The Walking Dead Season 7 has been filled with intense moments. It’s been awhile since Rick hasn’t seemingly had the upperhand in a dangerous situation, but not all is lost. Rick still has Maggie, and she’s the key to gaining control again. Here’s why Maggie’s help is vital to win the looming war against the saviors.
[Warning: The Walking Dead comic and show spoilers head]
Rick Is No Negan, But Maggie Can Be
Maggie is more like Negan than Rick in the sense that she knows how to read and interact with people. Deanna saw this trait in her back in The Walking Dead Season 6, but the show has been teasing this for a while. The first person we saw Maggie truly read was Glenn at the farm. She saw Glenn’s loneliness, but she also saw he was risking his life for the group and they were taking advantage of him. Maggie called him out on this when Glenn went on a run to get Plan B pills for Lori. Maggie wanted him to know his life mattered and he couldn’t let people take advantage of him.
We see Maggie come through time and time again, but she shined brightest while negotiating a deal with Hilltop. She called out Gregory for his BS, but first she let him get in a few verbal punches. She let him think she couldn’t hold her own in a confrontation, stroked his ego a bit. It wasn’t until he was stabbed where she metaphorically dug the knife in deeper by basically saying, “You need us more than we need you.” At Gregory’s weakest, Maggie closes the deal because she knows he has no choice.
Maggie is a lot better at reading and talking to people than Rick. People won’t follow Rick, but they will follow Maggie.
Maggie Has Skills Rick Does Not Possess
Herschel spent a lot of time teaching Maggie his ways in the prison, including medical care. Herschel showed Maggie how to tend a wound, help the sick, but most importantly, deliver a child. Maggie performed the c-section on Lori. Maggie helped tend to Herschel’s leg. Rick might’ve briefly learned from Herschel how to plant and tend to crops, but Maggie was raised on the farm. Maggie can also shoot a gun and fight, something the Hilltop community desperately needs. Finally, Maggie has lost all of her family. She has nothing left to lose. If anyone comes for her, she’ll put up a fight, even if she’s physically weak.
Maggie In The Comics Rises To The Top; Maggie In The Show Has To Do The Same
The pregnancy forced Maggie to move out of Alexandria. The circumstances surrounding her move were terrible, but it was a blessing for Hilltop. No one really liked Gregory and everyone, including Jesus, thought he was an incompetent leader. Gregory was just in the right place at the right time. Maggie begins to questions his leadership skills and teaches the people of the Hilltop how to fight. The people come to trust Maggie, not Rick. Rick cannot afford to make an enemy out of Maggie or continue to align with Negan. Once Carol brings The Kingdom into the game, Rick will have the manpower to take down Negan.
Catch The Walking Dead Season 7 live every Sunday at 9 p.m. only on AMC.
