Daryl Dixon is one of the most popular characters on The Walking Dead. As played by Norman Reedus, Dixon’s character arc has been remarkable, charting the growth of a drifter redneck as he evolves into a leader with an open heart and mind.
Who is Daryl Dixon? He’s an underdog, a survivalist, awkward with the ladies man, a bad ass motorcycle rider, creative walker killer, ugly crier, woodland creature enemy number one, walker necklace maker, caveman spaghetti eater? All of those things and more make up the man and the myth that is the D.
Here are a few favorite moments featuring the backwoods hero in all his glory.
When He Leads The Super Herd In Season Six
Photo: AMC
Watching Daryl lead a sea of walkers away from Alexandria is just a cool shot. Let’s face it, Daryl Dixon’s appeal is not just the cross bow, the angel vest, the survivalist skills, and the bike. It’s the way he rocks all of it while he goes two miles an hour luring a huge herd of walkers away from Alexander without falling over.
The season six premiere demonstrated that the show has a bigger budget and director/producer Greg Nicotero used it wisely. Scenes called for nearly 1,000 background performers, requiring two to 15 make-up artists who were walker-making machines.
When He Dispatches Negan’s Men With A Rocket Launcher
Photo: AMC
Graphic novel readers thought that the mid-season premiere was going to start with the death of a main character. Was Negan’s henchman going to shoot Sasha or Abraham? We’ll never know because Daryl straight up obliterated the whole menacing gang with a blast from a rocket launcher after quietly killing one of the Saviors behind the tanker. If you weren’t dancing around after that big explosion, you are made of stone.
When He Reunites With Carol After She Blows Up Terminus
Photo: AMC
Daryl hasn’t seen Carol in a good long while, and maybe even thinks she’s dead. But when she shows up and saves everyone at Terminus, no one is more overwhelmed than Daryl. He runs to Carol and hugs her like we want and need him to. What a softie.
When He Puts An End To The Alexandria Walker Rampage
Photo: AMC
The walls have come down, Carl’s lost an eye, and there walkers everywhere. Rick, the main crew, and the soft Alexandrians must stand up and fight. As they hack their way through the walker herd, Daryl uses the tanker, the lake, and a rocket launcher to save the day. It takes a village. And a lake of fire.
When He Kills Walker Merle
Photo: AMC
Merle’s last act on Earth is to take out as many people as possible at Woodbury and maybe even The Governor himself. He does manage to take out a bunch of Woodbury henchman, but The Governor kills him, leaving Merle to turn.
Daryl tracks his brother to find that he’s turned into a walker. It’s one of the hardest things he’s ever had to do. He knows he’s got to kill his big brother and man, it’s hard to watch. Plus Daryl’s crying face is not pretty. As an homage to his brother, he returns to the prison riding Merle’s chopper.
When He Deals With Beth’s Death
Photo: AMC
Daryl developed deep feelings for Beth over the course of their time alone together. Just when he was getting close to her, she’s kidnapped by the Atlanta cops and taken to Grady Memorial in Atlanta. As Dawn’s captive, Beth reveals her strength as a character and a survivor. Her last act is to take out Dawn, but Dawn reflexively shoots Beth in the head. Daryl doesn’t hesitate, stepping up to shoot Dawn right in the head, but he’s devastated.
Norman Reedus lost it on the day that Emily Kinney’s character Beth was killed. After the scene, he sat by himself and cried. Awwww.
When He Stands Up To Merle
Photo: AMC
Merle’s grip on his little brother slips after Daryl spends a lot of time with the group. At the beginning of the apocalypse, the brothers were drifting around, looking to score whatever they could from whomever. They had plans to rob the group when things went badly for Merle on a rooftop. He was left chained to a pipe and had to cut his own hand off with a hacksaw to escape approaching walkers.
In a scene where Daryl decides to head back to the prison instead of staying out in the woods with Merle, Daryl shows his brother just how much he’s grown and what he thinks of him.
When He And Merle Fight Each Other And Walkers WWE Style
Photo: AMC
When Daryl is taken prisoner, he’s forced to fight Merle to the death with walkers chomping at them from all directions. This is Merle’s punishment for leaving, and Daryl’s punishment for coming to Merle’s rescue. Blood is thicker than Woodbury, so of course the two brothers put their backs together and take on the walkers, as the Dixons do.
When He’s Introduced In Full Redneck Mode
Photo: AMC
We first see Daryl emerge from the woods, crossbow in hand, to find a walker munching on the deer he just shot. He is not happy. He kills the walker and proceeds to kick it, yelling, “Filthy, disease-bearing, motherless, poxy bastard.” It’s a great entrance that communicates a lot about the character.
Bonus Fact: The walker munching on the deer was co-executive producer (at the time) and make-up effects designer Greg Nicotero.
When Andrea Shoots Him And He Isn’t Even That Mad About It
Photo: AMC
After he’s been in the woods for a while, injured and looking like hell, Andrea mistakes Daryl for a walker and shoots him. Luckily Andrea is still learning how to shoot and doesn’t kill him.
He handles it with class and cool, but he does warn her, “Shoot me again… best pray I’m dead.”