The Walking Dead: How Rick Grimes Teased A Friendship With Negan

Spoilers for The Walking Dead Season 7 Episode 10 and comic books follow!

In The Walking Dead‘s Episode 7×10 (New Best Friends), the AMC series may have teased a major plot twist many fans are not going to be expecting if they are unfamiliar with the Skybound/Image Comics series.

Shortly after his run in with the Heapsters in the junkyard, Rick spoke privately with Father Gabriel. While Gabriel was happy to know that Rick Grimes had good faith in his disappearance, the more interesting line came from the Sheriff.

“Someone showed me enemies can become friends,” Rick said. On the TV series, Rick is referencing how Father Gabriel opened him up to the idea of allowing new people into his circle, such as the people of Alexandria who were understandably standoffish upon Rick’s arrival.

However, for fans of Robert Kirkman‘s comic books, this line has a much deeper meaning.

On television, Rick’s biggest enemy right now is Negan. He wants to kill Negan and every one of his Saviors. It’s how he found himself in the junkyard situation to begin with and why he is going to search for guns to hand over to his new friends. However, if the AMC series is going to follow the comics, the two characters might just end up becoming friends.

In the most recent issue of The Walking Dead comics, Negan and Rick are working together for the first time. Negan has forced Rick to offer him the slightest bit of trust, having killed the leader of an enemy faction called the Whisperers and, more recently, saving Rick’s life from imminent death by zombie herd. Issue #164 ended with Negan turning to Rick saying, “Holy s—, Rick! Can you believe it? We’re working together!”

Could Rick’s dialogue in Episode 7×10 have been foreshadowing a potential friendship with Negan in what would likely be Season 11 or later of The Walking Dead on AMC?

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The Walking Dead #164 is available now at your local comic book shop. The Walking Dead TV series airs Sundays at 9 pm ET on AMC. For complete coverage and insider info all season long, follow @BrandonDavisBD on Twitter.