Despite being on a different show, Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Negan is having on an impact on Negan hasn’t been a full-blown villain for several years in The Walking Dead universe, but some characters still haven’t recovered from the struggles and tragedies he put them through.
Negan indirectly led to one of the biggest changes to Fear the Walking Dead in season 4, as it was his actions as the leader of the Saviors that ultimately led to Morgan (Lennie James) leaving The Walking Dead after season 8 and striking off on his own. He also contributed to the show getting its second crossover character in season 5 when John Dorie (Garrett Dillahunt) and June (Jenna Elfman) crossed paths with former Savior Dwight (Austin Amelio). Dwight was searching for his wife, Sherry (Christina Evangelista), who ran out on the Saviors in The Walking Dead season 7. After taking a break from looking for her, the two finally reunited in Fear the Walking Dead season 6.
Fear the Walking Dead season 6, episode 5, “Honey” reveals that the shadow of Negan continues to linger on the show. Instead of moving on from everything that happened when Dwight and Sherry were with Saviors, Fear the Walking Dead is continuing to focus on this period of their lives. After finding out that Sherry was fully invested in her new group’s mission to kill Virginia (Colbie Minifie), Dwight discovered that Sherry’s resolve had more to do with Negan than it did with Virginia. A mention of “him” made it clear to Dwight that living with Negan still haunts her. Knowing that being one of his “wives” put her in a position to kill him, Sherry struggles with guilt because she chose not to act against him.
Sherry now copes with that guilt by helping Rollie (Cory Hart) and his allies get revenge on Virginia and the Pioneers. The mental anguish Sherry suffered while being with Negan has affected her to such a significant degree that Dwight’s decision to dissuade her from going down this path has caused them to temporarily go their separate ways. In The Walking Dead, Negan stood in the way of Dwight and Sherry being together, and that’s true even now in Fear the Walking Dead season 6. Because of Negan, Sherry and Dwight’s pathways have diverged, with Sherry still intent on taking out Virginia, and Dwight deciding to go with Morgan and Althea (Maggie Grace).
The episode also explores the hold that Negan and the Saviors still has on Dwight. Dwight became a better person in season 5 and seemingly escaped his past, but “Honey” shows viewers that Dwight the Savior is still in there somewhere. The remainder of Dwight and Sherry’s arc in Fear the Walking Dead season 6 could see the two characters continuing to deal with the impact that Negan had on them. Dwight can continue to change, and in so doing, if he reunites with Sherry, he can help her move on and finally leave Negan in the past.