The Walking Dead Season 9 Finale: 4 Ups & 2 Downs From ‘The Storm’

1. Negan's Redemption

While the series has committed many sins over the years, its biggest remains the decision to shoehorn Negan into the series as a protagonist - in spite of the fact the character was supposed to be the antagonist. Such an overexposure showed up how underdeveloped the character truly was and, in spite of Jeffrey Dean Morgan's efforts, it was hard to see Negan as anything other than something straight out of a pantomime.

The series only began to heal when his screen time was cut down, and during his absence, Kang has managed to build a new show on the foundations of the old one, and as result of this time well spent, Negan finally fits in.

Kang's intention of redeeming Negan seemed odd at the beginning of the season, but because the writers learned from the past mistakes by taking things slow rather than rushing them - specifically in regards to the Negan character - it's actually paid off. For the first time, we feel something for him, and that's all down to the character's well-planned redemption arc.

What's more, it's made clear that Negan still has a long way to go, which is aiding in making the notion of our protagonists forgiving him somewhat more believable.