Antagonists in The Walking Dead universe are not always cut-and-dry, and this one villain’s comic story was adapted in Fear The Walking Dead and improved five years after his comic-book ending. Throughout the main show, there are various changes from The Walking Dead comics. These range from new characters like Daryl Dixon to major story changes like Carl’s season 8 death or Negan’s reinvented backstory.
Adding to the changes is The Walking Dead‘s spinoff plan. Broadening beyond just the flagship show opened the door for character crossovers, most notably Morgan from The Walking Dead joining Fear The Walking Dead. Additionally, a larger in-universe space for characters evidently facilitates more complex and positive deviation from the comics. Similarly to Morgan, Dwight crossed over to Fear The Walking Dead, shifting him away from his comic story’s path.
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Dwight’s Fear The Walking Dead Ending Adapted His Comic Story
In Fear The Walking Dead‘s series finale, Dwight proposes he and Sherry return to the Sanctuary to rebuild it into a place “worthy of its name.” He suggests this after a traumatic return to Negan’s Sanctuary a few episodes prior, where he was faced with the guilt and pain of his time as a Savior under Negan. Organizing a rebuild of a defensible location gives Dwight the chance to lead some survivors he and Sherry rescue and build something positive after the negativity and violence originally associated with the Sanctuary.
In the comics, Dwight assumes leadership of the Saviors after Negan’s rule comes to an end. Additionally, Dwight assures the remaining Saviors that his rule will not be like Negan’s and keeps Lucille, Negan’s weapon, as a reminder of the oppression he’s steering away from. In both his comic story and his Fear The Walking Dead ending, Dwight assumes a leadership role that looks to turn the Sanctuary into a safe haven for its residents. This highlights the extent to which he reframes the hold this location had on him.
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How Dwight’s Fear The Walking Dead Ending Improves His Comic Story
Unlike the optimistic ending audiences see for Dwight in Fear The Walking Dead, his comic story is much darker. In the comics, Dwight gives up his leadership role with the Saviors to join Rick’s group. Although he assumes leadership of the Alexandrian militia and is a right-hand man to Rick, Dwight ultimately dies after being shot by Rick. Therefore, his Fear The Walking Dead ending is much better as it provides a more hopeful resolution to Dwight’s long-running anguish and residual trauma.
Moreover, after never really finding true acceptance from the Alexandrians in The Walking Dead, Dwight’s chance to be the Sanctuary’s new leader post-Fear sets up space for him to take on more responsibility, adding even more to his character’s complexity. Dwight and Sherry don’t reconcile in the comics, with the latter in a new relationship and leading a group of opposition rebels. Fear The Walking Dead improves this with Dwight and Sherry working through their trauma, making them a stronger couple by the end of the series and giving Dwight a long-lasting family unit.
Additionally, in the comics, Sherry dies while in opposition to him and Rick. Although Sherry and Dwight aren’t together at this point, her death adds to their tragic relationship. Dwight’s trauma about his oppression under Negan is never as resolved in the comics as it is in Fear The Walking Dead since he attempts to kill Pamela, despite Rick’s insistence that a collaboration is better than a coup. Ultimately, this leads to Dwight’s demise. Thus, Fear The Walking Dead takes the time for him to confront his trauma in Dwight’s Sanctuary episode, facilitating his hopeful future.
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Dwight’s Tragic Walking Dead Comic Story Might Still Happen
Although fans can only speculate about how Dwight’s Sanctuary plans unfold, suggesting this location as his base could still draw on some of the events of his comic story. For instance, Dwight may rebuild the Sanctuary with Sherry and start a civil alliance with Alexandria and its connected communities. However, Sherry or the Sanctuary’s new residents could turn on Dwight’s leadership, which could set off a chain reaction of events that mirror his fate in the comics.
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Dwight’s Fear The Walking Dead ending leaves space for a brand-new story that could fall flat, as many Walking Dead plans do. With Negan’s connection to Dwight and the Sanctuary, there’s potential for this to be explored in a future The Walking Dead: Dead City season, for example, or even a larger franchise crossover event that’s been hinted at in multiple spinoffs. While Dwight’s living status after Fear The Walking Dead leaves room for a franchise return, his plan’s outcome is most likely the positive one he proposes, as there’s nothing concrete to suggest otherwise.
Fear the Walking Dead
- Release Date
- August 23, 2015
- Cast
- Cliff Curtis , Frank Dillane , mercedes mason , Elizabeth Rodriguez , Kim Dickens , Ruben Blades , lorenzo james henrie , Alycia Debnam-Carey , Colman Domingo
- Seasons
- 8
- Writers
- Ian Goldberg , Robert Kirkman , dave erickson , Andrew Chambliss
- Network
- AMC
- Streaming Service(s)
- Hulu , Amazon Prime Video
- Franchise(s)
- The Walking Dead
- Showrunner
- dave erickson , Ian Goldberg , Andrew Chambliss
