Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Walking Dead: Dead City season 2, episode 5, “The Bird Always Knows”.During his time with the Saviors, Negan was presented as one of the most imposing characters in the entire franchise, butThe Walking Dead: Dead Cityjust reminded us that it was never Lucille or his manpower that made the former villain powerful.Negan’s debut scene still lives long in the memory of mostWalking Deadfans, as killing off two fan-favorite characters really emphasized just how intimidating he once was. He remains themost powerful villainThe Walking Deadhas ever introduced, and even though he has turned a corner and found redemption, Negan is still incredibly dangerous.
Even though he now has a more deadly version of Lucille and has become a high-ranking member of the Burazi - even if involuntarily - Negan’s biggest strengths come from elsewhere. After being made to do the Croat and the Dama’s bidding with his family’s lives at stake,Negan’s story inThe Walking Deadspinoff has become about complying with the Burazi’s demands so that he can gain his freedom. However,Dead City’s joint protagonist seems hellbent on taking his adversaries down in the process, which has highlighted the one trait that makes Negan such a capable survivor.
While most survivors inThe Walking Deaduniverse probably wouldn’t want to get into a fistfight with Negan,Dead City’s latest episode proved that his manipulation is even more effective than his combat skills. Negan is still one of themost powerful fighters inThe Walking Deadand is extremely deadly with his signature baseball bat, but his mental tricks are what really make him stand out. After the Croat killed Christos and his group, Negan became fully invested in taking down Manhattan’s hierarchy, with his plan coming into effect almost immediately.
Taking a moment to talk with the Croat, Negan encouraged the antagonist to stand up for himself and made him believe that the Dama treated her pet rat better than she did him. This caused a heated argument between the two, allowing Negan to capitalize by killing the Dama’s rat while framing the Croat. As a result, the villains' relationship continued to sour, ending in a confrontation that saw the Croat leave the Dama for dead, proving just how effective Negan’s manipulation was, and he even used the same tactic to get one over on Bruegel in the previous episode.
Despite losing his bet with the gang leader, Negan threatened to expose Bruegel’s secret if he didn’t wave away his winnings, an approach that worked perfectly. It’s a trait he has shown throughoutThe Walking Dead, hence why he was able to take over the Saviors in the first place. Additionally, he managed to gain Alpha’s trust only to betray her, and his ruthless threats saw countless communities obey the Saviors' rule for a long time, confirming thatNegan has always thrived when pulling the strings, which has allowed him to survive this far into the apocalypse.
Negan’s Power Of Manipulation Is Why He’s So Difficult To Trust
Although being able to manipulate his enemies is one of Negan’s greatest attributes, it also acts as a significant weakness given he is difficult to trust. Having seen the violence he committed alongside the mental gymnastics he was willing to pull to oppress communities like Alexandria and the Kingdom,many of the franchise’s main survivors have struggled to accept Negan even after seeing him change. ConsideringMaggie and Negan’sWalking Deadfeudis still ongoing in their spinoff show, it’s clear Maggie still hasn’t forgiven the man who killed her husband, and even trusting him has proven difficult.
Episode 5: “The Bird Always Knows”
Jun 14, 2025
Episode 6: “Bridge Partners are Hard to Come by These Days”
Episode 8: “If History Were a Conflagration”
August 01, 2025
Seeing Negan wielding his bat and hanging with the Burazi made Maggie extremely cautious around him inDead Cityseason 2, and she’s not the only one. OtherWalking Deadcharacters like Daryl always kept the former villain at arm’s length, only relying on him when there was no other choice. He may have good intentions these days, but those who have seen him manipulate entire communities understandably have a hard time putting their faith in him, making this trait both a major strength and a key flaw.
