Walking Dead Theory: How Negan & Maggie's Feud Will Properly End
The feud between Negan and Maggie has been a big part of The Walking Dead's final season, but here's a theory as to how it will finally end.
Negan and Maggie's feud needs to come to a proper end on The Walking Dead, and here's how it could happen. Some might suggest that the only real way for Negan and Maggie's conflict to be resolved is for one to kill the other. While that's certainly how many conflicts have ended on The Walking Dead, if Carl Grimes were still around, he'd assert that violence shouldn't always be the solution to problems, even in the post-apocalypse.
After all, what separates humans from animals is the capacity to reason through problems and decide to solve things in a way that doesn't necessitate violence or death. It can be a hard road, but it's possible if both sides desire it. In Maggie's case though, the fact that Negan brutally murdered her husband Glenn in The Walking Dead's season 7 premiere makes the idea of reconciling with the former Savior leader a very difficult one to consider.
One could argue that Negan has proven himself rehabilitated in the years since he's been tentatively reintegrated into society, but even if that's true, one could argue that the sins he committed place him beyond true redemption. At one time, Maggie definitely believed that, and was fully on board with the idea of hunting Negan down like a dog and killing him. The question now though is, after spending a while fighting alongside him, is it possible that Maggie might have changed her mind? Maybe not quite yet, but here's how it could happen by the end of The Walking Dead season 11.
It's understandably hard for anyone who lived through the war between Rick Grimes' group and Negan's Saviors to try and see Negan as a changed man. After all, he personally killed quite a few people they cared about, and those under his command killed even more. Still, it's understandable that none of the characters remaining from that time have a bigger grudge against Negan than Maggie. He didn't just kill Glenn, her husband and father to her son, he absolutely destroyed him, bashing his head in right in front of her eyes.
Maggie of course held a grudge against Rick for a long time, hating that he allowed Negan to live after the war's final battle. Still, Maggie went to Negan's cell with the full intent of killing him, but decided not to at the last minute, feeling he was better off rotting inside. Since Negan's release and Maggie's return, the two have operated as uneasy allies, never fully on the same page, but willing to work together if it helps their community. At the end of Walking Dead season 11, episode 9, "No Other Way," Negan decides to leave the group behind, reasoning that one day Maggie will ultimately try to take him out, and he can't allow that to happen. Still, in that moment, he could've preemptively attacked Maggie, and chose not to. That further drives home Negan's changed morality, and points to the possibility of a peaceful end to their feud.
After Negan leaves Maggie's group behind in "No Other Way," a time jump also takes place following the arrival of Eugene and representatives of the Commonwealth at Hilltop. It's unclear what Negan has been doing in the intervening months, but it's apparent at least that Daryl and Maggie have somehow ended up on opposite sides of a dispute. It's hard to imagine Daryl actively trying to harm or kill Maggie, but stranger things have happened on The Walking Dead. It seems likely that whatever standoff is taking place between Hilltop and the Commonwealth might escalate to an armed conflict.
Even if that doesn't happen, there's the fact that Daryl chose to let his former love Leah live after the fight between Maggie's group and the Reapers, meaning she could also come back to try and get revenge, perhaps with some new backup. If some kind of armed assault on Hilltop happens, that could present the perfect opportunity for Negan - who considering his past behavior, probably wouldn't go that far from the society he left behind - to return from the shadows and help Maggie secure Hilltop's victory, or at least survival. What would truly serve to end Maggie and Negan's feud though is if in doing so, Negan managed to save the life of Maggie's son Hershel. Maggie can shrug off Negan saving her life, but him saving her and Glenn's son would be a whole new ballgame. Negan may not ever be able to make up for killing Glenn, but saving his son would be the closest he could ever possibly come.
While Negan saving Hershel's life, and also helping Maggie save Hilltop could serve to properly end their feud, at the same time, there are limits to what can be accomplished, effectively ruling out the gross Maggie and Negan romance some viewers have predicted. Maggie and Negan may reach an understanding, and agree to coexist within the same society of people. However, that doesn't mean that they'll ever truly be on "good" terms, and that's completely understandable. Even if Negan truly has become a different person, he still killed the love of Maggie's life, and the father of her son. Saving Hershel may get Maggie's mind off of wanting to kill Negan, but she'll never be his friend. At best, they'll be neighbors, or acquaintances that have a civil rapport.
Nothing short of Glenn's ghost appearing and telling Maggie she should forgive Negan would probably get her to do so, and since there are no confirmation ghosts even exist in the Walking Dead universe, that's quite the tall order. Maggie will never be able to get the images of Glenn's smashed-in head out of her mind, and no amount of penance paid by Negan will ever be able to erase that memory, the darkest night of Maggie's life. Still, considering where the Maggie and Negan relationship was when she first returned at the end of Walking Dead season 10, even the two just agreeing to live together in peace would be a massive achievement. Some things just can't be fixed, but that's no reason to let the perfect be the enemy of the good.