‘The Walking Dead’ season 5 debate: Will we see Negan before finale?

We are getting very close to the end of “The Walking Dead” season 5; there are only four episodes left, and only so many directions that the show may be able to go given where they are currently situated at Alexandria.

One of those directions may have to involve Negan. This character has almost become this show’s version of Lady Stoneheart, someone who fans have clamored to see for years, despite there never really being an indication that the character is on the horizon. Even still, AMC has not announced casting for this character; the good news is that unlike “Game of Thrones,” who have seemingly opted against the Stoneheart story, “The Walking Dead” does seem to be interested in making Negan happen at some point. Series star Andrew Lincoln even said the following in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter last month:

“There are astonishingly brilliant and thrilling characters that I am convinced we would be idiots not to meet in our journey; I would be very surprised if we don’t see Negan on the horizon in the not-too-distant future.”

The question to us at this point is not so much if we see Negan, but when. There’s a part of us who feels like him surfacing in the finale, right when some characters are starting to be comfortable in Alexandria, would be perfect. That would be the perfect cliffhanger to end the season on, and have people tremendously excited for the sixth season. However, that would be a major undertaking to pull off, given that you would have had to cast the character, and then somehow find a way to keep it a secret for many months in a row before the finale airs.

The more likely scenario here is that the character is announced in the weeks after the finale, with the actor being a regular for the sixth season. Negan is known for causing carnage, and this could be the show’s most notorious villain since the Governor.

When do you want to see Negan surface? Vote in our poll below, and to watch a sneak peek for Sunday night’s new episode “Forget,” head over to the link here. Also, sign up in the event you want some further TV scoop on all we cover, courtesy of our CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo: AMC.)