The Walking Dead might have dropped another clue at the identity of the accomplice who freed Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), who prematurely ended his eight-year prison stint when he went missing in 10×04, “Silence the Whisperers.” It was suspected Negan was released by fanboy Brandon (Blaine Kern III) — the wannabe Savior stole Negan’s leather jacket and gifted him a replica Lucille after catching up to the fugitive outside Alexandria’s walls — but Brandon was cleared as a suspect when he asked Negan how he escaped in 10×05, “What It Always Is.” There have been suspicions it was a revenge-obsessed Carol (Melissa McBride) who unleashed Negan in hopes he might take out Whisperer leader Alpha (Samantha Morton), but 10×08, “The World Before,” reveals another suspect.
Following his murder of Siddiq (Avi Nash), Rosita (Christian Serratos) overpowers and captures Whisperer spy Dante (Juan Javier Cardenas). Before he’s grilled by Daryl (Norman Reedus), Father Gabriel (Seth Gilliam), Rosita and Carol, we learn Dante was sent by Alpha to infiltrate Alexandria and force the community to crumble by pushing against its weaknesses from the inside.
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In flashback, where we see Dante sabotage Alexandria’s water system, we learn it was Dante who was behind the anti-Whisperer graffiti that added to the Alexandrians’ growing paranoia about Alpha and her followers. This also riled up Margo (Jerri Tubbs), Gage (Jackson Pace) and Alfred (David Shae), who then attacked Alpha’s daughter Lydia (Cassady McClincy); it was during this attack that Negan, out of his cell on chore duties, accidentally killed Margo when protecting Lydia.
When awaiting Gabriel’s vote that would have determined if he would be executed for the slaying, Negan made his escape. He then intentionally crossed into Whisperer territory and has since been granted membership by Alpha.
During his interrogation, the nihilistic Dante says Siddiq’s death was never part of the plan to “encourage your paranoia about us, which will push you into bad decisions.”
“Places like this are cool promises to their people, and they crumble at the smallest knick,” Dante continues. “Hell, I’m gonna enjoy watching you rip each other apart over what to do with me… Just like with Negan.”
Because Dante and Alpha wanted to sow dissension among the Alexandrians, he has motive to free Negan — someone he understands to be dangerous and who was once their greatest enemy. Dante wouldn’t be privy to Negan’s change of heart, and he might not have anticipated Negan joining the Whisperers instead of taking revenge on Alexandria.
When showrunner Angela Kang was asked by EW how Negan got out of jail, she said, “That is to be revealed.” Answers will come when The Walking Dead resumes its tenth season in 2020.
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