Season 6 of the post-apocalyptic drama The Walking Dead introduced a new character Negan, played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan. The character is introduced in what has been considered to be one of the most brutal moments in the whole series. However, despite Negan’s antagonistic traits, the 58-year-old does not perceive his character as a villain.
He even got into an argument with fans on X (Twitter) when they started stating how brutal and worse his character gets in the comics, the series is based on, and how the show has conveniently avoided a major plot line surrounding the character.
Negan’s Character Portrayal in The Walking Dead Sparked Debate
Negan is portrayed as a complex character in The Walking Dead comics, known for his charismatic yet savage personality, who combines intelligence with brutality, and often resorts to extreme measures to maintain order among his followers.
The TV show adaptation depicts these traits while also exploring Negan’s code of ethics and his journey toward redemption, shaped by his past traumas and experiences that have left him emotionally scarred and leading down a path to redemption.
However, fans of the show, who have been well aware of the comics were not very pleased, and have expressed dissatisfaction with how the television series has handled Negan’s character, particularly in avoiding labeling him as a r*pist. The show features how he forces women into joining his “wives” by offering them shelter, and protection while also employing threats.
It’s crazy how people still support Negan even tho he’s a rapist, dude literally coerced 4 women into marrying him or he would burn their husbands faces off. He should be eradicated from the walking dead franchise asap. pic.twitter.com/EARIVwW20X
— Heisenberg (@heisenbergnegs) May 23, 2023
fucking negan the walking dead, idrc that he got a redemption arc if you are a rapist you don’t deserve one. sorry
honorable mention jamie lannister. https://t.co/8KaS7wNZEx— lily🔅 (@jinxhexes) January 31, 2024
I just do not understand why the writers of the Walking Dead think they can humanise Negan so late in the game. He is a vicious mass-murdering rapist despot. I DO NOT CARE about his sob story and I don’t see why any of the other characters would either. Just off him already. pic.twitter.com/3J61X68zBn
— Caroline Dodds Pennock (@carolinepennock) May 13, 2018
rewatching the walking dead and then dropping it when negan shows up bc his stupid rapist ass never gets killed off for his BS
the actor that plays him does a great job n etc but yeah LMFDMD that mf should’ve died & him getting to hop around w the team ruined the show for me
— Viccy (@viccatty) June 15, 2023
Going back to The Walking Dead it’s crazy to me that Negan gets a happy ending when he’s literally a mass murdering rapist
— Tenacious_T ☭ (@TerrvnceMontana) December 19, 2022
While he does condemn r*pe among his followers, he has coercive relationships with multiple women, whom he views as his property. The show’s attempt to humanize Nagan despite his perpetration of s*xual violence has prompted criticism from fans.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan Defended His Character Against Fans’ Criticism
In an X (Twitter) thread, where fans expressed their despise for Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Negan in The Walking Dead, the actor stepped in to defend his character, while emphasizing the absence of clear heroes or villains in the quest for survival amid an apocalypse.
“No good or bad, there is only survival,” he said. The Red Dawn actor further argued that the Negan portrayed in the TV series is far from the one depicted in comics. “Show negan is not. Comic Negan I won’t speak for,” he said in a follow-up tweet, asserting that the show’s depiction is carefully crafted and while viewers may have their interpretations, he declared them to be incorrect.
“Have had MANY conversations with writers… very careful about what we do and say. What YOU perceive? Is your business. You’re wrong. But that’s your business. In fact.”
He even argued that Negan should not be perceived as a r*pist as he himself is “against r*pe” and even kills one of his men, who tries to take advantage of Sasha. “He’s so against r*pe, he kills someone for it,” Morgan said. However, he also acknowledged the subjectivity of character interpretation, highlighting audiences’ diverse perspectives.
The Walking Dead is available to stream on Netflix.
