It's about that time – when another The Walking Dead spinoff has arrived, this one being The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – and here are some key things you need to remember about the main character, Daryl Dixon, played by Norman Reedus.
The series has been in the works alongside several other The Walking Dead spinoffs – specifically The Walking Dead: Dead City (which just concluded its first season and I loved more than I thought I would) and the later announced The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live. With the new show The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon right around the corner, let's review some things we need to remember about his character before The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon premieres on September 10th, 2023.
He Had A Brother Named Merle
One of the critical things about Daryl is that he started The Walking Dead with a brother named Merle, played by Michael Rooker. The character unfortunately died in Season 3 after a fight with one of the big villains of The Walking Dead, The Governor, and turned into a walker. Michael Rooker has shared blunt thoughts about not returning as a one-off, so I don't think he'll be in any flashbacks in the new show.
He's One Of The Few Survivors From Season 1 That Made It To The End Of The Walking Dead
Only some survivors from Season 1 of The Walking Dead have made it to the end of the AMC series. Daryl is one of two – he and Carol, played by Melissa McBride. You could technically count Rick Grimes, but I'll leave him out since he wasn't in the show at the end.
Daryl's Main Weapon Is A Crossbow – But He's Gotten Quite Used To Knives
Daryl loves his crossbow, but later in The Walking Dead, he uses knives almost as much.
He's Best Friends With Carol
Carol (Melissa McBride) is one of the longest-lasting survivors, and her The Walking Dead timeline is intense. But her friendship moments with Daryl are even better. McBride was initially supposed to be on the Daryl and Carol show but couldn't due to logistical circumstances.
He Grew Up In Georgia And Had Never Left Prior To The Apocalypse
Fun fact: Daryl's first time leaving Georgia was in Season 5 when the group left. He told Beth this himself (before her sad demise).
Rick Considers Daryl As A Brother
One of the most heartwarming moments on The Walking Dead was Rick telling Daryl after they were reunited in Season 4 that he sees Daryl as a brother to him. I still cry every time.
Daryl Was The New Leader Of The Saviors For A Bit
When the war with the Saviors finished, Daryl was appointed the leader of the Sanctuary (the home of the Saviors), but later gave the role away because he hated being there.
Daryl Has Left The Main Group Twice – Once With Merle, And Once On His Own To Look For Rick's Body
Daryl left the main group one before – when he initially found his brother and didn't want to abandon him again, and then more permanently when Rick's body was lost, and he continued to look for it. He didn't return unless it was to fight or aid his friends. He mainly lived out in the woods.
Leah Was His Lover For A Time
I don't think anyone expected Daryl to get a girlfriend at one point, but he did at the end of Season 10 – at least for some time while he was out in the woods, getting close to a woman named Leah (Lynn Collins). She ended up being a part of the Reapers, another villain of The Walking Dead – and a storyline I was not a huge fan of.
Daryl Acted As A Paternal Figure For Lydia For Some Time
Daryl has honestly become a protector for many people on The Walking Dead. Still, he acted as a paternal figure to Lydia when Hilltop captured her during the Whisperers arc. Both he and Negan were her protectors against Alpha and Beta.
He Has A Belgian Malinois Named Dog
The Belgian Malinois (according to Newsweek), just named Dog, was Leah's, and he took over caring for the animal. We see Dog a few times in Season 11, but he is left behind when Daryl tells Judith to look out for the animal while he is gone.
Daryl Worked Together With Negan To Take Down The Whisperers And The Commonwealth
Negan, who was one of the best characters on TV, became a much more prominent character over the last two seasons of The Walking Dead -- including working with Daryl to take down both the Whisperers and the Commonwealth.
Negan was even let go at a certain point in Season 11, where he found somewhere new and met Annie, but he teamed up with Dixon and the rest of the group to take on the Commonwealth when their lives were threatened.
Daryl Drove Off On His Own Journey At The End Of The Show
The last significant bit to remember is that Daryl left the group in the emotional The Walking Dead finale.
He didn't say where he was going, but we can presume that he went to continue searching for Rick as Michonne had and sailed off on his motorcycle into the sunset. Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration, but you get my drift.
And that's where it leads us today – somehow, in France, the character is already earning a Season 2 renewal for his new show, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon. I'm already interested to see where this goes. Let's enjoy the dive back into the walker-filled world of The Walking Dead once more when The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon premieres on September 10th, 2023.
