With The Walking Dead killing off one of its most exciting antagonists, the franchise desperately needs to find a new main villain. Although there has been no confirmation, rumors of a Walking Dead crossover show or a potential twelfth season have circulated ever since the original series came to an end, setting up another chapter for the central survivors. Rick and Michonne's return only makes the prospect of a new collaborative project all the more exciting, as seeing everyone reunite after so many years would be extremely nostalgic, but the franchise needs a strong villain to make this work.
While it seemed like Daryl Dixon may have presented the perfect candidate, they were unfortunately killed off during season 2, leaving the zombie universe without an overarching antagonist. Considering how important The Walking Dead's best villains have been to the story and helping the main characters develop, it's clear the series is at its peak when there's a major threat opposing the heroes, making the lack of viable enemies a real issue. Therefore, setting up a new antagonist is pivotal to The Walking Dead's future projects after Daryl Dixon squandered the franchise's strongest antagonist in years.
The Walking Dead Doesn't Have An Obvious Main Villain After Genet's Death
Genet Had The Potential To Become The Franchise's Overarching Villain
Genet's surprising exit felt like it came prematurely, meaning The Walking Dead now lacks a central villain. Having been presented as the main threat in Daryl Dixon since the first season, Genet met her end in a surprisingly simple fashion as Daryl and Carol were able to inject her with a virus that quickly killed her. Despite having an army of soldiers at her disposal, Pouvoir's leader traveled with just a few men to try and capture the show's protagonists, which proved to be a fatal mistake. Now, the zombie universe is without a serious antagonist going forward.
Genet's huge army gave her control over near enough the entirety of France, suggesting she could have filled the franchise's current villain gap before her departure.
Alongside Genet's slightly disappointing Walking Dead death, the CRM was defeated in The Ones Who Live, leaving the Dama and the Croat as the only villains left standing in the ongoing spinoffs. Although they fit Dead City's story well, the duo's impact is limited to New York and they even needed Negan to truly seize power over the area, suggesting they aren't menacing enough to become the franchise's overarching evil. In comparison, Genet's huge army gave her control over near enough the entirety of France, indicating that she could have filled the franchise's current villain gap before her departure.
Thankfully, there may still be an answer to the villain crisis despite Genet's death, as one unfinished storyline means the central survivors could have a forgotten enemy return in the proposed twelfth season.
The Walking Dead Season 12 May Have Already Set Up The Franchise's Next Main Villain
The Commonwealth Learned About A Mysterious Villain Group That Was Never Fully Dealt With
Despite having numerous villains throughout the final season, The Walking Dead's eleventh outing didn't have the sort of overarching antagonist that rivaled Negan or The Governor, but it did set up a greater threat. Lance Hornsby and Pamela Milton's dubious relationship with other areas wasn't explored in full, but "Outpost 22" revealed there was a mysterious location called Designation 2 that survivors were taken to and never seen again. What this place is and its arrangement with the Commonwealth still remains unclear even after the finale, but that doesn't mean the franchise is done with this storyline completely.
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The Commonwealth sent people via train to this hidden group, and although the central characters were able to overthrow the Commonwealth's hierarchy and make the community more peaceful, Designation 2 still exists. Therefore, revealing the truth about them and having Designation 2 potentially attack the main characters could set up a crossover. Additionally, the secret villain group could be much larger than anticipated, meaning Rick may have to get the newly reformed CRM involved to even the playing field. Regardless, Designation 2 seems like The Walking Dead's best chance at finding a new villain, which the franchise must capitalize on.
