'I Loved That Ending': Jeffrey Dean Morgan on Dillard's 'Dead City' Season 3 Finale Fate

Jeffrey Dean Morgan has revealed he 'loved' the fate given to Dillard in 'The Walking Dead: Dead City' Season 3, even though he first pushed for the finale to be shot with two different outcomes so Jimmi Simpson's character could potentially return in a fourth season.

Dillard, played by Simpson, met a tragic end in the Season 3 finale, 'Tenebrae', after his friendship with Negan turned into a violent confrontation. Morgan, who stars as Negan and serves as an executive producer on the AMC series, had considered a version in which Dillard survived and returned for a fourth season.

Although Morgan initially wanted to keep Simpson's character alive, he ultimately came to love the way Dillard's story concluded.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan Wanted Two Dillard Endings

Dillard began the season as an eccentric bartender with a particularly close bond with the walkers who had become his companions. His relationship with Negan eventually developed into a friendship, but that trust was shattered when Negan killed Dillard's walker friends.

In the finale, Dillard seeks revenge and demands that Negan stab Maggie before their friendship can be restored.

Negan complies, but the wound is not fatal. He then turns on Dillard, leading to a brutal struggle.

Maggie eventually returns to the fight and cuts off Dillard's arm as he prepares to attack Negan.

Dillard subsequently dies from his injuries before reappearing as a walker alongside the same undead companions who had been so important to him. Morgan said in an interview that losing Simpson was the aspect of the finale he disliked most. 'I didn't want to lose Jimmi,' he admitted.

The actor revealed that he had pitched filming two versions of the climactic sequence, one in which Dillard died and another in which he survived and could potentially return for Season 4. Morgan said he first discussed the idea with Simpson before taking it to Lauren Cohan and showrunner Seth Hoffman.

Ultimately, however, Simpson's other professional commitments made a return difficult. The actor's contractual priority was Apple's 'Dark Matter', which made continuing with 'Dead City' impractical.

Dillard's Ending Became 'Poetic'

Although Morgan had hoped to keep working with Simpson, he believes the ending Dillard received was ultimately right for the character. 'I loved that ending,' Morgan said. 'I couldn't ever get that image out of my brain of him walking down Fifth Avenue with the walkers and doing his moaning and groaning and zombie talk.'

For a character who struggled with human relationships but found comfort and companionship among the undead, Dillard's transformation into a walker reflects the focus of his story. His final appearance sees him effectively reunited with the figures he had considered his friends.

Simpson also described the conclusion as a fitting ending for Dillard, noting that the character's deep investment in the walkers ultimately led to him becoming one himself.

What Dillard's Death Means for Negan

Morgan also discussed what the finale means for Negan and Maggie as 'Dead City' moves forward. Negan's decision to stab Maggie was not intended to kill her. Morgan explained that Negan believed Dillard would otherwise kill Maggie and that the stabbing was a calculated attempt to buy enough time to defeat him.

By the end of the season, Negan and Maggie appear to have reached a new understanding. Maggie takes on a leadership role, while Negan agrees to support her rather than remaining isolated.

Morgan described that dynamic as a new direction for the characters, who have spent years caught between hostility, guilt and reluctant cooperation.

While Dillard will not be returning, his final journey gives 'Dead City' another completed character arc, one that Morgan initially tried to keep alive, but ultimately came to appreciate because of its tragic and unexpected conclusion.