10 Facts about Daryl Dixon you may not know or have forgotten

Daryl Dixon is an original member of the Atlanta group in The Walking Dead. Portrayed by Norman Reedus, Daryl quickly became a fan-favorite character. He survived all eleven seasons of the main series and stars in his own spinoff. Below are some facts about Daryl you may have forgotten or perhaps never knew.

1. Daryl Dixon isn’t in the comic story.

Daryl is one of many characters created for the series. Despite the pleas from fans, TWD comic creator Robert Kirkman and artist Charlie Adlard felt it would be “wrong” to add a character from the series into the comic story. Daryl is the brother of Merle (Michael Rooker), who was also created for the series.

2. Daryl Dixon actor Norman Reedus auditioned for another role.

Reedus wanted to be a part of TWD, but Rooker had already cast the role of Merle, so they gave him some of Merle’s lines to read. The casting team liked what they saw, and Daryl was created specifically to include Reedus in the series.

A Reddit user posted a clip from his Reedus’ audition; see it below.

"Norman Reedus’ audition tape for the role of Merle Dixon.by u/heathbarburdiss in thewalkingdead"

3. Daryl’s first motorcycle wasn’t his.

In the series’ early seasons, Daryl rode a motorcycle that he kept in remembrance of his brother. The bike was Merle’s,  which accounts for the unsavory insignia on the gas tank, and after his assumed death, Daryl held on to the bike to keep a piece of his brother with him. For those curious, the bike was a  custom-built 1971 Triumph Bonneville TR6C with a ’69 motor. The bike was abandoned at the prison after it fell.

4. Daryl and Merle were going to rob the original Atlanta Group

When Daryl is reunited with his brother in season 3, viewers learn that the brothers had intended to rob the Atlanta group. Merle was disappointed about the changes in his brother since being in the company of Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and reminds Daryl of their original plan.

Facts about The Walking Dead’s Daryl Dixon

5. Daryl once made a necklace of walker’s ears

While searching for the missing Sophia (Madison Lintz) in season 2, Daryl is injured, and he begins to hallucinate in and out of consciousness. His hallucinations feature Merle, taunting him, telling him he is a failure and Rick’s group thinks him a freak. He loses a lot of blood from his injuries but is finally able to limp back to Hershel’s (Scott Wilson) farm. He is covered in blood and walks with a limp, which makes Andrea (Laurie Holden) think he is a walker, so she shoots him, grazing his temple. When Rick and the others rescue him to bring him to Hershel for care of his wounds, they notice the necklace made of walker’s ears.

The image to the right shows Daryl’s condition, making it understandable why Andrea thought him a walker, and the necklace can be seen at the bottom.

6. Daryl knew that Shane killed Otis

While on Hershel’s farm, Shane (Jon Bernthal) and Otis (Pruitt Taylor Vince), a farm hand, head to an old FEMA command post for medical supplies. Otis accidentally shot Carl (Chandler Riggs) while hunting deer. To save him, Hershel required specific medical supplies. Feeling guilty, Otis volunteered to assist Shane, an act that would get him killed. The pair run into a horde of walkers, and Shane shoots Otis, sacrificing him to the walkers so he can make his escape. When he returns to the farm, Daryl notices that Shane has Otis’ gun. He says to Dale (Jeffrey DeMunn) regarding Shane, “he came back with a dead man’s gun.” Daryl wasn’t buying Shane’s BS story.

7. Daryl has been captured eight times

Throughout his time in The Walking Dead, Daryl was captured on eight occasions.

1. Woodbury “Made to Suffer”
2. Gareth at Terminus “A”
3. Dwight and the Saviors “East”
4. Recaptured by the Saviors “The Day Will Come When You Won’t Be”
5. Jocelyn “Scars”
6. The Whisperers “The Calm Before”
7. Leah “Find Me”
8. The Reapers “Rendition

8.  Daryl has used the Walker Guts camouflage the second most of any character

Second only to Nick (Frank Dillane) of Fear the Walking Dead, Daryl has used walker guts to conceal himself many times. He used it as camouflage from The Whisperers on two occasions, when he is separated from the Reapers and in the finale season when he and Rosita (Christian Serratos) attempt to retrieve money for Sebastian Milton (Teo Rapp-Olson).

9. Meaning of the A on Daryl’s sweatshirt

When Daryl was held captive by the Saviors, Dwight (Austin Amelio) relished tormenting him. He forced him to eat dog food sandwiches and listen to “Easy Street” on a loop. Daryl wore a sweatshirt as captive of the Saviors, with a giant letter A on the front. Showrunner Angela Kang would reveal that this stood for “a$$hole” in the commentary for “The Cell” from the season 7 Blu-ray.

10. Daryl’s favorite vest was stolen

In season 6, “East,” Daryl is shot by Dwight, who then steals his favorite vest with the wings on the back. He would recover it from a wounded Dwight in season 7, “How Its Gotta Be.” Eventually, one of the wings would come up missing. This would be solved by Judith (Cailey Fleming) when she paints the missing wing in season 10, “Morning Star.” In an interview with Undead Walking, director Michael E. Satrazemis revealed that Fleming painted the new wing she designed herself.

Daryl will return to TWDU on September 10 with the premiere of his spinoff series The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, which airs on AMC at 9 p.m. ET.

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