Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Walking Dead: Dead City season 2, episode 7, “Novi Dan, Novi Početak”.Negan’s trip to Bellevue Hospital turned into a journey of self-reflection in The Walking Dead: Dead City season 2, making the return of his dead wife, Lucille, all the more interesting. Just a week after Annie and Joshua returned to The Walking Dead, Lucille made her first appearance since season 10’s “Here’s Negan”. Given Hilarie Burton’s character was seen briefly in the spinoff’s trailer, her cameo wasn’t quite as shocking as it could’ve been, but it was still a breath of fresh air seeing her pop up in the franchise again, especially as her role was quietly significant.

Lucille’s only other appearance in the zombie universe was pivotal to understanding Negan’s character and why he became such a ruthless villain. Her tragic death was arguably the most influential moment in Negan’s life, and her part in Dead City was almost as impactful. Even after all these years, Lucille’s return has once again shaped Negan’s Walking Dead story, as the hallucination played a major role in the former villain’s attempt to save Ginny. Not only did she provide some motivation, but seeing Lucille again allowed Negan to reflect on the past, which subsequently shaped his outlook on the future.

Negan’s Initial Dream About Lucille Is Triggered By Ginny

Taking Care Of Ginny Reminded Him Of Nursing Lucille While She Had Cancer

Although Lucille’s main sequence happened inside the hospital, she did appear momentarily at the start of the episode. While taking care of Ginny, Negan found himself daydreaming, triggering a vision of Lucille on the bed instead of his adopted daughter. It was a very brief moment that set up Lucille’s more important cameo later on, but the fact that Negan associated the two shows just how important they both are to him. After he confessed to killing her father, it looked like Ginny might kill Negan in Dead City season 2, but she collapsed before getting the chance.

Still, Negan opted to bring her to safety and attempt to save her life, hence going to the hospital for supplies. His vision of Lucille acted as a reminder of their struggles during the beginning of the apocalypse, where Negan desperately tried to protect his wife, who was battling cancer. Sadly, he was unable to save her in the end, adding to the significance of this vision. Negan later admitted he sees Ginny as a second chance to do right after failing Lucille and Annie, making it understandable why he’s so desperate to avoid repeating history, no matter the cost.

Why Negan Sees Lucille In The Hospital

Negan’s Head Trauma Caused Him To Hallucinate Visions Of His Loved Ones

After his vision of her earlier in the episode, Negan saw Lucille again in the hospital having suffered a blow to the head. With Negan’s rule of not killing children being emphasized throughout Dead City season 2, it was put to the test when he stumbled across a child walker. Rather than putting it down, he attempted to navigate past it, eventually falling and hitting his head hard off the ground. This seemed to knock him out briefly, and while he managed to get back up, the injury clearly had an effect as he started hallucinating his loved ones.

He pictured a figure running away with supplies, which was revealed to be Lucille, and while the physical reason for this vision was obviously his head trauma, thematically, Lucille provided moral guidance. Alongside his late wife, Negan also had visions of Annie, Joshua, and Ginny, who all inspired him to continue fighting while securing the equipment needed to save Ginny. Lucille’s cameo was a heartbreaking reminder that Negan felt like he’d failed his deceased wife, but picturing her helped him push through his injuries and complete his mission, even though it may have inspired the return of Negan’s evil persona.

It’s Impossible To Ignore The Real-Life Connection Between Negan & Lucille

Negan & Lucille’s Relationship Feels Even More Special Given Jeffrey Dean Morgan & Hilarie Burton Are Married In Real-Life

While Negan has plenty of loved ones still alive in The Walking Dead universe, his bond with Lucille will always feel extra special given the real-life connection between the characters. Negan and Lucille have rarely shared the screen together, but “Here’s Negan” highlighted their chemistry, which is unsurprising given the duo are played by a real-life couple. Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton have been together for over 15 years, making it no surprise that they were able to portray a tragically beautiful duo on-screen.

Negan having so much love and affection for Lucille even after her death feels all the more fitting given she’s played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s real wife, which helps amplify every bit of emotion the two convey. While it’s unlikely that Hilarie Burton will feature again as Lucille in Dead City season 2’s finale, she certainly left her mark on the project with just a single appearance, and knowing about the real-life connection between her and Negan only makes the latter’s decisions in episode 8 feel extra important to his Walking Dead future.