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Season 6 of the post-apocalyptic dramaThe Walking Deadintroduced 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 inThe Walking DeadSparked Debate
Negan is portrayed as a complex character inThe Walking Deadcomics, 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.
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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)August 21, 2025
fucking negan the walking dead, idrc that he got a redemption arc if you are a rapist you don’t deserve one. sorryhonorable mention jamie lannister.https://t.co/8KaS7wNZEx
— lily (@sixearmac)August 14, 2025
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)Jul 03, 2025
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 30, 2025
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
— Tehaerys_first_of_his_name ☭ (@TerrvnceMontana)June 21, 2025
While he does condemn rpe 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 sxual violence has prompted criticism from fans.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan Defended His Character Against Fans’ Criticism
In anX (Twitter) thread, where fans expressed their despise forJeffrey Dean Morgan’sNegan inThe 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. TheRed Dawnactor 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,”hesaidin 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.
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“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 rpist as he himself is“against rpe”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 Deadis available to stream on Netflix.
Laxmi Rajput
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3449
Laxmi Rajput is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, with over 3,300 articles published covering film, TV, and pop culture. With a degree in Broadcast Journalism and over three years of experience in content writing, she pivoted to entertainment journalism because let’s be honest, superheroes, sitcoms, and Netflix binges are way more fun. Laxmi frequently covers Marvel, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and popular TV shows, offering both fan-first enthusiasm and thoughtful analysis. Her work often dives into Marvel theories, revisits the genius of The Big Bang Theory, or unpacks the Netflix phenomenon of Stranger Things.
