly, all of her followers follow suit. In fact, everyone is downright rude and insulting.
At one point, they are clearing their way through a mass graveyard of dormant and bagged walkers when a young member of their team is nearly killed. Negan jumps into action and saves his life, but no one else tries to help. Finally, Negan has had enough. He tells Maggie that she is being reckless and risking everyone’s lives. Then, he goes on to state what’s become obvious to him: Maggie only brought him out there to find a way to kill him without the people of Alexandria seeing it happen.
Negan doesn’t stop there. He knows he’s right, so he offers to have it out right then and says, “I am not going to let you drag me through mud, filth and slime to put me down like a dog like Glenn was.” Negan was right all episode and has been doing his best to make good on his horrid past, but he crosses an unspoken line at that moment. Maggie is stressed and mad at Negan for killing Glenn, so bringing him up was not a wise move.
As Glenn’s name comes out of Negan’s mouth, Daryl punches him while Maggie draws her gun. It’s a wonder she didn’t blow his head off right then and there, but she didn’t even address him bringing up Glenn. While holding her pistol in his face, she forcefully explains that she is not reckless; she is calculated. Everyone back at Alexandria — including her son — is starving, so she must take risks. She ends the brief soapbox by threatening him to keep pushing, and she’ll kill him without hesitation.
Witness Maggie and Negan’s tense interaction in Season 11 of The Walking Dead. The series airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on AMC and is available to stream early on AMC+.
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