Daryl Dixon is a fictional character from AMC's horror drama series The Walking Dead. He was introduced in the first season as a skilled hunter and tracker, initially volatile and bad-tempered but loyal and protective over time. Daryl became one of the longest surviving characters in the series, eventually taking over as the main protagonist after Rick Grimes' departure. The character does not have a comic book counterpart and was created specifically for Norman Reedus, who plays him. Daryl stars in his own spin-off series titled The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, which premiered in September 2023. The show is set after the original series and follows Daryl as he washes ashore in France and attempts to find a way back to America while dealing with new enemies and walker variants. The spin-off features Daryl helping a young boy named Laurent, believed by a religious group to be a messianic figure, and encountering new threats and allies in a post-apocalyptic France. The series embodies elements of horror and drama consistent with the main franchise but explores new geographic and narrative territory. The character's journey from a lone tracker and volatile personality into a protector and central figure reflects his deep evolution throughout the original series and into the spin- off. This summary covers who Daryl Dixon is in The Walking Dead and the premise of his own show "The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon".
