Throughout Daryl Dixon’s journey on The Walking Dead, he has encountered people from all walks of life. Many characters on the show have had a significant impact on his life, including Rick Grimes, Carol Peletier, Judith Grimes, and many others. However, there is one character that shaped Daryl’s outlook on life well after their death: Beth Greene.
Beth Greene made her first appearance on The Walking Dead in season 2, as a young girl with little knowledge of the apocalypse going on around her. Towards the beginning of her time on the show, after her mom dies, we see this scared, naive girl who doesn’t want to suffer in this new world. However, as time passes, Beth grows into a strong young woman who fears nothing. She becomes caring to those around her, respecting the living and the dead. Beth believes there are still good people in the world and instills that belief in Daryl before she goes.
At the beginning of her life on the show, Beth and Daryl’s interactions were very few. It wasn't until the Governor attacked the prison in season 4, that the two were forced to share the screen more often. Their dynamic during their time together on screen was something that many fans adored. Daryl grew close to Beth during the short time they shared together.
After the Governor attacks Rick's group, killing Hershel Greene, Daryl gives up. He blames himself for the death of Beth's father and revisits an old part of his life while he stays at the cabin with Beth in season 4 episode 12, titled "Still". However, Beth is able to pull him away from that part of his life.
She is able to teach him to move on from his past. In the next episode, titled "Alone", we see Beth and Daryl's bond deepen. Beth reminds Daryl that there are still good people worth saving in the world. When they come across a survivor's food stash in a funeral home, Daryl displays a softer and more caring version of himself when he decides to save food for the stranger.
Beth changes Daryl's perspective and helps him believe that good people still exist despite everything they have been through. After Beth dies, Daryl seems to be at this low point in his life, struggling to trust people again. However, after Aaron recruits Rick's group into Alexandria, Aaron offers Daryl a position as a recruiter. Daryl takes this position and becomes more eager to find people than Aaron himself. In season 5 episode 16, titled "Conquer", Daryl was willing to risk his life to continue searching for the man he and Aaron had lost, while Aaron was ready to call it quits. Beth Greene's character influenced Daryl Dixon to look for the best in people and strive to find like-minded survivors.
In future seasons, we see Daryl willing and eager to hit the road in search of more people to help. This is one of the reasons Daryl ends up lost in France in the spinoff show, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon.
A part of Beth Greene has been carried by Daryl Dixon since her death on the show, with the character making a bigger impact on him than she's often given credit for.