Maggie Rhee has taken a step that once seemed unthinkable since the death of her husband Glenn in The Walking Dead. In the latest episode of The Walking Dead: Dead City, the character played by Lauren Cohan imagines kissing another man for the first time in roughly 15 years, a moment that ultimately turns out not to be real but carries major significance for her.
The scene unfolds in the episode "Found/Lost," as Maggie travels with Luis, played by Raul Castillo, toward Beacon in search of medical supplies. During the journey the pair share unusually lighthearted moments, including a dance. As the music slows, Maggie starts to consider the possibility of growing closer to her companion.
The show goes on to show Maggie kissing Luis, before revealing shortly afterward that the moment never actually happened and was instead a fantasy in Maggie's mind. Even so, Cohan said the mere fact that Maggie could imagine kissing another man was a major moment after so many years defined by Glenn's death.
Cohan told Entertainment Weekly that Maggie and Luis do not actually kiss at all, that she simply imagines they are kissing, and that this alone is monumental. According to Cohan, the scene marks a new stage for Maggie, who for years has narrowed her existence down to two choices: protect or kill.
A turning point for Maggie
Cohan said Glenn's death left her character emotionally frozen. She said about 15 years have passed since Glenn died and that Maggie has remained stuck in that state ever since. Feeling emotions such as shame, vulnerability, tenderness or even attraction to someone else again therefore represents a radical shift for the character.
Glenn's memory also remains very present in the story. After imagining the kiss, Maggie touches her wedding ring and thinks of her late husband. Cohan noted that Maggie also grapples with the sense that moving forward might mean forgetting him, though the actress suggested Glenn would probably not want her condemned to unhappiness.
What comes next
It is not yet known whether Maggie and Luis will go on to have a relationship, as the show continues to air new episodes of its third season. Separately, a video game based on the Saviors storyline is set to be released soon.
