Warning: The following contains spoilers for AMC's "The Walking Dead" and the graphic novel.
"Start to Finish," the mid-season finale of "The Walking Dead," further confirmed what all of us already knew: Negan is coming.
For those of you that don't know, Negan is the most notorious of all the villains in "The Walking Dead" comic, even more so than the Governor or the Terminus cannibals (man, the zombie apocalypse really weeded out all the good people). Fans of the source material have wanted to see a live-action version of the character since the show's inaugural season back in 2010. Finally, they're getting one as Jeffrey Dean Morgan was officially cast in the role last month.
As the prologue scene noted, Negan's introduction is on the horizon and it will forever change the show, according to creator Robert Kirkman.
"The fact that we're getting to that point in the show now where this catalyst is going to be thrown in at some point in the future, I can't say which episode but clearly he's been cast so you guys know he's coming, that's just going to fundamentally change everything that we're doing in a really interesting, drastic and very scary way," Kirkman said on AMC's "The Talking Dead."
But how will Negan's presence impact the story?
In the graphic novel, Negan (SPOILER ALERT) kills Glenn in horrific fashion. It is truly one of the most shocking and brutal moments of the entire series. Now that we know Glenn survived his Walker horde run in earlier this season, it's possible that this same storyline will play out on-screen. Furthermore, Morgan's turn in "Watchmen" as The Comedian proved beyond any doubt that he has both the charisma and the darker tones to nail Negan's complex personality.
Beyond just his character, the introduction of the Saviors will also be important. In the comics, the Saviors operate like a mob, providing protection to local settlements and colonies in exchange for supplies. To this point, "The Walking Dead" has treated Alexandria like a deserted island. Setting up some interaction with other groups besides the nutty Wolves will make for some interesting developments.
Negan is rumored to be making his first appearance in the season six finale, which means fans still have a ways to go before they see him. "The Walking Dead" will return on Feb. 14, 2016.
