Warning: This post contains spoilers for season seven of The Walking Dead.
After witnessing the torture Daryl was subjected to during his time with the Saviors, it seemed safe to assume Eugene was in for similar treatment when he was taken prisoner by uber-villain Negan in The Walking Dead‘s season seven mid-season finale.
However, from the moment he arrived at the Sanctuary in Sunday night’s “Hostiles and Calamities,” the mullet-rocking, makeshift scientist received nothing but the best the compound has to offer. Following a quick test to reveal if he was worth his salt, Negan even sent three of his wives to spend the evening with Eugene (although there were some hard and fast rules laid down about their time together).
From there, Eugene seemed to quickly become accustomed to the Saviors’ way of life, taking advantage of the opportunities afforded him as a now high-ranking member of their society while still maintaining a healthy fear of their baseball bat-wielding leader. When two of the wives approached him for help creating a poison, he initially agreed, believing it was meant to help the third—whom they claimed couldn’t live with herself anymore—commit suicide. However, realizing it was actually intended for Negan, he bowed out of the agreement. (They weren’t very happy with him and branded him a coward.)
In the following scene, Eugene was quick to abide when Negan demanded he say the three words Daryl had refused to speak —”I am Negan”—seeming to cement himself as the newest loyal follower of the Savior doctrine.
“Say Yes,” the 12th episode of Walking Dead‘s seventh season will air March 5 at 9 p.m. on AMC.
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Write to Megan McCluskey at megan.mccluskey@time.com