‘The Walking Dead’ “Sing Me A Song” Hits Notes of Misogyny & Tyranny

The Walking Dead, “Sing Me a Song,” hits notes of misogyny and tyranny as the series draws viewers back into the Sanctuary.

In A Bronx Tale, Lorenzo tells his son, Calogero, that people don’t respect Sonny, the local crime boss, they fear him. The same concept applies with Negan in The Walking Dead.

Negan wields power through fear, not respect. But how long will Sanctuary survivors cower below his tyranny, especially when outsiders keep drifting into his camp?

He keeps people in place two ways. One, he makes people believe they cannot survive without him.  But Rick’s group is thriving. In fact, many groups are doing fine but for the threat he poses. Carl, a teenage boy, wandered into Sanctuary.

Carl may not be an average teenager, but still- if an outside group facilitates a child’s survival, how necessary is Negan’s protection? How long will people be fooled by his premise of protection?

Negan also keeps people in tow with brute force. He routinely hurts people closest to those who have offended him or broken his rules. How long until he runs into someone with nothing to lose? That person will be impervious to Negan’s brand of psychological oppression.

In any case, Negan’s strict adherence to a warped code foreshadows his downfall. The late, terrifying Governor had a similar code. He’s not much of a problem anymore.

The most disturbing scene of “Sing Me a Song,” wasn’t Carl’s reveal, the gory iron sequence, or Dwight kneeling before Negan. No, it was Negan’s interaction with his “wives” that was cringe worthy. There’s a name for coercing a person into sexual relationships- rape.

Sure, the women in Negan’s harem could resist him, but the people they love would suffer. Dwight acknowledges when a person is left standing in the wake of Negan’s wreckage, it’s always on someone else’s back. Negan openly admits that it’s more fun to break people than kill them. His collection of women is proof of that. Harassing Olivia after fat-shaming her seals his misogyny.

There are a few women Negan may not see coming: Michonne, Rosita, and Sasha. Each woman has a score to settle and each is a force of nature. The women, though, may have a better chance of conquering Negan if they worked together. It’s interesting that the only people willing to actively stand against Negan are women…and Carl.

Michonne is en route to the Sanctuary just as Daryl may be on the run. Someone left Daryl a note prompting him to run from the Sanctuary while Negan drives Carl home. Did Dwight or Sherry leave Negan the note? Has Dwight finally had enough of Negan’s psychological torture?

By infiltrating the Sanctuary, Michonne may have given Negan yet another bargaining chip against Rick. Then again, now that Negan’s discovered Judith, he may have all he needs to keep Rick on his knees.

Would abducting Judith subjugate or activate Rick Grimes? Judith has long been the show’s symbol of hope. If Negan steals Rick’s hope, chances are he’ll hit the Sanctuary with guns blazing.

What did you think of tonight’s episode? Was Carl brave or foolish? Did he put Alexandria in danger, or would Negan find Judith and the comforts of suburbia without his attack?

Negan’s sights are clearly set on Alexandria. I can’t wait to see Rick’s reaction to Negan holding Judith. Will Rick destroy Alexandria before surrendering it to Negan?

You can leave your insights, questions, and predictions in the comment section.

Author Profile: Consumer Expert Melissa O'Donnell

Teacher by day, pop culture consumer by night- Melissa lives for good stories and loves to share them with fellow TV, movie, graphic novel, and book enthusiasts. She also blogs about pop culture's influence on everything from her worldview to her relationships at undertheinfluence76.blogspot.com-- she'd love for you to join in on her journey.