For years, Daryl Dixon has been The Walking Dead's most popular character. He won fans' hearts almost immediately upon his introduction in the third episode of the pilot season, and his marketability has only grown since then. He quickly became the show's cash cow, and in the golden years of The Walking Dead when the series' ratings were higher than most shows on the air, Daryl Dixon was one of TV's biggest fads.
Times have changed now, and although The Walking Dead is finally set to conclude after an 11th season in 2022, Daryl is still many fans' favorite character. That being said, there are several things about this character that are just plain sad.
He Hated His Life Long Before The Apocalypse
The apocalypse really gave Daryl a sense of purpose that he lacked in his everyday life before the outbreak. Daryl is one of the few characters whose circumstances actually changed for the better after the world ended and societal norms were rendered defunct.
It's sad to think that Daryl really felt poorly about himself in normal life, and after the outbreak happened, he didn't really have anything to miss, unlike virtually every other character.
He Considered Himself A Nobody
Not only was Daryl unhappy with his life pre-apocalypse, he was also unhappy with himself and his identity. One of the more memorable peeks fans got into Daryl's life before the outbreak came in the season 4 episode, "Still".
During season 4, Beth and some of the other prison kids took shots at guessing Daryl's previous occupation. In episode 12, after the fall of the prison, Daryl states that he was "nobody".
He Has Not Been Truly At Home Since The Prison
Like most people would long for their lives before zombies took over the earth, Daryl Dixon rather longed for his life at the prison. A major shift in his character happened when the prison was destroyed in season 4, and he was shown to have gone through an emotional crisis in the aftermath.
When the group arrived at Alexandria in season 5, Daryl seemed to regress significantly and immediately resumed his role as an outsider. It took him a long time to adjust, likely due to the fact that he only felt really comfortable at the prison.
He Spent Six Years Living Like A Hermit
Daryl's character has both progressed and regressed simultaneously throughout the course of his time on The Walking Dead. In season 9, Rick's departure sent Daryl into a major downward spiral. After Rick's "death" and a horrible incident where he and Michonne had to kill children, Daryl proceeded to live his life completely alone for years.
This is sad for many reasons, notably for the fact that he abandoned the Sanctuary community he was supposed to be leading to do this. Daryl has always been a character who's prone to running away, something fans will possibly see him and Carol (Melissa McBride) do in their future spinoff.
He Struggles With Recklessness
Daryl has matured a lot since his first appearance on The Walking Dead. That being said, he still has a lot of growing up to do, even now, during the series' tenth season. Daryl's recklessness and impulsive behavior have always been a major character flaw of his, and it's something that's still present to this day.
Most recently, Daryl nearly got himself killed when he went after Alpha in season 10 episode 10, "Stalker". This broke Daryl's track record of not having done something reckless for quite a while, but hopefully, he will only grow after this.
He Was A Henchman For Years
Rick's departure opened up new opportunities for Daryl. Not only did Norman Reedus's name fill the main slot in the series' opening credits, but Daryl's character was allowed to develop organically as he should have since the beginning.
That sad thing is that Daryl spent years of his life, both pre and post-apocalyptic, being a henchman. He followed Merle around before the apocalypse, and to a degree, he followed Rick around after the apocalypse.
He's Stuck With All The Kids
Daryl's newfound maturity did not come without its share of responsibilities. Somehow, he had become the designated babysitter in season 9, starting when Carol and Ezekiel pawned off Henry on him at the Hilltop.
In season 10, a big part of Daryl's storyline is the fact that he is not only responsible for Lydia, but also the Grimes children after Michonne's departure. What will happen to Daryl's children when he embarks on his spin-off with Carol remains to be seen.
The Loss Of His Brother
It's safe to say that every character in The Walking Dead has suffered through significant losses brought on by the apocalypse. However, some have simply experienced more pain than others, and for Daryl, losing his older brother Merle hit him hard.
Merle's loss was tragic not only because he planned to take the Governor out in a suicide mission, but also because Daryl never even got the chance to say goodbye to his brother. Daryl then had to put down the zombified version of his brother in one of The Walking Dead's most unforgettable scenes.
Norman Reedus Vs. Daryl Dixon
Norman Reedus's portrayal of Daryl worked to attract many fans to the character, and while that's not necessarily a bad thing, the bigger the Daryl craze grew, the more the line between Reedus and his character began to blur.
While Daryl is not underrated by any means, it's unfortunate that parts of The Walking Dead fanbase tended to created idealized versions of this character that weren't necessarily accurate to what the writers were trying to portray.
He's Constantly Haunted By Those Who Have Passed On
Daryl is one to shoulder the blame for several losses that have befallen the group over the course of The Walking Dead. Throughout the seasons, Daryl's arcs began to focus more and more on him mourning losses. This largely took place in the "Gimple Era" of The Walking Dead.
Daryl was severely affected by the losses of Beth, Denise, Glenn, and several others. This often caused his character to regress and go into a funk for several episodes and even seasons.