Daryl Dixon

For the TV series, see The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon. For other uses, see Daryl Dixon (disambiguation).
Daryl Dixon
The Walking Dead character
Daryl Dixon, as portrayed by Norman Reedus in the television series
First appearance"Tell It to the Frogs" (2010)
First gameSurvival Instinct (2013)
Created byFrank Darabont
Charles H. Eglee
Jack LoGiudice
Portrayed byNorman Reedus
Voiced byNorman Reedus
(Survival Instinct, Onslaught,[1][2] Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III)
In-universe information
GenderMale
Occupation
  • Hunter for the Atlanta Camp
  • Prison Council Member
  • Recruiter for the Alexandria Safe-Zone
  • Member of the Militia
  • Leader of the Saviors
  • Biofuel Producer
WeaponStryker crossbow
FamilyWill Dixon (father)
Merle Dixon (brother)
Jess Collins (half-uncle)
William T. Dixon (grandfather)
Dog (pet dog)

Daryl Dixon is a fictional character from AMC's horror drama series The Walking Dead, and the protagonist of its last three seasons, replacing Rick Grimes. The character was created for the television series by writers Frank Darabont, Charles H. Eglee and Jack LoGiudice specifically for Norman Reedus, and does not have a counterpart in the comics on which the series is based. The character was introduced in the first season as a southerner, expert tracker, living in the shadow of his older brother, Merle. Despite his bad temper and volatility, he is tolerated by the core group of survivors due to his skills in hunting animals and fearless efficiency in killing walkers.

After Merle's disappearance, Daryl lets his guard down and starts to bond with the group, particularly Carol Peletier after her daughter's disappearance, and Beth Greene after the two split off together in season 4. The character becomes the cooperative right-hand man and protector of protagonist Rick Grimes and leads several supply runs. He is one of the longest surviving characters of the television series. His origin is explored in the 2013 video game The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct, and he stars in the mobile game The Walking Dead: No Man's Land.

Daryl has been well received by fans and critics. Initially a member of the recurring cast, Reedus was upgraded to series regular after the first season. Following Andrew Lincoln's departure as Rick in season 9, Reedus got top billing and took over as the series' main protagonist.

In September 2020, it was announced that Reedus and Melissa McBride (Carol) would lead their own spin-off series set for a 2023 premiere, following the conclusion of The Walking Dead's eleventh and final season.[3] However, McBride exited the project prior to filming.[4] The series, titled The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, premiered in September 2023.[5]

  1. ^ Cooper, Dalton (June 16, 2020). "The Walking Dead: Onslaught Features Norman Reedus As Daryl Dixon". Game Rant. Archived from the original on September 13, 2024. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  2. ^ Takahashi, Dean (July 17, 2020). "The Walking Dead: Onslaught will crawl its way into VR this year". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on September 13, 2024. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  3. ^ Patten, Dominic (September 9, 2020). "'Walking Dead' To End After Super-Sized 11th Season; Norman Reedus & Melissa McBride Spinoff Set For 2023". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
  4. ^ Ausiello, Michael (April 27, 2022). "Walking Dead Shocker: Melissa McBride Exits Daryl and Carol-Centric Spinoff". TVLine. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
  5. ^ "Daryl Dixon potential release date, cast, plot and everything you need to know". Digital Spy. 22 November 2022.