Daryl Dixon

Daryl Dixon
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)
Created by	Frank Darabont; Charles H. Eglee; Jack LoGiudice;
Portrayed by	Norman Reedus; Luis Coiduras (child);
Voiced by	Norman Reedus (Survival Instinct, Onslaught, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, Dead by Daylight, World of Tanks, World War Z); Atticus Batacan (Destinies);
In-universe information
Gender	Male
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;
Weapon	Stryker crossbow
Family	Will 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 portrayed by actor Norman Reedus. He appears as a major character in The Walking Dead and as the titular character of its spin-off series The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon. He also serves as the main protagonist of the last three seasons of the original series, 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 and expert tracker, living in the shadow of his older brother, Merle. Despite his initial bad temper and volatility, he is tolerated by the core group of survivors due to his survival skills and fearless efficiency in killing walkers. Following the events of 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 the fourth season. 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 and one of the core members of the original Atlanta group. 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 the ninth season, 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. However, McBride exited the project prior to filming and it was reworked to focus on Daryl. The series, titled The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, premiered in September 2023 with its first season. Ultimately, McBride joined the main cast as Carol in Daryl Dixon's second season—with the sub-title The Book of Carol—in a return to the show's original concept.