‘The Walking Dead’s’ Norman Reedus And Andrew Lincoln As Daryl And Rick Rebel Against Negan’s Weird Cult
Norman Reedus and Andrew Lincoln, as Daryl and Rick, heroes of The Walking Dead, have announced their rebellion to Negan and the Saviors. While the group may have won their first battle, “all out war” is still on the horizon for Season 8.
The Walking Dead’s Season 7A was a miserable affair by almost all accounts. Even Norman Reedus and Andrew Lincoln hated it, according to this from the Inquisitr. Rick was demoralized and Daryl was tortured by Negan.
The Walking Dead’s survivors tasted oppression from the nasty group of Saviors. Obviously, Negan had to go. Yet, the abuse seemed to drag on forever. At times it all seemed senseless, but The Huffington Post explained the reasoning rather well.
“Shortly after the tragic deaths of Abraham and Glenn and the way they died, it made sense that time was needed to portray how Rick’s group and the Alexandrians would respond to an abrupt new world order.”
The Walking Dead’s Daryl and Rick, aka Norman Reedus and Andrew Lincoln, are facing an “abrupt new world order.” That is an interesting and perhaps apt description of Negan’s systematic over taxation, iron-fisted enforcement, and unending carnage. After all, it is the apocalypse, so does that make Negan a symbolic antichrist figure or just another villain?
Norman Reedus and Andrew Lincoln as Daryl and Rick on The Walking Dead are opposing not only Negan but “Neganism,” points out Rolling Stone.
“Negan is beatable… but ‘Neganism’ may not be.”
The Walking Dead’s arch villain Negan has a lot of followers and his inner circle may well be quite loyal. The “I am Negan” response is reminiscent of some weird cult in the 1960s. Is Negan building a religion around himself? If so, just how faithful are his followers? How far are they willing to take their loyalty?
Are Norman Reedus and Andrew Lincoln’s characters standing up against some sort of twisted new religion with a bully for a messiah? Are Rick and Daryl fighting a new form of government, or perhaps a metaphor for some conspiracy theory? At any rate, perhaps they are fighting a lot more than just Negan himself.
The Walking Dead’s Andrew Lincoln and Norman Reedus portray heroic figures with powerful resolve. Jeffrey Dean Morgan portrays Negan as a villain who doesn’t actually realize he is the villain.
It seems Negan’s followers would see his villainous nature, but many either don’t know or don’t care. After all, Negan provides well for those closest to him and rewards loyalty handsomely. Eugene, at least, seems to be living large.
Norman Reedus portrayed Daryl as a sort of tortured saint of the crusade and inquisition era. When Norman Reedus professed his identity as “Daryl,” it had the same kind of faithful defiance as the famous “I am not a heretic and I will not recant.”
The Walking Dead’s Norman Reedus presented a heroic martyr in Daryl, actually refusing to recant and deny his identity as Daryl and his own belief in himself as an individual. Daryl would not, and could not, bow to Negan without betraying himself and his friends.
Thankfully, The Walking Dead’s Daryl Dixon escaped before Negan gave up and killed him, but Negan wanted to convert Daryl. He tempted Norman Reedus’ character with all sorts of benefits, as well as tormenting him in nearly every way imaginable.
Will The Walking Dead continue to portray Negan as the bully false messiah and tempter of various characters? Has Eugene truly gone to the dark side?
RELATED REPORTS FROM THE INQUISITR
Why Norman Reedus And Andrew Lincoln ‘Hated’ ‘The Walking Dead’ 7A And Loved 7B
The Walking Dead with Norman Reedus, Andrew Lincoln and Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan will return this fall with Season 8.
[Featured Image by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images]
