The Walking Dead [1] is all set for its seventh season premiere, but that doesn't mean we're done talking about the gut-wrenching season six finale [2]. If you've been keeping up — which, like, we're assuming you have — you'll know that we have no idea who Negan kills in the final moments [3]. It's led to a sort of upheaval in the TWD fandom. Suffice to say, everyone is pissed [4], and the showrunners are seriously on the defensive [5]. Here's the thing, though: we're pretty sure it's Glenn, and not just because he dies in the comics.
The First-Person POV Is Kind of a Dead Giveaway
In case you missed it, we did an in-depth exploration of the use of the first-person perspective [8] in The Walking Dead [9]'s season six finale. While we pinned Michonne as the most likely victim — based on where she is in the van — it's just as likely it could be Glenn. After all, he's in the back part of the van as well. All we know for sure is the van's the safest bet we've got, and Glenn's inside.
This Isn't the First Time We've Seen First-Person POV, Either
Here's something even more interesting to consider, though. We actually have seen first-person perspective on the show, rather recently. Although it didn't factor into the episode as heavily as it does in the season finale, this is still a pretty prominent moment. What's more, isn't it kind of crazy that we've definitely looked through Glenn's eyes before? It makes it all the more likely that we're looking through his eyes again as Negan deals his deadly blows.
The Slowed-Down Audio From Negan's Beating Is Pretty Telling
Thanks to one very generous Tumblr user, we're able to hear a slowed-down (and speculatively captioned) version [10] of those chilling final moments. Of course, it's very hard to hear or discern anything, and the noises are widely up to interpretation. Even so, you can't deny that the captions seem pretty spot on.
The Fact That Glenn Found Those Grisly Polaroids Can't Be Coincidence
During the episode when the group raids the Savior compound [11] — arguably the decision that sets this whole, twisted series of events in motion — Glenn finds a wall filled with polaroid pictures. They all show murder victims with their heads unceremoniously bashed in. It's hard to witness the moment without making a symbolic connection, especially since Glenn spends so much time looking at all the photos.
His Faux-Death May Be So Much More Than a Red Herring — It Could Be Foreshadowing
As you might recall, we were really thrown for a loop as Glenn appears to die early on in season six. We were so back and forth — we had plenty of reasons to think he was dead [12], and quite a few reasons to believe he survives [13]. After weeks of torturing us [14], we finally find out he makes it. Could it have been a huge hint that we should be preparing for his death in the future? Is the fact that he survives some sort of bad omen, like he "cheated" death? In any event, it seems like a perfect illustration of the unfairness in The Walking Dead [15]'s universe. One day, you survive falling into a huge hoard of walkers, the next day your brain gets bashed in.
There's Been Plenty of Other Miscellaneous Symbolism
When the group gets captured by the cannibalistic inhabitants of Terminus, it's Glenn who comes closest to getting a bat to the head and a slit in his throat. Of course, there's the wall of polaroids at the Savior compound, mentioned above. You might also recall that Carl discovers a gun with a barbed-wire-wrapped baseball bat etched into it, right before we see our first shot of Glenn in the episode before the season finale. Glenn seems to be around bats quite a bit, actually — he notably wields one as a weapon in season five's midseason premiere! This can't all be coincidence, especially since the showrunners have likely known about Glenn's fate in the comic books for quite some time.
Glenn Has a Huge Turning Point This Season
The sixth season really marks a loss of innocence for Glenn, in a sense. When the group goes to raid the Savior compound, Glenn kills a few members of the group. This is no small event. Glenn has never killed an actual human before, not in the entire run of the series. It's a huge turning point, and the fact that he's bestowing death on others could mean it's coming right back around. There's closure there. It's a full circle.
Glenn Is the One That Dies in the Comic Books
Speaking of Glenn's fate in the comics, this is it, folks. You're looking at it. Not only does Negan kill Glenn in the comic books [16], but it's actually one of the most iconic deaths in the whole book series. There's a certain weight attached to it. Sure, the showrunners are known for changing things up here and there, but this seems like a moment where loyalty to the comics is paramount.
A Close Inspection of the Counting Indicates Negan Landed on Glenn
Trying to pick apart Negan's "Eeny Meeny Miny Moe" game [17]? Turns out, there's actually a method to it. Just after the finale aired, YouTube user slaykone figured out how Negan landed on Glenn [18] in a compelling six-minute video. It proceeds to figure out Negan's counting order, then applies it along with the beats of the classic nursery rhyme. The logic is very sound, we have to admit.
There's Already Been a Subtle Allusion to the Comic Books
Look at that previous image (from the show), then look at this one. Then back to the image from the show. Then back to this one. Seeing a similarity? Because we sure are. It's interesting, too. The above shot with Glenn is the only shot of this kind. The rest of the shots of the other characters are down the length of the bat — more or less — and more from Negan's point of view. It's just another tiny detail that seems almost too perfect to be coincidence.
So, there you have it. With all this evidence, it's not hard to see how Glenn's the one. Of course, the showrunners could have thrown all this in for fun. They've done it before. The only certainty is that we'll have to wait until October to really, really know.