History Characters / TheWalkingDeadTVShowNegan

* YouHaveGOTToBeKiddingMe: Negan's reaction when one of the Saviors finds the RPG that took out Bud and his crew is one of astonishment and sadistic glee, stating he couldn't wait to test out that rocket launcher.

* AdaptationalIntelligence: TV Negan is also far more prone to psychological warfare and careful thought than his comics counterpart. As an example, regarding how he chooses who he plans to kill in his debut, comic-book Negan truly appears to have done a random selection (he listed several reasons why he couldn't decide who was going to get [[BatterUp Lucilled]]), TV Negan bounces around during his "random" eeny-meeny-miny-moe game and just so happens to land on Abraham (who had quietly stood up to him earlier) after pausing on the last pick. Even Abraham's actor, Michael Cudlitz, agrees that Negan's game was simply a front for him to observe each member of the group and determine who was the logical choice to take out. His seemingly random choice of Glenn as his second victim supports this interpretation as well, given Glenn has previously interrupted him.

* CharacterizationMarchesOn: He is much more reserved and laidback in the Season 6 finale than he is in Season 7, only raising his voice ''once''.

!!Due to the AnyoneCanDie nature of the show and quickly moving plots, only spoilers from the current/most recent season will be spoiled out to prevent entire pages of whited out text. These spoiler tags will be removed upon the debut of the following season, and the character bios will be updated then as well. If you have not seen the first six seasons, read at your own risk!

The main antagonist of ''Series/TheWalkingDead'' starting at the end of Season 6. Negan is the powerful leader of the Saviors, and controls other communities as well through intimidation, demanding tribute from them to supply his personal base, the Sanctuary. He wields Lucille, a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire as his personal weapon and symbol of power. When the Alexandria Safe-Zone begins attacking his group and slaughters many of them, Negan decides to confront Rick directly.

* AbhorrentAdmirer: His bragging about how Sherry is now his wife and how he originally wanted to make Tina his beloved pretty much reach uncomfortable creeper levels. He also expressed a desire in taking Maggie as a wife [[spoiler: (after ''killing her husband'')]] and admitted an attraction to Olivia, who wasn't exactly forthcoming considering he spent half of his time insulting her weight.

* AdaptationalIntelligence: TV Negan is also far more prone to psychological warfare and careful thought than his comics counterpart. As an example, regarding how he chooses who he plans to kill in his debut, [[spoiler:where comic-book Negan truly appears to have done a random selection (he listed several reasons why he couldn't decide who was going to get [[BatterUp Lucilled]]), TV Negan bounces around during his "random" eeny-meeny-miny-moe game and just so happens to land on Abraham (who had quietly stood up to him earlier) after pausing on the last pick. Even Abraham's actor, Michael Cudlitz, agrees that Negan's game was simply a front for him to observe each member of the group and determine who was the logical choice to take out. His seemingly random choice of Glenn as his second victim supports this interpretation as well, given Glenn has previously interrupted him.]]

** [[spoiler:In the Season 7 premiere, he kills two victims rather than one (the latter just for someone punching him in the face, rather than retribution for killing his men) and nearly forces Rick to chop Carl's arm off, something his comic counterpart never did. Also, while he's disrespectful to his victim(s) in both comic and TV show, TV-verse Negan spends ''far'' more time mocking and torturing the survivors, and openly admits that he enjoys killing, whereas Comic!Negan confessed to Rick in private that he actually didn't like it.]]

* ComfortingTheWidow: He has the nerve to [[spoiler: consider asking Maggie to be one of his wives after he murdered Glenn.]] While he admits that it was a bit of a stretch to think she'd accept, it's implied from his comments to Rick that he's done this successfully at least once.

* TheCorrupter: He shows some interest in making others think the way he does. Best demonstrated when he convinces [[spoiler: Eugene]] to [[FaceHeelTurn join the group]] as their EvilGenius by offering him a great position over the other Saviors.

* CruelMercy: He threatens to kill everybody in the group and back in Alexandria if Rick doesn't [[spoiler: cut off Carl's hand]], but leaves Rick alive to wander alone knowing he could have prevented it.

* DidntSeeThatComing: Twice over! [[spoiler: At the season 7 finale, he did not expect Sasha to die and try to kill him as a walker. And he definitely didn't expect a tiger to show up and start killing his men, followed by the other communities he subjugated coming to Alexandria's rescue.]]

* EstablishingCharacterMoment: In "Last Day on Earth," Negan gleefully welcomes Rick's group to their neighborhood with a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech before playfully picking which one he wants to punish for their actions against him, and then brutally bashes that person's head (the person being [[spoiler: Abraham]]) to a bloody pulp. Taken further in the next episode when he [[spoiler: suddenly murders Glenn as well simply because Daryl punched him after he killed the first victim.]]

** Forbids rape amongst the Saviors, though as noted in {{Hypocrite}}, this is a downplayed trope. However, when David violates that rule he gets severely punished [[spoiler: by having a knife to the throat.]]

** He's disgusted by Rick and his group when [[spoiler: Rick was actually going to detonate the bombs in the area with Eugene in the vicinity after Eugene tries to talk them down from attacking, even though they no longer consider him in their group anymore]].

* GeniusBruiser: Not only is he skilled at crushing his opponents' skulls with his lucky bat, but he successfully mind rapes ''Rick'' of all people into submitting to him. He also quickly deduces that Carl is Rick's son and that [[spoiler:Rosita and Abraham were romantically involved.]] He also showcases fine mastery over the SecretTestOfCharacter since he gains advantage over Daryl and Rick into obeying his command. In Chris Hardwick's words, "it's now psychological warfare."

* HeroKiller: Aside from the literal example with [[spoiler:Abraham and Glenn]], the entirety of his first appearance to Rick's group leads to the survivors of the encounter begging for mercy or trying to limit harm to themselves, rather than maximize harm to the enemy as they had before.
* HiddenDepths: For a swaggering, bullying warlord, he does have a suprising amount of knowledge: whether trained or not before the apocalypse ([[spoiler: and his comic-backstory says not]]), he possesses quite a bit of psychological know-how when it comes to either [[BreakTheBadass breaking badasses like Rick]] or getting people to otherwise obey him. He can also identify a homemade bullet from a commercially-made one. [[spoiler: And, more tellingly, he DOES seem to have something resembling a moral centre, backing down when he knows he pushed it too far by (albeit admiringly) bringing up how gross Carl's missing eye is.]]
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: While in control of the situation, Negan tends to take his time and draws out the theatrics and the agony he inflicts on the various punishments he inflicts on his people and on the Alexandrians, when he could have easily cut it short and call it a day. [[spoiler: It's why Rick's group was able to got the jump on him when he opened the coffin intending to make a big show of Sasha pleading for Alexandria's surrender, and instead it's Sasha as a walker trying to eat his face.]]

* HumiliationConga: [[spoiler: Loses control over his vassal states in the season 7 finale, tricked by Sasha who he intended to use as a bargaining chip and instead gets attacked by her walker, and is interrupted in his punishment of Rick's rebellion by one of his men being mauled by Shiva. He also has to suffer the indignity of being forced into a retreat by his escaped prisoner Daryl and Maggie, the woman he made a widow, wanted to make one of his wives, and was led to believe had died. He's forced to flee Alexandria with his tail between his legs, bitterly musing on how things went to shit.]]

* IWillPunishYourFriendForYourFailure: He seems to be a big fan of this, since going after the people close to somebody is more effective than just punishing them directly. He demonstrates this by [[spoiler: ordering Rick to cut off Carl's hand or let everyone be gunned down]] and by [[spoiler: killing Glenn as punishment for Daryl's outburst]]. He also does this to his wives, punishing them for cheating on him by ironing the faces of their boyfriends.

** Mocking Rosita over [[spoiler: Abraham's death, practically rubbing his bloodied bat in her face.]]

** Engages in this repeatedly and gleefully during the entirety of "Service", implied to be at least partially to test Rick's patience with him while the latter is holding Lucille. Among other things, he goes on about his intention to invite Maggie into his harem, jokes about his murder of [[spoiler: Abraham and Glenn]], and forces Rick to say "thank you" to him when he finally leaves.

* KickTheSonOfABitch: When [[SmugSnake David]] violates the no rape rule, Negan berates him harshly to scare him, [[spoiler: then stabs him to death and leaves him to turn into a walker.]]
** Spencer tries to betray Rick for shallow and poorly thought out reasons, [[spoiler: so Negan guts him like a fish in front of everybody.]]

* LargeHamRadio: "Rock in the Road" reveals that he occasionally graces the airwaves with his obnoxious persona, eulogizing [[spoiler:Fat Joey]] over the Saviors' walkie talkie network.

** His killing of [[spoiler: two hostages]] because somebody tried to take him down during his villainous monologue bears resemblance to a similar moment when [[ArcVillain Carver]] from ''Videogame/TheWalkingDead'' game does the exact same thing if Clementine and Kenny try to take him out during his speech.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Invoking this is a favorite tactic of his. When Daryl punches him, he [[spoiler:beats Glenn to death]]. When Rosita tries to shoot him, he [[spoiler:has Arat kill Olivia]].

* ParryingBullets: Negan does this with Lucille after [[spoiler:Rosita had tried to shoot him.]] Needlessly to say, he treats this like it is a MinorInjuryOverreaction for him, er... [[CargoShip Lucille.]]

** After Glenn interrupts him during his introductory speech he chooses to let it slide, understanding that it's an "emotional moment" for Rick's group. [[spoiler:Downplayed slightly since it doesn't stop him from later killing Glenn anyway.]]
** In addition to the above, he genuinely apologizes to the group for having to kill [[spoiler:Glenn]], reminding them that they were warned: "No exceptions!"
** Despite the sexist comments, he doesn't seem to look down on women in practice, as there are high-ranking female Saviors under his employ, such as Paula and Arat. He also abhors the idea of raping a woman, his men stating that he only wants "ass that's willing."

** He has a genuine liking for Carl, and sincerely apologizes for making the kid cry over his missing eye, even comforting him after the fact like a father would. It's unfortunately downplayed by Negan threatening the boy in events surrounding it, but it's still something. He also takes a genuine liking to Judith, much to Carl's horror. [[spoiler: When he prepares to kill him in the Season 7 finale, he tells him and Rick that he'll try to do it in just one hit to get it over with quickly, since he likes Carl. Shiva thankfully intervenes.]]
** He also offers nothing but hospitality to Eugene when he's held captive in the Sanctuary, [[spoiler: but this is because he wants him to ''join'' his group.]]
** He sincerely thanks [[spoiler: Sasha for cooperating in the standoff with Alexandria, not knowing that she's plotting to die on the way and reanimate and attack him.]]

* PsychopathicManchild: He playfully chooses which one of Rick's group members he wants to kill in a game of eeny meeny miny mo while taunting them with petty insults. His process of coercing Rick's partnership also involves him bullying the man by forcing him to get his machete off the roof in a zombie infested fog area like a bully throwing a toy on a high place. [[spoiler:When he hits Glenn with Lucille and dislodges his eye, Negan's taunt of "I just popped your skull so hard, your eyeball just popped out, and it is gross as shit!" sounds like a bully gloating to the poor kid he just beat up.]]

* PungeonMaster: A [[BlackComedy dark example]]. He makes cruel {{Pun}}s regarding the ones he killed (specifically, [[spoiler:Glenn]] and [[spoiler:Abraham]]) such as them receiving the "Spirit Award" for their "efforts" and calling the weapon he used to kill them as a "Vampire [[BatterUp Bat]]".

* {{Sadist}}: He openly admits that he enjoys killing (men at least, though he'd kill a woman too) and clearly likes inflicting both physical and psychological pain; in fact, his debut consists of gleefully murdering [[spoiler:two people]] and then spending the rest of the episode [[MindRape mind raping]] Rick.
* ScarfOfAsskicking: He's wearing a red scarf underneath his leather jacket most of the time. He does when he kills [[spoiler:Abraham]] and [[spoiler:Glenn]], two of the most competent characters in the entire series.

* VillainBall: [[spoiler: His decision to kill Dr. Carson for failing him comes across as this, considering the lack of doctors or people with medical knowledge in general there are in the apocalypse. True, he had to set an example, and he suggests afterwards that they're going to get the Dr. Carson at Hilltop to replace him, but it's really not wise to diminish such a valuable resource on the strength of one man's word and a coerced confession.]]
** It could be interpreted that [[spoiler: Negan doesn't even ''believe'' Dwight, and simply murders Dr. Carson to drive home the point to his subjects that no matter how valuable you '''think''' you are to him, he will end you regardless if you try to cross him. If this is true, then this trope is in effect even more strongly.]]
* VillainHasAPoint: Talks about how Rick pissed him off by killing over forty of his people when he never actually did anything to hurt him yet, and on top of that, struck with a massively overblown ego and without knowing the true scope of his organization.
** While it's pretty clear he was simply trying to get another wife [[spoiler:when Tina's diabetes began interfering with her work]] just because he was interested in her, insulin ''is'' hard to come across in a post-apocalyptic setting and was a big risk, and with his system, a big risk must have a big reward for either him or the Saviors as a whole.
** When Rick calls Negan out on [[spoiler: killing Spencer and having Arat kill Olivia,]] which he sees as a violation of their deal, Negan points out that the only reason he even came to Alexandria early was to deliver Carl back into his hands safe and sound even though Carl killed two of his men and was gunning for him as well, and that he killed Spencer for trying to usurp Rick through him and he was actually standing up for Rick. He also only [[spoiler:kills Olivia and takes Eugene (who he learns can make bullets) to work for him,]] which, considering Rosita just tried to kill him, is a pretty mild response considering Negan could just as easily choose to start making examples.
* VillainRespect: Though he takes every opportunity he can to make Rick miserable and torture him, he admits that he has respect for him. Negan remembers how Rick said he would kill him, clearly hating him for murdering [[spoiler:Abraham and Glenn]], but he has swallowed that hatred and put his pride aside, submitting to him and going out to gather supplies for him to keep his group safe from The Saviors, saying how all of that takes guts. Because of this [[spoiler:he refuses to help Spencer with his plan to murder Rick and put Spencer in charge of Alexandria because Spencer is a coward who only talked to Negan after Rick was gone and wanted for Negan to do the dirty work for him.]]

** He seems to form one with Spencer in "Hearts Still Beating", when Spencer introduces himself to Negan. After Spencer tells him about a Pool table and offers to play a game with Negan, he calls Spencer his "new best friend" and during the game he appears to take sympathy for Spencer when he tells him the story of how his mom was the original leader before Rick came and everyone in his family died, saying it was "the saddest story [he'd] ever heard". [[spoiler:Subverted when he refuses to help Spencer kill Rick, and instead calls him a gutless coward for going behind Rick's back to ask Negan to do the dirty work for him before gutting him through the stomach.]]
** He begins forming one with Eugene of all people, [[spoiler: when he's held captive in the Sanctuary so he can convince him to join the Saviors as their EvilGenius.]] It's worth telling that Eugene's also the first person at the Sanctuary who isn't outright threatened by him or any of his followers.

* WouldHurtAChild: Downplayed. While he clearly could, and he repeatedly threatens harm upon Carl during his debut, he goes noticeably easier on him than on the adults in Rick's group, even to the point of leaving him unharmed after Carl [[spoiler:breaks into the Sanctuary and kills two of his men.]]
* YouGotSpunk: He clearly admires Carl's stone-cold badassery in the face of a potentially horrible demise and seems more impressed than angry after Carl breaks into Sanctuary and almost kills him. He also seems to admire Abraham's [[HeroicSacrifice willingness to sacrifice himself as the potential victim]] and for said victim "taking it like a champ" after Negan delivers the first blow to [[spoiler:Abraham]] from Lucille. Likewise, he seems to respect Daryl after he attacked him for mocking [[spoiler: Abraham's]] death and notes that (unlike Rick) he still refuses to submit. [[spoiler:The Season 7 midseason finale shows that, while he may not like Rick and he'll take any opportunity he can to mock him, Negan has grown to respect him for swallowing his pride and continuing to work for him despite how much Rick clearly hates him. Enough that he guts Spencer like a fish after he tries to convince Negan to kill Rick and let Spencer be in charge instead.]]

* FauxAffablyEvil: He's clearly a fun-loving guy and has his own set of rules, but he's completely psychotic and happy to murder people in horrible ways if they cross him or his people. Best exemplified in his introductory speech, where despite his jovial demeanor he 'is'' telling Rick's group that he now owns them and that one of them is about to suffer a brutal death for killing his men.

* FauxAffablyEvil: He's clearly a fun-loving guy and has his own set of rules, but he's completely psychotic and happy to murder people in horrible ways if they cross him or his people.

* YouHaveGOTToBeKiddingMe: Negan's reaction when one of the Saviors finds the RPG that took out Bud and his crew is one of astonishment and sadistic glee, stating he couldn't find to test out that rocket launcher.

* BlueAndOrangeMorality: Negan feels that he is a better person because he means it when he invokes IGaveMyWord, regardless of how said word is about murder for slights. [[spoiler:He makes to cut off Carl's arm, but seems to think it's relatively okay because it's his left arm, and he's a righty, and because he has doctors that can keep him alive. Probably.]] On the whole, he seems to truly think he is in the right... while being a completely psychopathic nutcase.

[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/thewalkingdeadnegan8_25.png]]

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[[caption-width-right:350:''"You can breathe. You can blink. You can cry. Hell, you're all gonna be doing that."'']]

* DinnerAndAShow: Subverted hard in the mid-season finale, with Negan and his pretend family all gathered around the table. Except everyone aside from Negan is terrified.

* AdaptationalIntelligence: TV Negan is also far more prone to psychological warfare and careful thought than his comics counterpart. As an example, regarding how he chooses who he plans to kill in his debut, [[spoiler:where comic-book Negan truly appears to have done a random selection (he listed several reasons why he couldn't decide who was going to get [[BatterUp Lucilled]]), it's implied in the TV show that he was just messing with them; rather than going in a straight line, he bounces around during his "random" eeny-meeny-miny-moe game and just so happens to land on Abraham (who had quietly stood up to him earlier) after pausing on the last pick. Even Abraham's actor, Michael Cudlitz, agrees that Negan's game was simply a front for him to observe each member of the group and determine who was the logical choice to take out. His seemingly random choice of Glenn as his second victim supports this interpretation as well, given Glenn has previously interrupted him.]]

* FauxAffablyEvil: Pretends to be fun, quirky, and approachable while also threatening to beat Rick to death if he doesn't comply with Negan's demands all in the same breath.

* HoistByHisOwnPetard: While in control of the situation, Negan tends to take his time and draws out the theatrics and the agony he inflicts on the various punishments he inflicts on his people and on the Alexandrians, when he could have easily cut it short and call it a day. [[spoiler: It's why he got the jump on him when he opened the coffin intending to make a big show of Sasha pleading for Alexandria's surrender, and instead it's Sasha as a walker trying to eat his face.]]

** His condolences to [[spoiler:Maggie]] after realizing her connection to the person he just murdered seem genuine, since he ultimately picked out [[spoiler:Glenn]] at random.

* TheresNoKillLikeOverkill: [[spoiler:Beats Abraham and Glenn's heads to a pulp in the Season 7 premiere.]]

** When Rick calls Negan out on [[spoiler: killing Spencer and having Arat kill Olivia,]] which he sees as a violation of their deal, Negan points out that the only reason he even came to Alexandria early was to deliver Carl back into his hands safe and sound even though Carl killed two of his men and was gunning for him, as well, and that he killed Spencer for trying to usurp Rick through him and that he was actually standing up for Rick. He also only [[spoiler: kills Olivia and takes Eugene (who he learns can make bullets) to work for him,]] which, considering Rosita just tried to kill him, is a pretty mild response considering Negan could just as easily choose to start making examples.
* VillainRespect: Though he takes every opportunity he can to make Rick miserable and torture him, he admits that he has respect for him. Negan remembers how Rick said he would kill him, clearly hating him for murdering [[spoiler:Abraham and Glenn]], but he has swallowed that hatred and put his pride aside, submitting to him and going out to gather supplies for him to keep his group safe from The Savior, saying how all of that takes guts. Because of this [[spoiler:he refuses to help Spencer with his plan to murder Rick and put Spencer in charge of Alexandria because Spencer is a coward who only talked to Negan after Rick was gone and wanted for Negan to do the dirty work for him.]]

** In his own twisted way, he appears to respect Rick considerably more than most of his own people, even ones he's been with for a long time. Rick could easily stay home and order some of his people to go out and forage for supplies, but instead he always goes along and takes more than his share of the risks. Rick also always comes through and delivers supplies as expected. Negan knows he ultimately needs people like Rick, as if he has nothing but sheep working for him, then nothing would ever get done. Spencer finds out the hard way that Negan doesn't like slackers who try to get someone else to do the dirty work.

* YouGotSpunk: He clearly admires Carl's stone-cold badassery in the face of a potentially horrible demise and seems more impressed then angry after Carl breaks into Sanctuary and almost kills him. He also seems to admire Abraham's [[HeroicSacrifice willingness to sacrifice himself as the potential victim]] and for said victim "taking it like a champ" after Negan delivers the first blow to [[spoiler: Abraham]] from Lucille. Likewise, he seems to respect Daryl after he attacked him for mocking [[spoiler: Abraham's]] death and notes that (unlike Rick) he still refuses to submit. [[spoiler:The Season 7 midseason finale shows that, while he may not like Rick and he'll take any opportunity he can to mock him, Negan has grown to respect Rick for swallowing his pride and continuing to work for him despite how much Rick clearly hates him. Enough that he guts Spencer like a fish after he tries to convince Negan to kill Rick and let Spencer be in charge instead.]]
* YouHaveGOTToBeKiddingMe: Negan's reaction when one of the Saviors finds the RPG that took out Bud and his crew is one astonishment and sadistic glee, stating he couldn't find to test out that rocket launcher.

* ShroudedInMyth: Prior to "Last Day on Earth," when he reveals himself to the Alexandrians, no one outside of the Saviors had any definitive proof that he even existed at all. Some even speculated that he was nothing more than a [[ShadowDictator fictional boogeyman]] made up by the Saviors.

** Subverted when he saves Rick from walkers twice that were attacking him during his "test" for his trust. Yeah, he was giving Rick a hand in an otherwise impossible situation, but it was also to teach Rick that ''he'' is in charge.

* PungeonMaster: A [[BlackComedy dark example]]. He makes cruel {{Pun}}s regarding the ones he killed (specifically, [[spoiler:Glenn]] and [[spoiler:Abraham]]) such as them receiving the "Spirit Award" for their "efforts" and calling the weapon he used to kill them as a "Vampire [[BatterUp Bat]]"..

* IHaveYouNowMyPretty: He essentially has Sherry completely under his control in a forced marriage he made up. Since he originally desired Tina though before she died, Negan may have wanted her as one of the multiple wives in his harem.
* IWantThemAlive: Played with. He seems to favor this option for only the strongest and "badass" prisoners he comes across; trying to break them so he can [[WeCanRuleTogether employ them as his]] [[EvilMinions own soldiers]].

* AdaptationalCurves: Comic Negan has a more stouter built, while TV Negan is more leaner (but still considerably bulky).
* AdaptationalIntelligence: TV Negan is also far more prone to psychological warfare and careful thought than his comics counterpart. As an example, regarding how he chooses who he plans to kill in his debut,[[spoiler: where comic-book Negan truly appears to have done a random selection (he listed several reasons why he couldn't decide who was going to get [[BatterUp Lucilled]]), it's implied in the TV show that he was just messing with them; rather than going in a straight line, he bounces around during his "random" eeny-meeny-miny-moe game and just so happens to land on Abraham (who had quietly stood up to him earlier) after pausing on the last pick. Even Abraham's actor, Michael Cudlitz, agrees that Negan's game was simply a front for him to observe each member of the group and determine who was the logical choice to take out. His seemingly random choice of Glenn as his second victim supports this interpretation as well, given Glenn has previously interrupted him.]]

** Negan's {{Harem}} comes across as much creepier in the show. While Comic!Negan emphasized that all of the women were there of their own free will, were treated well, and could leave any time they wanted (albeit at the cost of having to go back to performing hard labor and pretty much being on Negan's shit list), Show!Negan is not above coercing women into joining. His offer for Tina to join him comes after she's unable to afford the insulin she ''needs to survive'' under his harsh point system (and later implies he was planning to offer Maggie a similar deal, noting that she's sick too) and [[ScarpiaUltimatum the only thing that stops him from executing Dwight for treason is that Sherry volunteers to marry him if he spares Dwight]]. [[note]]in the comics, Sherry married Negan because she believed it was the most practical choice for both her and Dwight, not because of any life-threatening circumstances, and Negan only burned Dwight's face after they continued to sleep together behind his back.[[/note]]

* ArcWords: "Right off the bat" during Season 6, as its used by several characters as a way to hint towards his impending arrival.

* BoisterousBruiser: He's an overly happy guy who's not afraid to crush his enemies skull in with his trusted baseball bat.

* CruelMercy: He threatens to kill everybody in the group and back in Alexandria if Rick doesn't [[spoiler: cut off Carl's hand]], but leave Rick alive to wander alone knowing he could have prevented it.

* DidntSeeThatComing: Twice over! [[spoiler: At the season 7 finale, he did not expect Sasha to die and try to kill him as a walker. And he definitely didn't expected a tiger to show up and start killing his men, followed by the other communities he subjugated coming to Alexandria's rescue.]]

* DomesticAbuser: Only psychologically. He emotional tortures his wives when they defy him and will hurt them by punishing the ones they care about with an iron to their face.

* TheGadfly: He knows that everyone either hates and fears him, but he enjoys messing with everyone around him anyway by acting like a complete and utter lunatic.

* GreaterScopeVillain: His presence is first felt in "Always Accountable," where members of his group allude to him. He is first mentioned by name in TheStinger of "Start to Finish," and his reputation continues to grow stronger as the season progresses until he finally makes his debut in the finale.

* PsychopathicManchild: He playfully chooses which one of Rick's group members he wants to kill in a game of eeny meeny miny mo while taunting them with petty insults. His process of coercing Rick's partnership also involves him bullying the man by forcing him to get his machete off the roof in zombie infested fog area like a bully throwing a toy on a high place. [[spoiler:When he hits Glenn with Lucille and dislodges his eye, Negan's taunt of "I just popped your skull so hard, your eyeball just popped out, and it is gross as shit!" sounds like a bully gloating to the poor kid he just beat up.]]

* PsychopathicManchild: He playfully chooses which one of Rick's group members he wants to kill in a game of eeny meeny miny mo while taunting them with petty insults. His process of coercing Rick's partnership also involves him bullying the man by forcing him to get his machete off the roof in zombie infested fog area like a bully throwing a toy on a high place.

* AdaptationalIntelligence:
** Comic Negan was never shown using firearms. TV Negan proves himself just as capable in melee combat as his counterpart, and is also proficient with an assault rifle.
** TV Negan is also far more prone to psychological warfare and careful thought than his comics counterpart. As an example, regarding how he chooses who he plans to kill in his debut,[[spoiler: where comic-book Negan truly appears to have done a random selection (he listed several reasons why he couldn't decide who was going to get [[BatterUp Lucilled]]), it's implied in the TV show that he was just messing with them; rather than going in a straight line, he bounces around during his "random" eeny-meeny-miny-moe game and just so happens to land on Abraham (who had quietly stood up to him earlier) after pausing on the last pick. Even Abraham's actor, Michael Cudlitz, agrees that Negan's game was simply a front for him to observe each member of the group and determine who was the logical choice to take out. His seemingly random choice of Glenn as his second victim supports this interpretation as well, given Glenn has previously interrupted him.]]

* {{Sadist}}: He openly admits that he enjoys killing (men at least, though he'd kill a woman too) and clearly likes inflicting both physical and psychological pain; in fact, his debut consists of gleefully murdering [[spoiler:two people]] and then spending the rest of the episode [[MindRape mind raping]] Rick.

* HumiliationConga: [[spoiler: Loses control over his vassal states in the season 7 finale, tricked by Sasha who he intended to use as a bargaining chip and instead gets attacked by her walker, and is interrupted in his punishment of Rick's rebellion by one of his men being mauled by Sasha. He also has to suffer the indignity of being forced into a retreat by his escaped prisoner Daryl and Maggie, the woman he made a widow, wanted to make one of his wives, and was led to believe had died. He's forced to flee Alexandria with his tail between his legs, bitterly musing on how things went to shit.]]

* VillainRespect: Though he takes every opportunity he can to make Rick miserable and torture him, he admits that he has respect for him. Megan remembers how Rick said he would kill him, clearly hating him for murdering [[spoiler:Abraham and Glenn]], but he has swallowed that hatred and put his pride aside, submitting to him and going out to gather supplies for him to keep his group safe from The Savior, saying how all of that takes guts. Because of this [[spoiler:he refuses to help Spencer with his plan to murder Rick and put Spencer in charge of Alexandria because Spencer is a coward who only talked to Negan after Rick was gone and wanted for Negan to do the dirty work for him.]]