The Walking Dead Changed Negan’s Name at the Last Minute

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The Walking Dead #95 marked the first time anyone uttered the name “Negan.” While the bat-swinging Savior wouldn’t appear in the flesh until issues later — in the brains-bashing issue #100 — the line was a hint of what was suggested by the title of volume 16: “A Larger World.” But the name-dropping panel, which happens when Paul Monroe, a.k.a. Jesus, leads Rick Grimes’ group to the Hilltop colony, underwent a last-minute alteration to change Negan’s original name: “Naygus,” inspired by the similarly-named Grand Nagus who lived in the Nagal Residence on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

In the feature The Cutting Room Floor of The Walking Dead Deluxe #95, writer Robert Kirkman points out that Negan is referenced, but not formally introduced in this issue. It’s interesting to observe the characters acknowledging him even though he hasn’t made a physical appearance yet.

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Kirkman elaborated, “Initially, he went by Naygus, but surprisingly, that’s the head of the Ferengi race from ‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.’ Fortunately, his name was altered before publication, as I thought I was inventing a catchy moniker, only to discover I was merely dredging up something lodged in the far corners of my mind filled with superheroes, horror, and sci-fi.”

In a 2016 episode of Talking Dead, Kirkman mentioned he wanted the name to have a negative connotation, so he had been calling him ‘Naygus’ for quite some time, which was just a word he thought up on the spot. Later, when he discovered that “Nagus” was a term from Star Trek, he decided it wouldn’t work and opted for ‘Negan’. That sounded acceptable to him.

The Walking Dead Deluxe #95 is on sale now from Image Comics.

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2024-08-26 04:40