Aahana Swrup
Episode 6 of ‘The Walking Dead: Dead City’ Season 3 takes the viewers into an alternative universe, one where the zombie apocalypse never ravaged humanity. In this jarringly different reality, Maggie finds herself in New York for one day as she deals with the complications of holding onto her family farm back home. During this trip, she bumps into Negan, a friendly stranger, who is harboring his own demons. When something sparks between the two during this initial meeting, they inevitably end up spending the entire day together. Even in these few hours spent together, the duo manages to change the others’ lives for better or for worse. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Maggie Opens Up to Negan Over Pancakes
Negan’s unlawful execution of Fabian promises an upcoming war between him and Negan. This rivalry promises another potential rift between him and Maggie. However, while the pair seem to be perpetually doomed in this reality, they might have more of a fighting chance in an alternate world. In this world, the apocalypse never hit, allowing human civilization to go on without any world-ending impediments. As such, Maggie comes to visit her sister, Beth, in New York. Although she initially plans on attending her sister’s upcoming show, she has to return home the same night to deal with some land availability disputes with the family far.
Previously, it had seemed like selling was the only option the family had left. However, now Maggie has come up with a co-op model that will allow them to hold onto the farm for longer with a little bit more effort. Beth remains disappointed in her sister’s continued dogged attempts to shoulder the family burden. Nonetheless, she knows she can’t change her mind overnight. Thus, the sisters soon part ways, with Beth running off to work. In turn, Maggie finds herself at a cafe, where she screens calls from her soon-to-be-ex-husband, Danny. The phone calls end up catching the attention of Negan, another solo dining patron. As such, he ends up striking up a conversation with Maggie, perhaps more prying than would be socially acceptable. Still, he somehow manages to win the perfect stranger over, and the two swap stories.
Negan Reveals His Secrets at a Batting Cage
After Negan learns that Maggie’s idea of a perfect day in New York includes some roasted hazelnuts, he helps her procure the dubious treats. Afterward, it only makes sense for the two strangers to go their separate ways. Yet, Negan asks Maggie to join him for lunch. He can tell that the peculiar connection between them is something special and suggests that they stay in each other’s orbits for as long as possible. Although the other almost walks away, she relents when he appeals to her sense of adventure. As such, the two end up in a high-profile club, where Negan gets them a table after pulling some strings. However, trouble soon arrives. Apparently, he is banned from this particular club, which leads to a confrontation that cuts the duo’s meal short.
Maggie is understandably frustrated. She had figured out Negan was a shady man, and even believed he had a gun, but she had consistently been willing to give him a chance. As such, she demands that he tell her about his life. It only seems fair after she has shared so much of herself. Swayed by her demands, Negan reveals that he actually has an ankle monitor, signifying his recent release from prison. He had landed on the wrong side of the law after assaulting Alan, one of the other members of the club. Thus, Maggie realizes that the reason he actually brought her to the club was that deep down, some part of him wanted her to stop him from doing something he would regret if he saw Alan again. Never one to shun away from danger or leave honesty unrewarded, Maggie ends up taking the other to a batting cage to let out some of his frustration.
This change of scenery prompts Negan to share more of his past with her. Years ago, he was a high school coach. He noticed one of his softball players caught the attention of Alan, who was one of the parents at the school. Over time, he began to suspect an affair between the two. Eventually, when the girl started to show up with makeup covering bruises, he encouraged her to talk to the school counselor. Nonetheless, since Alan had friends at the police department, nothing came of it. As the years passed, Negan stopped thinking about the incident until something compelled him to look up the high school student in hopes that she had left Alan. However, the only thing he found was an obituary, explaining that the young girl had committed suicide. As such, when Negan ran into Alan at the club a while ago, he ended up breaking his jaw and earned himself a ticket straight to jail.
Maggie Attends Beth’s Concert and Negan Spares Alan’s Life
After the batting cage comes some more strolls through New York City, paired with conversation that cuts beneath the surface. Despite their respective troubles, Negan and Maggie seem to have an easy way of understanding each other. Furthermore, they encourage each other to shed the hangups of the past that are weighing them down and go after something that can actually bring them joy. Negan advises the Georgia farm owner to stop holding on to things that she has clearly outgrown, such as her sinking family business and her ex-husband. He thinks that if she gives herself the opportunity to have desires of her own, outside of what’s expected of her, she might find something more out there.
Inversely, Maggie helps him realize that, regardless of the mistakes he has made as a father, he should put in the effort to be a part of his estranged son’s life. Along the way, Negan also puts in many efforts to bring the perfect New York day to Maggie. He takes her to an underground community Christmas festival, where she finds a perfect replica of her childhood snow globe for Beth. Inadvertently, she also ends up entertaining a tarot card reading, which Negan eventually joins. The reading speaks of fateful meetings and a bond that exists across multiple lives and realities. Even though neither takes it too seriously, they can’t deny that the unexpected bond between them feels fateful and cosmically destined.
Afterward, Maggie decides to take Negan’s advice and seek out something that she truly wants. This is how the duo end up attending the homely event, where Beth is performing. However, it’s just their luck that Alan is also present at the same event. When Negan takes notice of his presence, he decides to steal his gun back from Maggie’s bag and go after his nemesis. Yet, in the alley outside the venue, as he trains the gun on Alan, Maggie convinces him to let go of his rage and his need for revenge. Nonetheless, when the predator gets too mouthy, Maggie ends up throwing a punch herself.
Negan and Maggie Bid Each Other Farewell
The night eventually concludes on surprising notes. At the beginning of the day, Maggie was planning on being on a plane back to Georgia, pursuing the same fruitless goals that were no longer hers. On the other hand, Negan was prepared to forfeit his own happiness in pursuit of revenge. However, their chance meeting changed everything. Maggie now wants to embrace a drastic change in her life, ready to work for her own ambition and happiness. On the other hand, Negan learns to surrender for the sake of his own self-interest. Yet, their time together has always been finite. For the same reason, the two part ways again, without even exchanging numbers.
Shortly after this separation, fate intervenes again. Maggie gets a call from her lawyers confirming that the banks have decided to allow her sole ownership of the farm without needing a co-signer. Meanwhile, on his way back home, Negan runs into Alan again, this time as he’s trying to talk another underage girl into going home with him. The paths that were laid out for them from the beginning come back to haunt them, and the duo both end up giving in to their destinies. Maggie takes the offer and returns to Geogie while Negan delivers vengeance upon his enemy. Consequently, it seems the duo is fated to move in and out of each other’s lives in every reality, bringing calm and chaos to a bitter end.
Read More: The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 3 Episode 5 Recap: Imperialis
You must be logged in to post a comment.