The star of The Walking Dead: Dead City, Željko Ivanek, has explained why his character, The Croat, sees Negan as a father figure and how this will impact the rest of the season. The Croat is a harsh leader in Manhattan who had taken Hershel, Maggie's son, hostage. He used to be a Savior but was driven out by Negan. In an interview with AMC Talk, Ivanek revealed that The Croat sees Negan as a father because he was the first person to provide him with safety and a sense of belonging.

Negan's leadership style was captivating for The Croat, and he wants to recreate that in his own group. The Croat sees Negan as someone who will protect and be there for him, filling a hole in his life.

However, in episode 4, the relationship between The Croat and Negan is strained. The Croat throws Perlie Armstrong off a balcony as a gesture of goodwill, only to have Negan save him.

This act confuses The Croat and makes him realize that Negan has changed. The Croat no longer sees him as the same leader he once respected. As a result, The Croat starts questioning his rise to power and feels betrayed by Negan's unwillingness to ally with him. He now wants to hunt Negan down and possibly kill him to take on the power Negan once had. This storyline will likely unfold in episode 5, alongside the focus on Maggie and the rebels in the sewers. The Walking Dead: Dead City season 1 is reaching its conclusion, and it remains to be seen how The Croat's pursuit of Negan will play out.