The cast reveals how the penultimate episode changed the direction of Season 3.
Spoiler Warning: This article contains major spoilers from The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 3, Episode 7.
Summary
– Negan’s actions begin the collapse of his friendship with Dillard
– The cast explains Dillard’s transformation into a dangerous enemy
– Aimee Garcia reflects on filming Renata’s final scenes
The cast of The Walking Dead: Dead City has taken fans behind the scenes of Hourglass, the penultimate episode of Season 3.
The episode’s major turning point begins when Negan kills Fabian and one of the walkers Dillard considered a close companion. The losses destroy the connection Dillard had formed with Negan and push him toward a much darker path.
Jimmi Simpson explained that Dillard was emotionally attached to both his walkers and Negan. Losing those relationships at the same time leaves the character devastated and begins his transformation from an eccentric survivor into the season’s central threat.
Dillard’s self-inflicted facial wound further reveals how disconnected he has become from reality. The injury changes how the other characters see him and makes it clear that his behavior is no longer harmless.
Negan attempts to enter Dillard’s bar alone and end the confrontation without anyone else getting hurt. Their conversation turns into a battle of trust as Dillard offers him a farewell drink, and Negan suspects something has been added to it.
The actors described the bar scenes as some of their favorite material from the season. Simpson even took the liquor bottles home to rehearse the timing and physical details of Dillard’s plan.
Renata also struggles with whether justice requires Negan’s death. Her unresolved grief pushes her toward violence, but she eventually regains control and refuses to allow Dillard to decide what happens next.
That decision places Renata directly in Dillard’s way. Simpson explained that his character reaches a point where anyone who prevents him from killing Negan becomes another problem to be eliminated.
Aimee Garcia recalled filming Renata’s emotional breakdown in freezing conditions across two different days. She had to leave the character at the height of her anger before returning the following morning with the same level of emotion.
Garcia praised Simpson’s performance and joked that if someone had to kill her character, she was glad it was him. She also reflected on the friendships she formed with the cast and crew during her single season on the series.
The behind-the-scenes footage closes with Garcia receiving an emotional farewell from the production. Although Renata’s journey ended earlier than many fans expected, Garcia felt the character accomplished a great deal during her time in Manhattan.
