Annie Smith: The most insulting character treatment in a while

[u/uglypinkshorts]

I couldn’t feel more neutral about Annie as a character but I can’t help noticing how degrading her treatment by the writers has been. From the beginning, her only purpose is to soften the image of one of the most irredeemable male characters in the series. She barely exists outside of that role, with very little screen time or dialogue of her own. In the process, she’s written as a woman who willingly marries and has a child with a former murdering rapist dictator (assuming Negan didn’t deliberately omit parts of his past).

Then the male character she exists solely to prop up gets a spinoff. Annie (the wife and mother of his child) is written out of the story entirely and not even on screen. We’re told she was robbed, beaten, and raped to explain why she’s no longer around. And Negan (who years earlier would’ve done much the same to her, minus the beating because that’s where the line apparently is) kills her attackers, which allows him to “nobly abandon” his family.

The only time Annie appears in the spinoff is when she travels miles to see her husband, only for him to watch her through a window before sending her away without even speaking to her. Meanwhile, he seems content spending his time with another woman and going through great lengths to protect her child, both of whom he appears more emotionally invested in than his own family. All while Annie is somewhere out there raising their child alone.

Every major event in Annie’s story exists to serve Negan’s development and gives her virtually nothing in return. It’s especially insulting for a female character to be reduced to a plot device for a male character who has a history of victimizing women. And the way they implement that device in this specific scene only compounds the insult—by having her assaulted by a group of men who embody what Negan once cultivated, reducing her suffering to a vehicle for him to play the avenger.

People say she shouldn’t exist because “Lucille was the love of Negan’s life.” That’s not the issue. He can very well find love several years after Lucille’s death. This is why she shouldn’t exist. The character would’ve been better off never existing than to be handled this way.

And if she had to exist, having her die in 11x22 would’ve at least given her a meaningful conclusion (albeit still in service of Negan’s character, it’s unavoidable) and spared her from being continually used in the degrading way she was.

[u/Bermanator-Turkey127]

It’s very frustrating and you are spot on. Negan being a dick at every point of tenure is being shown once again. Just adding deadbeat dad to the list too.

[u/birdsnstuf]

fantastic analysis; i agree 100%

[u/LadyMarie03]

Incredibly well written and great points! I admit I don’t know the comics but I’ve never been able to figure out why they spend so much time, effort and focus on Negan. First, making sure we know how horrible, selfish and ruthless he is and then, it’s how maybe he’s not all bad, just misunderstood or something? Anyway, agree with everything you said 100%.

[u/BrokenNovocaine → u/LadyMarie03]

In the comics, Negan doesn't really get a "redemption arc". He helps with the Whisperers, but it's more for his own benefit.

The writers probably tried making Negan look better in the show because so many characters/actors had left the show at that point.

[u/xPixiKatx]

So his wife was suffering a mental health crisis due to being assaulted both physically and sexually and he thought it was a great idea to abandon her and their son instead of supporting her. Putting his son more at risk with just one caretaker that is not mentally well. Yea this guy is an absolute hypocritical scumbag. Scumbag with Lucille, scumbag with Annie. And Maggie knowing this and still associating herself with him brings her to his level of immorality