Negan is one of the most iconic characters in The Walking Dead — however, one scene almost ruined his character. Negan has been through a lot of development throughout his time on The Walking Dead, evolving from the ruthless villain he entered the show as. Yet, all the hard work that went into building his character redemption arc was almost undone in a single scene.

The Walking Dead‘s handling of Carl’s character toward the end of the series did a great disservice to his character — as Carl’s death is regarded as one of the biggest mistakes in the series — but Carl had a major effect on Negan’s character, both before and after his passing. Carl was the only one to have faith in Negan’s redemption in the beginning, and it was Carl’s dream for the future that saved Negan’s life. Negan’s relationship with Carl was unique; he had a softer hand with Carl than with anyone else, and genuinely mourned his loss even years after his death.

Negan Trying To Kill Carl In The Walking Dead Season 7 Was Weird

In The Walking Dead season 7 episode 16, “The First Day of the Rest of Your Life,” Negan goes for a killing strike against Carl in a revenge move meant to control Rick, only to be stopped by the miraculous appearance of Shiva. While this may seem like nothing new for someone who makes a habit of decimating skulls with a barbed-wire bat, the scene turns a blind eye to the depths of Negan’s character. The moment is downright weird; for a man who insisted he would never hurt a child and who mourned Carl’s death so deeply, it doesn’t make any sense beyond being a ploy for shock value.

This moment in The Walking Dead was weirdly out of character for Negan. While there were moments where he threatened Carl or used him to control Rick, Carl was one of the very few people Negan ever showed care for. Negan suddenly making an attempt on his life in season 7 is completely outside his character, damaging one of the facets that have defined Negan in The Walking Dead since the original comics. While it was a cinematic moment filled with tension and tiger-based heroics, it came at the cost of Negan’s character.

Why Swinging For Kill Hurt Negan’s Character

Negan has undoubtedly done some terrible things throughout The Walking Dead, but there is one moral code he never wavers from: he doesn’t kill children. In The Walking Dead season 10 episode 5, “What It Always Is,” Negan tells Brandon that he would “never kill a kid,” and even took particular offense at the accusation that he killed Carl. For Negan to swing to kill Carl hurts one of the greatest facets of Negan’s moral character. His oath against harming children has been the one steadfast anchor in his morality, yet the vulnerability of his admission is tarnished by the attempted murder of Carl in The Walking Dead season 7.

One of Negan’s greatest redeeming qualities is his soft spot for children; risking his life to save Judith in a snowstorm, defending Lydia against Coalition members that wished to seek revenge, and protecting Hershel from the Commonwealth were all key moments in Negan’s morality. Negan deeply admired Carl, who served as the spark for the bat-wielding villain’s entire redemption. Despite building Negan’s redemption arc over several seasons, this single scene in The Walking Dead left a permanent tarnish on his character.