The Walking Dead season 10 puts Negan on trial but not everything is as it seems

In “Silence The Whisperers”, Negan is placed on trial after he’s accused of committing another murder. The thing is, he might have done the right thing this time around.

Based on the crimes he’s committed in the past, Negan’s trial seemed inevitable. They were going to bring the attention back to him one way or another on The Walking Dead, and now that’s happened in episode 4 of season 10.

What’s surprising is that Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) didn’t do anything wrong. He protected Lydia (Cassidy McClincy) after some rebellious residents from Alexandria targeted the young girl. They laid out a vicious trap with the intent of killing Lydia but were stopped by Negan. Unfortunately, the Saviors’ one-time leader wound up committing manslaughter in the process.

The scuffle between Negan and the rebels wasn’t clear but the accused used a pacifist method of restraining them. Negan even refrained from touching Enid’s old friend and simply warned him to back away. He just didn’t notice that Margo (Jerri Tubbs) smashed her head against a wall after being pulled off of Lydia.

Once everything is said and done, Alexandria’s council deliberates over what to do with Negan. Everyone has their opinion, though some are more biased based on previous interactions with the guilty party. Daryl winds up in the midst of this debate with information that could clear Negan of all wrongdoing. He hesitates to speak up because of those same feelings, but Daryl does the right thing in the end.

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The deciding vote ultimately comes down to Father Gabriel (Seth Gilliam), but he needs time to think over the dilemma. Gabriel uses the entirety of that time to contemplate his decision and then decides it best to question Negan. Sadly, the accused escapes before he can be interviewed.

Why Should We Care?

While the accused’s actions don’t make his case any better, the trial itself holds much more significance. Several characters pointed out how a fair trial is crucial to restoring civilization, regardless of whether it’s for Negan or someone else. And if they can’t manage to restore those points or order, they’re doomed to fail.

Part of what they’re saying blends into next year’s Walking Dead series which will feature a world set ten years in the future. There, law and order have been restored and people are back to dealing with problems in a civilized manner. Trials will presumably be a pivotal part of this world.

Negan’s trial is pertinent because it’s the first where a person accused of murder is guilty, but they were acting in the best interest of another person. He accidentally killed Margo during the scuffle—and that factor shouldn’t go ignored either—but Margo was also trying to kill someone when she became the victim.

There are a lot of variables to consider, of course, the ethical thing to do is clear Negan of wrongdoing. He killed someone, yes, but had he not intervened, Lydia would be in a grave instead of Margo.

Based on that fact alone, we can see who was in the wrong. Margo’s friends lying to the council doesn’t make their case any better, of course, it’s still to be seen how this dilemma will be resolved. Negan fleeing also prevents any resolution from being made so fans will just have to wait a bit longer.

Let us know how you weigh in on The Walking Dead’s latest dilemma in the comments below.

The Walking Dead airs Sundays on AMC. Seasons 1-9 can be streamed on Netflix.