The season 1 finale of The Walking Dead: Dead City reveals the villains' plans for Negan and sets up an intense second season. The Dama recognizes Negan's value as the former leader of The Saviors and wants his help to take over the city and defend it from rivals. Negan is blackmailed into cooperating through threats against Maggie's son Hershel, forcing him to confront his past and consider returning to his old ways. Dead City revolves around the relationship between redeemed villain Negan and Maggie.

In the finale, Maggie enlists Negan's help to rescue her son Hershel, who was taken to New York by a new villain named the Croat.

However, it is later revealed that the Croat wanted Maggie to bring Negan to the city. The Croat and his boss, the Dama, have big plans for Negan, setting up a more intense second season. In the finale, the Dama explains to Negan that she wants the city for herself and knows that once New Babylon discovers their use of methane as a power source, they will come to take it over. She recognizes Negan's value in defending the city due to his past leadership skills.

However, she knows that simply asking for his help won't be enough.

To ensure his cooperation, she threatens to harm Hershel, knowing that Negan's guilt over killing Maggie's husband Glenn will drive him to protect the boy. The finale ends with Negan realizing that he is cornered and wondering what he should do next. The question remains whether Negan wants to return to his old ways or continue on the path of redemption. He has come a long way since his time in The Saviors, and it would be disappointing to see him throw his progress away.

The upcoming second season is expected to see Negan going along with the Dama's plans while possibly plotting to escape or even take over the city for himself.

The Dama may be creating a monster by demanding that Negan return to his old self, as she might not be able to control what happens next. The Walking Dead: Dead City season 1 laid the groundwork for an exciting second season. It explored Negan's potential return to his darker side and hinted at a confrontation between Negan and Maggie. The fate of Perlie, who lied about killing Negan, is also in question as New Babylon wants to take over the city. Overall, the season 1 finale of The Walking Dead: Dead City sets up a thrilling second season with an intense storyline centered around Negan and his internal struggle between redemption and returning to his old villainous ways.