Daryl Nixon

Daryl Dixon is an experienced tracker and zombie apocalypse survivalist who is part of the group of survivors formed by Rick Grimes.

Neglected by his parents since childhood, Daryl always lived in the shadow of his older brother Merle's misdeeds and knew no other way of life. However, when Rick abandoned Merle in the dangerous city of Atlanta at the beginning of the zombie outbreak, Daryl was able to start connecting with other people and became particularly close to Carol during the time he helped her search for her missing daughter.

Although he never abandoned his lone wolf facade, Daryl grew extremely attached to his teammates and proved to be a valuable ally in a world consumed by chaos. During the desperate times caused by the Governor of Woodbury, he rose to become the group's second-in-command and also established himself as Rick's trusted confidant.

Thanks to his hunting skills and his fearless efficiency in killing walkers, Daryl proved to be a formidable asset to any survivor, as recognized by the bandit Joe when he took him into his group after Daryl became separated from everyone following the destruction of the prison. However, Daryl proved to be a man of honor, who knew exactly where his loyalties lay, and he didn't hesitate to betray Joe when he saw him endangering Rick and the others.

He inevitably ended up being taken prisoner in a train car at Terminus, reuniting with almost the entire group. Miraculously, he managed to escape and helped Rick free the rest of his friends. Along with Carol, he returned to Atlanta, hoping Beth might be there.

Indeed, she was there, but tragedy struck again, and she ended up dead. This event plunged Daryl back into a deep sadness that nearly destroyed him, were it not for Carol, who advised him to take some time to grieve for his friend. Upon arriving in Alexandria, and after some time had passed, Daryl embarked on a supply run with Aaron. They both unexpectedly fell into a trap set by the Wolves and were rescued by Morgan.

Daryl was one of the people involved in a mission to divert a horde heading towards Alexandria. In the process, he became separated from the group and was attacked by three strangers, one of them named Dwight, who stole his motorcycle and crossbow. These men were fleeing from another group. Daryl reunited with Abraham and Sasha, and on the way to Alexandria, the people pursuing those who had attacked Daryl threatened to kill all three of them. Daryl took them out with a rocket launcher, and he, Abraham, and Sasha returned home. Finally, he used the rocket launcher a second time to destroy the part of the horde that had managed to enter Alexandria, and things ended well.

Months later, Daryl and Rick encountered a man nicknamed Jesus, and although they initially clashed with him, they ended up discovering a new community and a larger world. Part of this new world was the Saviors, the group Daryl had previously clashed with. These people, specifically Dwight, who was now one of them, murdered Denise, and in an attempt at revenge, Daryl and others were taken prisoner by this hostile group. Finally, they met Negan, the leader of the Saviors, and Daryl erupted in fury after Negan murdered Abraham, attacking him and, in a way, causing Glenn's death.

Daryl was taken prisoner and spent several days locked up in the Sanctuary, flatly refusing Negan's offers to join the Saviors. This experience led Daryl to harbor a deep hatred for Dwight and Negan because of all the torture they put him through, especially Dwight, who practically took everything he had ever owned. Fortunately, Daryl managed to escape and reunite with his friends, joining Rick in their search for help to end the Saviors' threat.

Forced into hiding, Daryl reunited with Carol on the outskirts of the Kingdom, but after concealing the truth about the situation and the deaths, he sought refuge at Hilltop and forgave Maggie for causing Glenn's death. Daryl then helped obtain weapons from a women's community and faced the difficult task of not killing Dwight when he arrived in Alexandria asking to become their double agent in order to take down Negan. With the arrival of the infamous leader in Alexandria, the group nearly lost the battle were it not for Sasha's sacrifice and the arrival of reinforcements, who drove the bandits from their home. With the war already underway, Daryl helped trap the Saviors inside their home by leading a horde of walkers. He then proceeded to kill every Savior he encountered, including Morales, before acquiring a super machine gun with Rick. Soon, ideological differences between him and Rick became apparent, erupting into a fight that ended with Daryl and Rick parting ways. Daryl then joined forces with Morgan and Tara to try and kill the remaining Saviors. Back in Alexandria, he soon realized his mistake when Negan appeared at the gate and bombed the community. After saying goodbye to a dying Carl and escorting the survivors to Hilltop, Daryl participated in a battle against Simon's Saviors that resulted in several deaths.

After the war ended and they emerged victorious, Daryl disagreed with letting Negan live, but first spared Dwight's life on the condition that he never return. Daryl secretly conspired with Maggie and Jesus to convince Rick that Negan had to die.

A year and a half later, Daryl grew tired of leading the Sanctuary and asked Rick to find someone to take his place. Carol volunteered. Daryl helped build a bridge and clashed with one of the Saviors. Seeing the women of Oceanside take down the Saviors who had wronged them in the past, Daryl and Maggie put their plan to kill Negan into action, distracting Rick to prevent him from interfering. Unfortunately, this set off a chain reaction that ended with Daryl's apparent death in the explosion of the bridge he so desperately wanted to build.

Daryl is a man in his forties,[1] with dark blond hair and piercing blue eyes. His defining feature is the crossbow he always carries slung over his shoulder, as well as his great skill at killing walkers. He frequently has dead squirrels hanging from his belt,[2] and isn't afraid to get his hands dirty.[3] As a competent scout and avid hunter, he exemplifies a style that is quite basic in appearance, but which is clearly more focused on functionality than aesthetics. Starting in the second season, Daryl's leather vest with "angel wings" is probably one of the most recognizable outfits on the show,[4] and in the third season he began wearing a poncho,[5] which also became one of the character's most iconic pieces. Among the accessories he usually carries are a knife and a red bandana that he wears in his back pocket. He also has a smoking habit, and his preferred mode of transportation is motorcycles.[6] He is used to throwing insults, yelling when offered emotional support, and he doesn't hesitate to be rude to anyone.

From the beginning, Daryl was presented as the group's renegade member. Initially a foul-mouthed and grumpy country boy, over the seasons Daryl has become an unlikely hero[7] and although he can sometimes seem aloof, he is a selfless champion[8] and a trusted friend

Daryl grew up under the stigma of being Merle's younger brother,[10] which makes him often volatile and prone to violence when he feels threatened, although he is significantly more level-headed and rational than his older brother. During his childhood, he spent long periods of time alone, and during these periods of solitude, he learned to fend for himself and developed a tough survival mindset.[11] Emotionally scarred by never having received genuine affection, Daryl considers himself a lone wolf who prefers the forest to civilization,[12] as he is afraid of becoming emotionally involved with people.

Daryl grew up in the mountains with his neglectful family, consisting of alcoholic parents and an absent brother. His mother, besides being a wine lover, was a Virginia Slims cigarette fanatic and loved to smoke in bed. One day, while Daryl was playing with some neighborhood kids who had bikes, the fire truck siren alerted them that something was wrong, and when they went to investigate, Daryl discovered that his house had caught fire, with his mother inside.

Daryl then moved in with his father and brother in a run-down cabin,[15] though Merle's constant stints in and out of juvenile detention meant he was practically raised on his own. On one occasion, Daryl even got lost and spent nine days in the woods, eating berries and wiping his bottom on poison oak, without anyone noticing his absence.

Throughout their childhood, Daryl and Merle were constantly abused by their father, leaving them with numerous scars on their bodies.[18] As they grew up, Merle began to mold Daryl in his own image, but without providing the support he should have given as an older brother.[19] Eventually, Merle left home when he was old enough, leaving Daryl to endure his father's abuse alone.

Later, Daryl began to follow his brother's every word, and one day, while they were high at a drug dealer's house, Merle insulted one of the man's favorite TV shows, and they started fighting. Daryl had to intervene to defend his brother and ended up vomiting after being punched in the gut. Merle and the dealer started laughing so hard they forgot all about the incident.

Daryl is a victim of child abuse