Lauren Cohan explains what Maggie’s emotional moment with Luis means for her future
Summary
– Maggie imagined kissing Luis during Dead City Season 3 Episode 4, marking her first romantic moment since Glenn
– The kiss never actually happened, but Lauren Cohan called Maggie, even imagining it a monumental step
– Cohan says the moment reflects Maggie finally allowing herself to experience joy, vulnerability, and life beyond survival
Maggie Rhee experienced a major emotional shift during The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 3 Episode 4, even though the moment only happened inside her head.
“Found/Lost” followed Maggie and Luis as they traveled to Beacon searching for medical supplies from a mysterious figure known as the Trader.
Their journey eventually brought them to a community where people were dancing, celebrating, and enjoying themselves, something Maggie has rarely allowed herself to do.
Maggie eventually joined Luis on the dance floor. As the music slowed, she opened up about wanting to become someone who could stop carrying death with her everywhere and allow herself to laugh and live without feeling guilty.
The two then appeared to kiss, creating what looked like Maggie’s first romantic moment with another man since Glenn’s death.
Moments later, viewers learned the kiss never actually happened. Maggie had only imagined it.
Lauren Cohan told Entertainment Weekly that even Maggie allowing herself to imagine kissing Luis represented an important change for the character.
Cohan explained that Maggie has spent years operating almost entirely around survival, protection, and anger. Moments involving dancing, embarrassment, attraction, and vulnerability allow viewers to see emotions Maggie has rarely experienced since Glenn died.
The imagined kiss also brought Maggie’s lingering connection to Glenn back into focus. Cohan said Maggie still struggles with the idea that moving forward could somehow mean forgetting him.
Maggie later touches her wedding ring and remembers Glenn, but Cohan noted that Glenn would not have wanted her to remain miserable forever.
Luis also understands loss because of his own experience as a widower. That shared history creates another connection between the two, although Cohan stopped short of confirming that their relationship will become romantic.
She said Maggie is not suddenly rushing back into romance. The moment could represent feelings specific to Luis, or simply Maggie learning that she is capable of opening up again.
Cohan also pointed to Maggie’s growing friendship with Renata, her connection with Luis, and her changing attitude toward Negan as major signs that the character is moving into a different emotional place.
Whether Maggie and Luis eventually become something more remains unanswered, but imagining the kiss alone shows how far Maggie has come from the woman who spent years unable to move beyond grief and survival.
