The writing team of the Walking Dead gave their fans an epic end to an incredibly intense season on Sunday and not everyone was satisfied with the cliffhanger ending. As a fan that has been on this roller coaster ride of emotions from the very beginning, I understand why they did what they did, but I don’t think they accomplished anything more than pissing people off. As always, here is your first and final spoiler alert so if you haven’t seen the finale, you have been warned.
I want to start off by saying that cliffhangers have been part of TWD formula, from the very beginning. These cliffhangers leave their viewers screaming at the screen, their mouths wide open and fans running to the internet for possible answers on blog sites like this. We instinctively search to find some resolution to the adversity these characters are facing because the emotional connection we have formed over the years, makes them feel more like friends instead of actors in a fantasy world.
One of the reasons there was such a reaction to this episode is due to the success of the comic book series. This season six finale episode was based off the 100th issue of the comic book, and is undeniably the most intense moment of the graphic novel series. This moment changed so much for the characters and made us all see this post-apocalyptic world in a different light. Like many long awaited movies based on your favorite book, we all had expectations of what this episode would bring.
The show has been leading up to Neagan’s introduction for weeks, and fans have been pining for (or dreading depending on who you ask) a resolution to this upcoming conflict. Neagan is such an evil character he made the governor look like bush league villain. The writers wanted to bring a comparison between Neagan’s character and Rick’s because they are both serving in the same capacity among their groups. Up until now we have been on Rick’s side, even when the acts he commits could be perceived as ethically questionable. This comparison brings new depth and dimension to the characters and development is one of the reasons the fan base is so great.
This build up where Neagan and Glenn finally meet, comes after the cheap camera tricks played by the producers earlier in the season, where Glenn found himself miraculously saved by a dumpster after we had been led to believe otherwise. However this entire plot line with Ingrid that was added by the television writers only intensified the build up to this epic moment. Yes everyone loves Glenn, but if he is not the first on screen victim of Lucielle, many fans will lose faith in the writers of the show, myself included.
The fan world has been speculating about this pivotal character introduction from the beginning, however keeping to the source material has never been the goal of the show’s creative team. Habitually the writers have changed events, added characters, and added sub plot lines that change the way that we see these characters develop emotionally. Fans are not upset about the delineation from the original content, they are upset because the effect that the writers were hoping for, cheapened this incredible moment.
Why not show the person who we lost, and why not give resolution to all this build up? Had they shown, whoever it was that saw the business end of Neagan’s bat, it wouldn’t have taken away from what they were intending. We would still be on the edge of our seats to see how this changes the group’s world and how this changes our character’s place in it. It only succeeded at pissing fans off and left us weary of what else the writers will do to depreciate the source material.
On talking dead, Chris Hardwick asked Robert Kirkman and Scott Gimple why they decided to write the finale like this, and they defended their choice because they wanted fans to focus more on the “change of power” than the event itself. Kirkman was hoping to get us to see that Rick went into this superhero confrontation with all the optimism in the world, and came out a shocked, helpless child. Yes this is a powerful thing, and yes I guess that point was achieved, but executing this event in this way, was gratuitous and unnecessary.
In an interview on the Today show, Norman Reedus made the comment that this was done intentionally and defended the writer’s choice. No this is not supposed to be a “survivor island” where each week we tune in to see who makes it to the credits. On the other side, this is also not supposed to be a cheap excuse to keep fans wanting more. This show has always been about storytelling a struggle of what happens when the world falls apart.
Fans all over the internet are analyzing each screen of the final seconds of the episode for some indication of who really faced Neagan’s wrath. I understand that wanting for resolution, but I feel like making the victim any other character than Glenn, would cheapen this television tactic even more than it already has been by the writers. Glenn is supposed to die, it’s just that simple.
The fans have joked that if Daryl dies, we riot. With Norman Reddus having a new movie coming out and an AMC show about motorcycles, many fans feel like it may be him who is out of the picture. As a huge fan of the actor and character, I would typically look at this as an indication of his inevitable demise, but that is not what I think happened. From a writing standpoint, even though the effect of killing Daryl would be substantial loss for the group, I feel like the impact would be greater if it was Glenn who didn’t make it.
In this world, Glenn really has the most to lose. With Maggie having issues with the baby, his death would be the ultimate insult to the family dynamic Rick has tried so hard to create. It would perpetuate the themes that the graphic novels and the show has always perpetuated. As soon as you have something worth having, a dream ideal from the pre-apocalypse world, it is taken away due to the violent and evil nature of humanity.
The best way to show this theme, is to take away the father, friend, and essential member of the group that has made it this entire time without having to become the monster that almost every other lead character has had to become. Yes fans will be mad, but it has to happen because by the writers not showing us who died on Sunday, we are left on the edges of our seats wanting resolution. When they come back, if anyone else other than Glenn was pummeled to death, it will be a letdown for the fans that love the lore of this world so much.
nerdbrainblog 
Fuck this if Glenn dies WE WILL RIOT! Glenn was here since the beginning and we want to keep that way, well only the true fans…
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Who would you rather see go? And when has a character being around since the beginning stopped the writers from killing them?
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The writers will not let him kill maggie because after that he will have to kill Glenn as Glenn will not sit there and watch his wife and unborn child die. If he kills Glenn, Maggie is too weak to jump up and when she does she will just fall and faint.
He will not kill Michone or Darryl they already have the characteristics/style of his crew. He likes people based on image aka badass-ness. Who appeared the weakest while on there knees?!?!?! It wasn’t Abraham or the under the weather maggie. It was Glenn who was crying and breaking the rules. Rick was bitching too but he’s the leader and so he gets a pass.
All women are out. They are SAFE!
Killing a woman like that will cause too many rifts in his group. No matter what you say there is a sword hanging over Negan’s head. As a leader there are always people in your group that are waiting to take you out. Killing a woman in that way will add fuel to that fire. Someone in the crowd thinks michone, maggie, or sasha is hot and want to get to “know” them. Soon as you kill them you have an instant enemy.
Glenn and Abraham will die. Glenn by Lucille and Abraham by gunshot (shot to the throat/slow death) for jumping up trying to save or revenge Glenn after the 2nd hit. How much do you all want to bet on this?!?!?! lol 😉 #PoolShark
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Totally agree, if its not Glenn the viewers will feel cheated and killing Rick would be pointless and the show would be basically over, to Neagan it’s like a job interview and Glenn fucked up by speaking out of turn and then crying, you can’t be part of a badass crew when you are blatantly disrespectful to the boss
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Does anyone else believe that having to rely upon cheap gimmicks like “which major character are we going to kill off….and did we?” is kind of weak and lame? I watch the show because I enjoy it, not for some kind of lottery where they have to kill off a major character every so many episodes or lose some sort of credibility.
Yes, major characters often die in the Walking Dead, but that should not be the focus of the show. I can’t tell you how disappointed I found these last few episodes. They were just pathetic. Weak writing, the characters doing incredibly stupid and UN-characteristic things to carry along the weak story-telling. And the amazing thing is that it was a really strong season up until that point.
Stop with the gimmicks and game playing, showrunners, just tell a compelling story. We don’t need the bullsh*t!
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I think eventually the fans will get tired of the cheap tricks and stop watching. I’m not there yet but I c completely agree, the writing is mediocre at best these days
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Great post.
In order for the worst villain in the series to really show that truly evil and sadistic side, would be to kill Glenn (or alternatively kill Maggie).
Killing a secondary character would be almost meaningless, and feel like the series opted to just ‘play it safe’. A series on that note would become just too bland, and meaningless to continue to invest any time on.
I for one hope they take the more difficult path, and decide to eliminate a more intrinsic character, in this case the best choice would be Glenn.
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Glenn is definitely my #1 choice for who died in the finale. Although the producers are known for changing and tweaking things from the comics to the TV series, keeping Glenn alive would completely change Maggie’s storyline moving forward. In the comics his death is a catalyst that really pushes Maggie to become something more and she has a huge post-Glenn plotline in the comics. If he lived this would all change.
Next season can’t come soon enough! Check out my preditions of #WhoIsIt as well! 🙂
https://wickedprettypop.wordpress.com/2016/04/07/walking-dead-season-6-finale-who-did-negan-kill-my-top-5-predictions/
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Your writing is superb and in the matter in question I have exactly the same opinion. Glenn should die for the better of everyone not only for us – fans – but also each character.
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If you listen carefully to Negan about the eye situ…& go back to when they Daryl Michonne Rosita Glenn were coming out of the van the POV was someone in the back…..it may be Glenn but it could also be Rosita….Why I’m guessing they want us to guess yet it was said that there are some clues of who it is…..lol
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Weird…..!!!
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Thanks, I really appreciate the feedback!
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You my friend, are awesome and i love you. great writing-keep it up!
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You my friend, are fantastic! Thanks for stopping by!
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I believe that the audio that was released solved the mystery and the reason why Glenn was calling Maggie & Maggie calling Glen was because it was someone near them because they are alive.
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You may be totally right, honestly I feel like the producers are doing all of this to antagonize the fan base. I will say this, I am looking forward to finding out! Even though all of this trickery undermines the fan’s intelligence haha
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Great post!
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Thanks for stopping by!
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Agreed. Their tactics was poor storytelling using cheap gimmicks.
As much as I would hate to see Glenn go (and I like Glenn of the TV show 500 times more than Glenn in the comics), it has to be him. If it’s not everything they say is a lie and they’ve written the story for numbers and not for the sake of telling a good story. This also wouldn’t surprise me though. I’ve net Kirman on several occassions and he is truly as arrogant as he sounds. It’s too bad cause I read all his work. Lol
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I think it is BECAUSE you love his work that is it so infuriating! You know that it is a gimmick and it’s almost disrespectful to the fans when they play with our emotions like this haha
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Spot on! The comics are great and ending an issue on a cliffhanger isn’t frustrating. We don’t know what to expect and honestly only have to wait 4 week for the story to continue. With the show we already know what to expect and even noncomic fans knew what was going to happened. After the Glenn fake out and the Daryl fakeout (which noone really believed he was fatally wounded because of the previous gimmick)…it all seems like a slap in the face.
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Maybe I am a weirdo, but the way I see it? It is story telling. Everyone is talking about this, analyzing it even. Sure, it is a real bummer that we don’t know who died, but when October comes? Everyone is going to be pumped to figure it out. If it isn’t Glenn, I would be surprised, though! It would definitely have the biggest impact if he died at this point. That is even with setting aside all of the fan theories, etc. At this point the television show is a completely different thing than the comic to me. I cannot imagine what it would be like if Andrea was in the television show now, but I can’t picture the comic without her! So who knows what will happen?
I’ve read books that are left in a cliffhanger before, and let me tell you, sometimes the wait is a heck of a lot longer 😀 I’m all about appreciating the material as it is, stand alone. I look forward to how they are going to cook up next season! They have to win the hearts of a lot of fans back, after all 🙂
ps- I followed nerdbrainblog! Interesting stuff! 😀 Thanks for the read!
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thanks for stopping by, I love this stuff!
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I respectfully disagree. It’s poor storytelling. If the story was supposed to be about the end of Rick’s story there should have been more focus on him. Instead it was choppy with Carol and Morgan’s story. And the build up with Negan was clearly to build up to that moment. They wanted a “Who shot JR” moment but ended up with a “How to keep the numbers up and create buzz talk” moment. They got it. But I doubt they expected this much backlash. Had they NOT done the whole dumpster Glenn scene and draw out the conclusion after several episodes, and had they not done the cheap camera trickery with Daryl getting shot the week before…then the finale would have been acceptable and even exciting. But they’ve overused this formula. And that is just irritating if not predictable and insulting to the audience.
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Quite frankly at this point I could care less. The cheap cop-out of having Rick in the group act totally out of character to force them into the old “they are helpless and demoralized” position and the fact that the last few episodes was noting but “members of the group get captured for being stupid” (again and again) added to the extra-cheap cop-out of we are going to kill a main character but keep the identity a secret until next season has just disgusted me. The moronic writers have worn me down to the point that I just don’t really care anymore.
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I think a lot of fans feel the same way.
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There’s well-crafted drama with cliffhangers that feel earned and then there’s the bulk of TWD S.6 and gimmicky middle finger to fans that was the finale. As long as Gimple remains in charge, I’m not setting myself up for the weekly disappointment.
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I absolutely agree with your review of the season finale! I was one of those that were actually let down by the cliffhanger. As i mentioned, many things to look forward to, adding “finding out who’s head was bashed in” to the list, was not necessary.
http://lebreviewblog.com/2016/04/06/amazing-season-great-finale-shitty-ending/
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