The Walking Dead’s latest episode, season 7 episode 3 was entitled “The Cell.” This episode in particular gave us insight into a lot of different characters motivations’, emotions, and back stories. Let’s break down this jam packed episode and dissect exactly what we have learned and some things that we can possible extrapolate from that. We have a lot to work with already. Despite Negan’s iron grip on The Saviors, he’s frustrated because he just can’t get Daryl under his thumb. Dwight and Daryl may yet become unlikely allies, and Negan is making his main weakness pretty apparent to the audience.
What’s it REALLY like on “Easy Street”? (Hint: Not easy)
Negan tortures Daryl with a painfully upbeat song called, “Easy Street” by The Collapsable Hearts Club. It is an obscure song, but it’s pretty catchy. While Daryl is kept naked in a dark cell and is being fed delicious dog food sandwiches by the delightful Dwight, this song plays nonstop on a loop. However, Daryl is tough as nails, and not so easily broken…not even by an ironic pop song.
Daryl also, of course, again proves he’s worth his salt also by refusing to become one of Negan’s crew. “Who are you?” Negan asks. “Daryl.” He responds, completely throwing away his chance of living life on the actual “easy street” by swearing his loyalty to Negan. So, we can only assume that it gets a hell of a lot worse for him from here on out. He’s only got two choices after all, earn “points” for Negan’s favor, or… join the walkers who are impaled on the spikes, except there are no points for that.
How much control does Negan have over his men? A LOT.
We see that even with Dwight’s exchange with Negan, the power that he has over his underlings is pretty impressive, and also quite terrifying. When Negan tells Dwight that he doesn’t have to do “grunt work” anymore. He says, “But I like to do it.” Negan looks pleased, even though Dwight has some status as his right hand man, he still doesn’t forget whose thumb he’s under.
Negan is glad that even though Negan has power of his own, he’s not getting too cocky. After all, Negan doesn’t like cocky people, but he did take a shine to Daryl, even though he flat out refused to join The Saviors, Negan isn’t done with him yet.
How is Earning Points? This Way Is Definitely Not Fun.
One particular method of earning points that Negan has devised was not really explained much as of now with this past episode, just shown and left up to interpretation. It seems to involve people with letters spray painted on their sweatshirts doing what looks to be something along the lines of teasing the walkers that are either chained up, impaled on poles, and contained in other fun ways.
“Points” as a whole are Negan’s system of currency in The Sanctuary. If you want something, you spend your points to get it. If you do something good, you get points. If you do something bad, your points get taken away. It’s a pretty basic system, but definitely doesn’t seem enjoyable. Negan told Daryl he would wish he was dead while he worked for these points.
Do We Know Negan’s Fatal Flaw? We think so.
It’s no surprise that Negan gets under the skin of those he oppresses, but he’s also fascinated by what exactly makes them tick. Negan has let Daryl live despite countless times where he could have killed him because of his insolence. When Daryl refused to call himself “Negan” and accept his place among The Saviors, Negan sends him back to his cell.
Daryl is spared because Negan likes his open and fearless defiance. He likes a challenge. Negan would rather people obey him than lay dead at his feet. He spares those it would make sense to kill because of their unwillingness to be broken, which intrigues him. And of course, their obedience fuels him.
What is Dwight and Daryl’s Current Relationship? Not quite allies.
Dwight did something…interesting at the end of The Cell. He switched the music from “Easy Street” to “Crying” by Don McClean. So, this can be interpreted as perhaps he decided to give him a break from the music because he felt pity for him. Or, he wanted to make him cry, to help him. To get him back in touch with his human emotions.
That coupled with the Polaroid picture that he gave him of Glenn did make Daryl physically ill, but maybe Dwight was trying to help him after all by helping him remember his humanity.They aren’t quite enemies, but they are nowhere near allies, so it’s hard to describe their relationship as of now
