I don’t think Maggie wants the bat-wielding psychopath back just because violence solves everything. I think she’s accepted something much darker.
There are people who are simply too far gone.
Sometimes negotiation is over before it even starts.
Maggie has spent years trying to build communities the “right” way. She’s seen that compassion and diplomacy don’t work on everyone. Some people only understand fear and consequences.
That’s where Negan comes in.
The Saviors weren’t functional because everyone loved Negan—they worked because there was absolute law and order. The punishments were brutal, but the rules were clear, and people followed them.
I think Maggie finally understands that certain threats require someone who’s willing to cross lines that she can’t. She isn’t asking Negan to enjoy brutality again—she’s asking him to become the kind of leader who can make monsters fall in line.
It’s tragic because it shows how much Maggie has changed. Years ago, she’d have rejected everything Negan represented. Now she may believe that, for people who are “too far gone,” you need someone who’s a little too far gone himself to deal with them.
That’s what makes this dynamic so fascinating. She’s not forgiving Negan. She’s acknowledging that the version of him she hates might also be the version that’s necessary.