The Walking Dead: Dead City — Connections to the Original Series

One of the most fascinating aspects of The Walking Dead: Dead City is the way it intertwines with the original series, picking up narrative threads left unfinished and giving new depth to characters fans have known for over a decade. If you've been following The Walking Dead from the beginning, Dead City is a continuous trip down memory lane. Here are all the key connections.

Maggie Greene: From Hilltop to Bricks Leader

Maggie (Lauren Cohan) is one of the longest-running characters in the original series, appearing from Season 2 until the end. After Glenn's death (and that of her father Hershel in Season 4), Maggie became the leader of the Hilltop Colony , one of the most important communities in the TWD Universe. In Dead City, her community has moved to New York under the name "Bricks ," but her spirit remains the same: to protect her people and survive. Her relationship with Negan is marked by an event that changed everything: the killing of Glenn Rhee with Lucille in Season 7. When Maggie looks at Negan, she still sees Glenn's blood. And she doesn't forget it.

Negan: From Villain to Redeemed Man

Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is perhaps the most complex character in the entire franchise. Introduced in the Season 6 finale as the sadistic leader of the Saviors , he bludgeoned Glenn and Abraham to death with a baseball bat (Lucille) in the Season 7 premiere, instantly becoming the most hated villain on television. But in subsequent seasons, Negan has transformed: he helped defeat the Alpha Whisperer , he built relationships, he paid his debt to society. At the end of the original series, he leaves the Commonwealth with his wife Annie and son Joshua . Dead City shows him in yet another state: no longer the monster he once was, but no saint either. He seeks redemption, but his past haunts him. His baseball bat, Lucille (and the memory of his first wife), returns to haunt him in the form of a hallucination in Season 2.

Hershel Rhee: The Weight of a Name

Maggie and Glenn's son, Hershel, is named after his maternal grandfather, Hershel Greene (Scott Wilson), the veterinarian who welcomed Rick and the group to the family farm in Season 2. Grandpa Hershel has been a moral compass for the series, and his name is a symbol of hope and resilience. In Dead City, Hershel is no longer the child we saw growing up in the original series: he's a teenager who's starting to question who he really is, and his relationship with Negan is one of the most tense moments of the series.

Simon, Lucille, Beth and the others return

Dead City has brought familiar faces back to the screen in surprising ways. Simon (Steven Ogg), Negan's right-hand man, appears in a flashback in the first season, recalling his time as the Saviors. Lucille (Hilarie Burton) returns as a hallucination in the second season, played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan's real-life wife. And in the recently released third season, Beth Greene (Emily Kinney) makes a thrilling return in an alternate reality episode, giving Maggie the opportunity to confront the sister she lost in Season 5 of The Walking Dead. And let's not forget Annie (Medina Senghore), Negan's second wife and mother of his son Joshua, who reappears in the second season.

New Babylon, the Commonwealth, and the Future of the TWD Universe

Dead City's New Babylon Federation harks back to the Commonwealth of the original series: both are attempts to rebuild an organized society after the apocalypse. But while the Commonwealth was a consolidated reality with tens of thousands of inhabitants, New Babylon is still expanding, with all the tensions that entails. The connection to the original series also runs through Scott M. Gimple , the creative supervisor of the entire TWD Universe, who coordinates the storylines between Dead City, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon , The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (Rick and Michonne), and the other spin-offs. The future of the franchise increasingly points towards an interconnected narrative.

Dead City and TWD Connection FAQ

Will Maggie and Negan reconcile in Dead City?

No, not yet. Their relationship remains tense and complex. Maggie doesn't forgive Negan for Glenn, but she's learned to live with this tension out of necessity.

Does Rick Grimes appear in Dead City?

No, Rick Grimes did not appear in Dead City. His story continues in the spin-off The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live.

Is there an order for watching the spin-offs?

The recommended order is: The Walking Dead (original), then Dead City, Daryl Dixon, and The Ones Who Live. Each series stands alone, but there are cross-references.

Is Croat a comic book character?

No, Croat is an original character created for the TV series.