Negan's Fate Revealed In 'The Walking Dead' Season 8 Premiere?

The Walking Dead's Season 8 premiere may have revealed the fate of Jeffrey Dean Morgan's Negan in one of its several timelines.

Spoilers for The Walking Dead comics and possibly Season 8 of the AMC series follow!

In a sequence which saw Rick appearing broken down, the leader of Alexandria whispered a potentially important phrase to himself: "My mercy prevailed over my wrath." Fans of The Walking Dead comics may realize why this can be an indication of Negan's post-war fate.

In Robert Kirkman's comics, Rick has a chance to kill Negan on the battlefield but elects to take another route: the Sheriff throws the villain in an Alexandria prison. Rick intended to have Negan rot away and pay for his crimes against Glenn, Abraham, and the communities, while his imprisonment serves as a symbol of humanity, society, and greater power.

On the AMC series, Morgan Jones may have already built that very jail cell.

Speaking to ComicBook.com, Rick actor Andrew Lincoln hinted towards the line being indicative of Rick's mercy for Negan.

"I think that is absolutely, well-watched," Lincoln said. "I say, 'Well watched, my friend.' I think Scott [Gimple] has a tendency to throw in overarching themes in earlier episodes amongst all the pomp and circumstance. So yeah, I think Rick certainly could be... whether or not mercy will prevail over his wrath, so..."

"I figure that for all of the characters there's a question sort of in the air, which is what personally are you fighting for and what would be the cost?" Lincoln concluded.

According to Greg Nicotero's After the Dead interview which debuted on The Walking Dead on ComicBook.com's Facebook page, each of the scenes involving Rick Grimes are part of a plan to unveil a complex story. "As the show unfolds in the first eight episodes, a lot of these little clues and these little puzzle pieces that we're laying out in the first episode will become very apparent," Nicotero said. "You'll get to it. The whole thing is be patient and allow these visuals and these little clues to ripen and to grow."

The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9 pm ET on AMC. For complete coverage and insider info all season long, follow @BrandonDavisBD on Twitter.