'The Walking Dead': There’s a New Boss in Town

If you haven’t watched the seventh season premiere of “The Walking Dead” yet, read no further: Here be spoilers.

For the millions of viewers left in suspense by the shocking season six conclusion—charismatic yet supremely evil Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) savagely murdering one of the main characters—tonight’s episode provided a deeply upsetting answer. Negan’s brutality was worse than any fan theory suggested. Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) is the target of his season six attack, and his death is revealed after about 20 minutes—perhaps not the most expedient or respectful treatment, but effective nonetheless. The situation quickly becomes even worse when Daryl (Norman Reedus) attacks Negan in a fit of rage. After his men quickly subdue Daryl, Negan punishes the blow by murdering Glenn (Steven Yeun).

This is perhaps one of the most gruesome deaths ever aired on network television and certainly one of the most upsetting on the show. Negan smashes in Glenn’s skull, popping out one of his eyes and opening his forehead. The show’s incredible production team really struts their stuff here, as they have with great makeup and effects throughout the show. Aside from a fairly brief scene where Rick (Andrew Lincoln) has to fight through a swarm of zombies, however, the essence of the episode is the character contrast between Rick and Negan, the clash between the old world of the show’s first six seasons and the new world yet to come.

Morgan does a great job fleshing out the show’s newest “big bad.” He is the ultimate predator: controlled chaos and rage backed up by a deep well of sociopathic rage. He’s charming, but you never forget how deeply unstable that veneer of calm is. And he’s not just tough when he’s surrounded by his many, many goons.

This premiere, fundamentally, is about Negan breaking down Rick’s sense of agency. Over the last six seasons, Rick and his crew have steadily become more powerful. In season six’s Alexandria story arc, they were the best-adjusted, most competent members of the community. They seemed able to handle whatever the world threw at them.

Negan, leader of a mercenary empire, proves them wrong. He has more people than they do; he is a better hunter than they are; and all told, he’s a better killer than they are. Our heroes are not murderers—at least not in the way that Negan is. Even when killing a house full of people, they don’t revel in the violence the way he does. When Negan is literally smashing in heads, he’s playful. He’s cracking jokes, talking congenially with the survivors, a monster completely comfortable with misery.

Negan is unlike any other villains on the show for that reason: He doesn’t seem to be doing any of this for survival. He’s doing it because he wants to. Rick ultimately can’t handle someone with such power over him and such a ready trigger finger.

In the face of such uncertainty, there’s one thing that’s for sure: The show will be forever changed by this episode. Negan’s presence means more than the deaths of two main characters. It means a fundamental restructuring of the way the world of “The Walking Dead” works.

For the last six seasons, the story has mostly focused on short term goals, risks, and conflicts. The group deals with immediate problems of food, water, shelter, and safety. Season six represented a shift towards longer-term thinking, but even in Alexandria our heroes were still wrapped up in day-to-day activities. With the introduction of Negan’s empire, there’s a largeness to the world now that never before existed in the show. How far does Negan’s reach extend? What will Rick’s group have to do, and where will they have to go? How long will it take for them to exact revenge—or failing that, escape?

And this is where the most pressing question about the future of the show comes in. After the darkness of this episode, after Negan’s titanic shadow has been cast across the show, where do the showrunners go from here? Maybe Rick will somehow end up taking down Negan. More reasonably, they destabilize his empire. But how do the stakes get any higher? Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited to watch this season and expect it’ll be very different from what we as viewers have come to expect. But there’s a little voice inside me that’s almost sure this impactful premiere may mark the beginning of the end for one of the best shows on TV.