Great Character Introductions on The Walking Dead: Merle Dixon

We only meet a character once. Sometimes that introduction is just woven into the story. Other times it’s a dramatic event. Let’s look at some of the great introductions on The Walking Dead.

Merle Dixon. We heard just the name Dixon downstairs in the department store when the shots went off. Andrea, Tdog, Morales and Jacqui had just schooled Rick on the ways of scavenging after Andrea had a gun to Rick’s head.

She told him that he had killed them all. Rick didn’t understand. They showed him the walkers at the glass doors trying to get in for the holiday sale of fresh meat. Andrea told him he just rang the dinner bell.

So we got the idea that Rick just met a pretty nice new group of people that got along pretty well. Then the shots went off. Dixon. They ran to the roof. The introduction of Merle Dixon.

Related Story: Great introductions to characters : Daryl

There was Merle. He told them they needed to be more polite to a man with a gun. Then he insulted Morales and started a fight with T-dog. But he didn’t just do it in any old way. There was something special and indefinable about Merle.

His words were hideous and made you gasp, but they were also coming out of a character we were meeting in the second episode of a show that started with the killing of a little girl in a pink robe and bunny slippers. These were fearless choices.

Fearless and deliberate and complicated. He wasn’t just a redneck racist caricature. But he also was. Merle Dixon was on screen only a few minutes on that rooftop in season 1 and was not to be seen again until Daryl hallucinated him while looking for Sophia. And then again in season 3.

Next: Great introductions to characters: Aaron

After just those few minutes Merle Dixon made a huge impression on the audience. Michael Rooker still attends comic cons today and his panels are packed. He had a charisma and special something that words don’t capture.

That first introduction also gave an insight into Merle’s personality that carried through until Merle died. Merle covered up for his insecurities with talk. Merle never knew when to shut up. Merle talked tough and talked a lot.