Who could Negan have picked up on the side of the road? From a long-lost Savior to a long-lost Alexandrian, we have some ideas.
We have quite a few thoughts about last night’s episode of The Walking Dead, from how Jadis had a timer set for a helicopter fly by to what is Simon’s fate when he comes across Negan.
The biggest question of all though from “Still Gotta Mean Something” is who did Negan invite into his car at the end of the episode?
While on his way back to the Sanctuary, Negan stops his car and opens it with a smirk. “If sh*t could sh*t, it still wouldn’t look as sh*tty as you,” he says to the unknown hitchhiker. Whoever it is, they’re in enough good graces with Negan to be allowed into the Sanctuary. Then again, said mystery person is hidden from view when he rolls up to the gate.
Who is the mystery passenger? Why would Negan keep them hidden from view? Let’s speculate…
Warning: The Walking Dead spoilers below.
Xander Berkeley as Gregory – The Walking Dead _ Season 7, Episode 9 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC
Gregory
Good ol’ Gregory. Slimy, annoying, whiny Gregory. Last we saw him, he was trying to talk little Henry from gunning down all the Saviors. When the Saviors escaped, Gregory shot off as well. He’s pretty much unwelcome at Hilltop because of the deals he’s made with the Saviors, and for ticking off Maggie a million times over for mispronouncing her name. He wasn’t amongst the escapees that Rick and Morgan killed nor was he with Henry when Carol rescued him from walkers in the woods.
Since Gregory is essentially a human cockroach, we wouldn’t be surprised if he just isn’t able to die on this show. Negan’s response to seeing him makes sense too, as we can imagine Gregory looks like a hot mess after running away from walkers and people alike.
However, this theory may already be debunked due to episode 15’s trailer. You can see a guy who definitely looks like Gregory (grey suit, suspenders, hands on his hips all annoyed) still imprisoned at Hilltop — right around the 20 second mark.
Corey Hawkins as Heath – The Walking Dead _ Season 6, Episode 12 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC
Heath
Where the hell has Heath been? Maybe we’ll finally get some answers if he gets picked up by Negan. Heath was last seen on a supply run gone bad with Tara, and just … disappeared from the show after that. No one’s really talked about him or seemed to care enough to find him. Tara thought she saw a walker who was dressed like Heath and had his hairstyle when she returned to the bridge where their run went bad. However, it turned out to be a female walker, womp womp.
Negan could have finally found him trudging along on the side of the road. Since he’s basically been forgotten by his old crew, maybe Heath joins the Saviors and gives them intel they need to fight Hilltop. Why stay loyal to a bunch of people who forgot about you for multiple episodes?
Now in real life, Corey Hawkins (who plays Heath) landed a lead role on 24: Legacy, explaining why he missed some time on the show. Said show has since been cancelled, so could this mean he returns to the TWD plot?
Not yet, according to Scott M. Gimple. The showrunner told Entertainment Weekly that there is “not a huge chance” we’ll see Heath in season 8. He added though that “we definitely have not seen the last of Heath, period. I will say that. I don’t mean to disappoint the Heathies. He will be on the show. He will be within The Walking Dead again.”
This could all be a ruse though to make us think Heath won’t return this season and then he does. Sneaky, Gimple. Sneaky.
Austin Amelio as Dwight, Lindsley Register as Laura – The Walking Dead _ Season 8, Episode 8 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC
Laura
Laura is the Savior who found out Dwight is a mole in “How It’s Gotta Be.” This would mean bad news for D if she returns. We’d all but forgotten about her until Dwight mentioned her the other week after saving Tara and the others from being discovered by Saviors. He asks the Saviors if anyone had seen her, and they hadn’t.
It’s plausible since not much time has gone by since Dwight tried to finish her in the midseason finale. She could have been making her way back to the Sanctuary this whole time, ready to warn them and especially Negan about Dwight.
If Negan did pick her up, it makes sense he’d keep her hidden. He wants every element of surprise he can get with Simon and possibly Dwight.
A double whammy coming up for Lucille? Sounds about right.
Pollyanna McIntosh as Jadis – The Walking Dead _ Season 7, Episode 10 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC
Jadis
This may be a stretch, but what if Jadis is down with rejoining the Saviors? She let Negan go after they bonded over their losses in this walker-filled world so far. He (sort of?) convinced her that he never would have had her people killed off, seeing them as vital resources to the Sanctuary. His speech about Lucille, his dead wife that he named his bat after, may have helped. Jadis potentially sees Negan as more human now and someone who has just done bad things because that’s the way things are now.
She knows fully that Simon is the reason for the demise of her community and beloved Scavengers. She knows that Negan knows this. Perhaps, she meets up with Negan to head to the Sanctuary and take out Simon once and for all.
Like we said, this theory’s a stretch because she’d have had to catch up with Negan already and he’s been driving a car. His response would have likely been different, maybe a simple “Good to see you again, sugar.”
Related Story: The Walking Dead review: Still Gotta Mean Something
Who do you think is riding passenger to Negan (and Lucille)?