The Walking Dead finally made Carl Grimes’s dream for peace come true in the planned season 10 finale with Negan’s role in ending the Whisperer War. Chandler Riggs portrayed the figure since the AMC series debuted in 2010. Carl served as the son of the central character, Rick Grimes, and one of the youngest faces forced to group up during the zombie apocalypse. Despite only being 12-years-old when the events of the series began, Carl matured quickly, becoming the voice of reason for the core group of survivors.
It was difficult enough for Carl to face a society that had fallen apart, but that was made worse by the lack of a safe haven in a world overrun by the undead. After suffering a gunshot wound in the early days of the apocalypse, Carl was forced to witness his mother’s death moments after the birth of his little sister. Along with Rick and the rest of the survivors, Carl then jumped from community and community to build somewhat of a normal life. They ended up in Alexandria, but continuously faced villainous threats, specifically Negan and the Saviors.
Carl remained a key figure throughout Robert Kirkman’s comic book series in which the TV series is based. The character, who emerged as a key leader by the time season 8 rolled around, didn’t get the same opportunity to grow considering Carl was killed off with one of the show’s most tragic deaths. After being bit by a walker in an attempt to save a fellow survivor, the teen made sure to tie up loose ends as he was dying. Carl made sure to let Rick know through a letter that the future of the community needed to be a priority, even if that meant sparing Negan’s life so the killing would end. Carl’s death came in the episode “Honor,” which also featured a dream-like sequence that showed Negan living among the Alexandrians as an accepted member of the group. That vision finally became a reality in The Walking Dead conclusion to the Whisperer War.
Negan Is Finally An Accepted Member Of The Group Like Carl Wanted
Riggs hasn’t been a member of The Walking Dead for quite some time, and even Rick has since departed the main storyline. Granted, Carl’s wish for peace still remained a goal among the communities. Following the 6-year time jump, Daryl, Carol, and other leaders of the communities came together to battle Alpha and the Whisperers. After much turmoil and bloodshed, Alpha and her right-hand-man, Beta, were finally eliminated with the help of an unlikely source: Negan. Rick originally let the villain live to grant Carl’s wish, but in the years that followed, Negan gained more freedom. During the time of desperation, he volunteered to help the survivors without prioritizing his own safety.
Negan greatly assisted in the final battle against the Whisperers, proving that he achieved full redemption. No longer in captivity, it seemed like the fellow survivors finally accepted Negan as one of their own. While Maggie might not be happy with Negan’s freedom, the rest of the community made Carl’s dream come true by acknowledging peace over revenge. The Walking Dead can’t directly follow the comic books without Carl, but there are still ways the fictional universe can build a future. Not only will there be six forthcoming bonus season 10 episodes, but the eleventh and final season of the series is also set to be super-sized, which is plenty of time for a fulfilling conclusion.
