The newest Walking Dead cast member, Khary Payton, has a theory about his character Ezekiel’s connection to Negan.
Payton recently spoke to Entertainment Weekly about his first appearance in The Walking Dead Season 7. Payton explained he didn’t know how Ezekiel and Negan’s initial encounter occurred, but he did imagine the scenario when stepping into the character. Payton believes Shiva is the reason why Negan doesn’t mess with The Kingdom.
“My idea is that the Kingdom was the one place that Negan hasn’t come to on his own and hasn’t Lucille-d anyone from,” Payton told EW. “I think the Saviors came upon him and he brought out the tiger and he made a deal: ‘If you don’t touch anybody, we’re going to be all right.’ I think the whole king thing and the tiger and everything might’ve thrown them off just enough to be like, ‘You’re gonna do as we say just as long as we walk away and don’t go any further.’”
Payton added, “I think as far as Ezekiel’s concerned is that as long as he can keep his people alive, then that’s all that matters. If he can keep the peace, he can walk this fine line with the Saviors, and as long as they don’t do any harm to the people in the Kingdom, because I think that’s kind of where he draws the line.”
The scenario makes sense. We wouldn’t want to mess with someone who has a tiger. Ezekiel explained to Carol in the show that Shiva does what Shiva wants; she lets him put the chain around her neck and willingly sits by his side. Ezekiel reveals he rescued Shiva from the zoo he worked at before the apocalypse. Ezekiel’s first instinct when the apocalypse happened was to go help the animals he tended to. He found a wounded Shiva and patched her up. Shiva has been loyal to him ever since.
If Ezekiel showed up with Shiva by his side, there’s no way Negan would’ve risked pissing him off. It would take a lot of bullets to slow down a tiger about to pounce on you. However, Shiva wouldn’t be enough to protect the people of the Kingdom. Negan’s army is large enough to do some damage. Ezekiel clearly worked out the best deal he could with Negan’s people. Handing over some tainted meat and produce doesn’t seem as bad as losing two of your own people.
What do you think of Ezekiel? Let us know in the comments below. Catch The Walking Dead Season 7 at 9 p.m. Sundays on AMC.
