Top 20 Best Negan Moments from The Walking Dead

“Worth”

While none of Negan’s Saviors could match his charisma and capability for violence, his lieutenant Simon came pretty close. But the group wasn’t big enough for the both of them. Simon often went rogue and slayed people against his leader’s wishes. The power hungry lieutenant also took control of the Saviors as soon as Negan went missing. And after Simon attempted a coup, his boss decided that enough was enough. The two ended up fighting for the right to survive. Although Simon gets some hits in, Negan ultimately took control of the duel and slayed Simon. This fierce show of strength showed that the leader of the saviors didn’t need his trademark bat to win a fight.

“Acheron: Part I"

Years after Negan slayed a few of Maggie’s loved ones, the two end up going on a dangerous journey together. Although they were on the same side, there was still plenty of tension. Maggie even openly threatened to kill the once big bad. While Negan doesn’t fight back at first, he got his revenge at a crucial moment. During their trip through a subway, an approaching horde of walkers forced the survivors to climb to the top of a train car. But Negan refused to help Maggie climb up. This cold moment served as a harsh reminder that you shouldn’t threaten an old villain. Fortunately for Maggie, she lived to give Negan a bit of payback for his cold actions.

“Hostiles and Calamities”

The former Savior leader has a very low tolerance for disloyal subjects. So, Negan wasn’t too happy after he discovered that one of his people freed Daryl from the ex-villain’s prison cells. Initially, the Savior Dwight takes the heat for the escape. He eventually tricks everyone into believing that a doctor named Emmett Carson was responsible for the prison break. Negan was prepared to burn the not actually guilty man for the crime. However, the Savior leader changed his mind and threw the doctor into open flames instead. The fact that Negan smiled after this savage display further cemented how messed up he was. His brutal actions made all his people think twice…no, three times before betraying their leader.

“Sing Me a Song”

After the young Carl tries to assassinate Negan, the two have a one-on-one chat. During their conversation, the leader orders the kid to reveal his gruesome eye injury. Negan is extremely excited to see the wound at the start of the scene. But once he sees how upset Carl is about having to unveil his missing eye, the savior leader actually tried to comfort the kid. Seeing Negan actually show remorse by using a gentle tone was incredibly surprising. Not only did it prove that he wasn’t completely heartless, but it set up another memorable moment. When Negan heard that Carl died, the Savior leader gets genuinely emotional. It becomes clear that the former villain did care for the kid.

“Something They Need”

Although Negan definitely has a warped sense of morality, there are certain crimes he considers irredeemable. A savior named David learned that the hard way in the “Something They Need” episode. After the heroine Sasha got imprisoned within the villainous base, she got an unexpected visit. The sickening David tries to manipulate and assault her. Before he could act, Negan arrived and immediately put a stop to the attempted crime. The savior leader then intimidated and killed David. Although Negan’s actions didn’t absolve him of his past crimes, this marked the first time we were glad he was around to deal out violent justice.

“Hearts Still Beating”

Negan loved to mess around with the people that were forced to serve him. In one of his most hilarious and twisted scenes, he arrives at Rick's Alexandria home with unclear motives. Negan then shocked everyone by asking for a spaghetti meal. To add insult to injury, he goes to Rick’s house and dined with the hero’s children. We couldn’t help but laugh at how absurd it was that a series villain that had the power to enact any number of punishments settled for spaghetti. As an added bonus, Negan’s dinner choice eventually led to an iconic quote.

“Lockdown”

In season 11, a high ranking member of the powerful Commonwealth society named Lance went rogue and slayed the heroes who refused to serve him. Since he knew what most of the protagonists looked like, Daryl chose to rely on a former antagonist. Negan uses violence and his powers of persuasion to get into a Commonwealth interrogation room. Although he gets taken captive by soldiers, he radiated so much confidence that it felt like he was in charge. In the end, Negan sailed right past the checkpoints and into the heart of the Commonwealth. It was ridiculously entertaining to see him infiltrate a society without breaking a sweat.

“The First Day of the Rest of Your Life”

Rick thought that his alliance with the Scavengers would be the key to taking Negan out. Unfortunately, the new group betrayed the hero and left him at the mercy of the Saviors. Negan almost bit it when a recently zombified Sasha nearly takes him out. However, he and his people regained control of the situation. Right before Negan dispatched Carl right in front of Rick, numerous fighters and an awesome tiger show up to save the day. The Savior is forced to fully retreat for the first time in the series. As he exits, he makes tons of hilarious observations. Even in defeat, Negan was still more than capable of stealing the show.

“What It Always Is”

Back when Negan had virtually no friends left in the world, he was approached by a wannabe Savior named Brandon. For a moment, it looked like the duo would form a twisted partnership. But Negan kicked his new ally to the curb after it became clear that Brandon was only obsessed with the most violent and grimmest parts of Savior history. The former antagonist decided to try forming an alliance with a mother and her son instead. But when Negan stepped away to get supplies, Brandon slayed the family because he thought that was what Saviors did. This grim and symbolic event forced the once great big bad to confront the dark legacy he left behind.

“For Blood”

During the series, Negan learns how to use an undead mask and specific movements to get a bunch of walkers to go where he wants them to. He eventually used this sinister skill to save people. When it becomes clear that the villainous Reapers outnumber and outgun Negan and his allies, he sent walkers after his enemies. His plan works so well that the Reapers bust out their most powerful weapon just to stop the undead assault. Although Negan’s horde doesn’t take out all his enemies, his walkers definitely helped even the playing ground. His tactics paved the way for his allies to bounce back and slay the Reapers.

“Here’s Negan”

Shortly after the apocalypse began, Negan went to get medicine to treat his wife Lucille’s cancer. But a group known as the Vipers refused to let him go until he sold out the doctor who gave him the supplies. After Negan is released, he arrives home to discover his beloved Lucille had already died. Knowing he had nothing left to lose, he made a barbed wire bat and took out his anger on the Vipers. Fans were drawn to this violent sequence because it showed us how Negan became the violent and complex survivor we know and love. Additionally, learning about Lucille helped us understand why he got so emotional when he destroyed the weapon he named after her.

“The Day Will Come When You Won’t Be”

A stubborn and traumatized Rick initially refused to work for Negan. After the officer threatened to kill the lead Savior, the duo went for a little ride in an RV. Negan constantly taunted and threatened Rick throughout their hellish trip. But when the Savior leader wants proof that he’s in control, he throws an ax out into a zombie horde and insists that the hero retrieve the weapon. The moment we watched Rick risk his life to get the ax marked a turning point in the show. While several big bads had pushed the hero to his limits, no one had utterly dominated him like Negan had. This scene solidified that we were dealing with a threat unlike anything the survivors had seen before.

“The Storm”

During a vicious blizzard, Judith broke away from the group to chase after Daryl’s dog. Negan didn’t hesitate to run right into the storm to find the young girl and the pup. Although his leg got hit hard by a piece of debris, the injured man doesn’t stop until he finds the duo. Negan goes as far as to give Judith the coat off his back to make sure she stayed warm in the storm. His heroic actions helped endear him to Alexandrians and fans alike. By saving Judith and dog, Negan showed he was willing to go to extreme lengths to protect people without being asked.

“A Certain Doom”

Even a great fighter like Daryl couldn’t take down the gigantic and terrifying Beta the first time they fought. Luckily, he had Negan in his corner for the rematch. The former Savior got Beta’s attention right away. While the towering villain was focused on trying to kill Negan, Daryl was easily able to sneak up on the big bad and land the final blow. Seeing the two enemies team up was immensely satisfying. And just when we thought the scene couldn’t get any better, Negan realized that Beta was a famous celebrity. The banter between the former Savior and Daryl after that revelation was absolute gold and the perfect way to conclude the epic team up.

“Wrath”

The Savior war appropriately ended with a battle between Rick and Negan. Although the Savior leader was wounded, he still had a lot of fight left in him. Negan manages to completely overpower Rick with his fists and the trusty bat Lucille. But before he could claim victory, he stopped because the hero brought up the deceased Carl’s desires for peace. As soon as Negan dropped his guard, Rick took advantage and took the Savior out of the fight with a devastating strike. The most surprising part of this scene was that the villain only lost because he showed remorse. Fortunately for fans, Negan lived to reflect on his losses after this pivotal battle.

“Hearts Still Beating”

When Negan visited Alexandria while Rick was away, the conniving Spencer saw an opportunity to get rid of Sheriff friendly. The snake attempted to bribe the Savior with booze and pool. After dancing around the subject, Spencer made it plain that he wants to take power from Rick. But Negan wasn’t impressed that the Alexandrian resident snuck behind sheriff’s friendly’s back. The Savior leader was so displeased that he fatally wounded Spencer after delivering a dark pun. Outside of the black humor, this moment stood out because Negan believed he was doing Rick a favor. Fans genuinely had to question if the Savior leader was right to eliminate a gutless man whose actions could’ve led to Alexandria’s downfall.

“Last Day on Earth" & “The Day Will Come When You Won’t Be”

In the season six finale, Negan and his saviors surrounded a group of heroes and forced them to their knees. After giving an intimidating speech, he decided to use a childish game to choose who will die via his bat. Every fan held their breath as Negan taunted the heroes. After the finale left us on a cliffhanger, the season 7 premiere revealed that he had chosen the beloved Abraham. And when Daryl tried to avenge his fallen friend, Negan’s bat fell on Glenn as well. The show drew controversy for splitting the Savior’s game into two parts. Fans were also put off by the graphic deaths. But for better or worse, Negan’s introduction still stands as one of the show’s most talked about moments.

“The Rotten Core”

Since Glenn was struck down while his wife Maggie was still pregnant, he never got to meet his son Hershel. That fact made this Negan scene incredibly ironic. After Hershel is captured by Commonwealth soldiers, the former savior refuses to stand idly by. Negan immediately attacks the guard and gets the kid to safety. The man even pledges his life to protect the son of the person he killed. While that promise was emotional on its own, Negan hammers in how badly he feels by coming clean to Hershel about what he did. The moment that the former savior tells the kid he can get revenge for Glenn someday made for an exchange we’ll never forget.

“Faith”

After an imprisoned Negan and his allies tried to rally people to rise up against their guards, the soldiers demanded the head of the person responsible for fostering the rebellion. The former Savior decides to take responsibility and faced a firing squad to save his wife and his friends. Seeing the once self-centered Negan voluntarily sacrifice everything for his allies was shocking. However, the soldiers don’t honor his wishes and try to make his pregnant wife pay the ultimate price too. But Negan’s sacrifice was so moving that other survivors stepped in front of the guns to protect him. Although he had previously tormented some of his protectors before, they still felt that he was now worth risking their lives for.

“Walk With Us”

Although Negan showed signs that he was becoming a better person in prison, he joined up with Alpha and his murderous Whisperer group after he escaped his cell. He even helped the violent leader attack the innocent residents of the Hilltop Community. Negan’s actions allowed him to become one of Alpha’s closest confidants. At one point, she trusted him to reunite her with his daughter at a cabin. But when Alpha arrived at that small house, Negan immediately assassinated the Whisperer leader. His unexpected betrayal was a mind bending twist. Although Negan committed heinous acts while undercover, he undeniably eliminated a major villain. A ton of survivors might not have made it to the end if Negan hadn't been willing to do whatever it took.