Jeffrey Dean Morgan Explains Why He Couldn’t Wait for Negan’s Brutal Moment in ‘Dead City’
Redemption arcs in ‘The Walking Dead’ universe often come with a caveat, suggesting that the darker instincts behind a character’s most notorious actions never fully fade, regardless of the personal growth depicted. This tension has been a defining aspect of Negan’s journey in ‘Dead City,’ and Season 3 has just provided one of its most brutal reminders that the old Negan is still very much present.
In Sunday’s episode, titled ‘Imperialis,’ the plot primarily revolves around a tense yet ultimately successful heist to clear walkers from subway tunnels for electricity, culminating in a moment of celebration. However, that relief is short-lived. The episode’s climax takes a sharp turn when a community member named Fabian, previously caught stealing supplies, confronts Negan at Dillard’s bar, blaming Maggie for the destruction of his family.
Negan initially attempts to redirect Fabian’s anger toward Renata, but when Fabian fixates on Maggie and hints at wanting to act on his rage, Negan acts decisively, smashing a bottle over Fabian’s head and ultimately shooting him. When Renata tries to arrest Negan, reminding him that “this is not how we do things,” he coldly responds, “It is exactly how I do things,” and warns her, “Bring your army.”
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Morgan expressed his excitement about finally getting to film this intense confrontation. “I couldn’t wait! I’m, like, itching to pull that gun out and stick it to his head and scream at Renata,” Morgan shared in the interview, noting that Fabian’s threat against Maggie sealed his fate in Negan’s eyes.
Morgan mentioned that the language Fabian used toward Maggie genuinely annoyed him as a performer, adding authenticity to the scene’s escalating tension. He also praised director Sylvain White for his instincts in staging the sequence, especially given the demanding pace of shooting about nine pages of script in a single day.
According to Morgan, Negan’s actions throughout the season, including the earlier killing of the Dama, stem from a mix of protecting Maggie, resisting Renata’s authority, and a lingering desire for revenge. He emphasized that Fabian’s death is consistent with who Negan has always been, rather than a regression in his character arc.
For Morgan, maintaining that unpredictable, “loose cannon” aspect of Negan is crucial, regardless of how much the character has softened in his relationship with Maggie this season. “I don’t care how and why and who he becomes in this growth, because he has grown in a lot of ways since we first met him, there has to be that loose cannon aspect to him,” Morgan explained, highlighting that Negan enjoyed having Renata as an audience for this moment, as it marked her realization that she had lost control over him.
Morgan directly linked this scene to his previous comments about the season’s central dynamic shift between Negan and Maggie, describing this season as the first time they have been able to communicate rather than remain in constant conflict. Even with this softer dynamic, Morgan clarified that every interaction Negan has with Renata throughout the season has been building toward this critical breaking point.
Morgan teased that Fabian’s death is just the beginning of the fallout from this confrontation, hinting that viewers will witness a direct continuation of the scene where Negan “loses his f—ing mind for a moment there.” He described the moment with Fabian as a spark, but not the full extent of where Negan’s defiance toward Renata and the community ultimately leads.
As ‘Dead City’ continues its run on AMC and AMC Plus, Morgan’s comments suggest that the repercussions of Negan’s latest kill will carry significant weight for the remainder of the season, especially considering his explicit warning to Renata about bringing her army.
Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!