Before The Walking Dead premiered its pilot season on AMC in 2010, Frank Darabont created the concept of an antagonist by the name of Merle Dixon. The part would ultimately go to Michael Rooker, who would bring this antihero to life in a way that no one would ever forget. The creation of Daryl Dixon was an afterthought for then-showrunner Frank Darabont, who created the character for Norman Reedus after he originally auditioned for the role of Merle.
Since the iconic Dixon brothers were not adapted from comic book characters, the success of the duo was rather unforeseen. Daryl's evolution is one of the most notable in the Walking Dead franchise. He went from being a stereotypically rugged thug to the taciturn outsider, to Rick's right-hand man, and now, Daryl Dixon is the main character of The Walking Dead. A lot of character development went into making Daryl the leader he is today, and he has changed significantly from the time of his first appearance on the show.
He's Not (As) Impulsive
Daryl first appeared in season 1 episode 3, "Tell It To The Frogs", and made quite the impression on the audience and the rest of the characters alike. When he was first introduced, Daryl Dixon's impulsiveness was very clear. The character's defining trait back then was his unapologetic recklessness.
Over the seasons, Daryl has settled down significantly; no longer hurling squirrel pelts at people when he's angry and acting, all together, more mature and grown-up. Though he can still be impulsive at times, it's like Carol said in season 5 episode 6, "Consumed"; he was a kid, and now he's a man.
He's No Longer Belligerent
Daryl's temper was one of his most well-known traits at the beginning of The Walking Dead. He gained a reputation as the group's resident angry thug in season 1, and though season 2 introduced a softer side to the younger Dixon brother, Daryl's nature was still to be quick to anger.
By season 3, Daryl had grown significantly, and now, it seems as though he's a different person than the one who made a necklace of walker ears in season 2.
He's Not A Follower
Before the apocalypse, Daryl's entire existence seemed to depend on Merle's actions. There was a significant power imbalance when it came to the Dixon brothers' dynamic, and thus, Daryl spent his whole life following Merle around.
After the outbreak, Daryl was still a follower. He became Rick's right-hand man, and quickly lost any independence he might have garnered after Merle disappeared. It wasn't until Rick's departure in season 9 that Daryl finally became his own character, and later, a leader.
He Found His Real Voice
For several years, Daryl was known as a man of few words. Unlike many other characters, he was not one to give big dramatic speeches and rather spoke in short bursts, having a bad habit of mumbling and being notoriously hard to understand at times.
Since Angela Kang took over as showrunner in season 9, changes were made to most of the characters, Daryl Dixon included. Making him more legitimate leader material, Kang has given Daryl substantially more lines than he had before, adding depth to his character.
He Doesn't Discriminate
One of the stark differences between Daryl now and Daryl ten years ago is the fact that his racist and discriminatory past is now behind him. Shown to be crass and demeaning in seasons 1 and 2, it's notable that Daryl has completely grown out of this behavior.
He has had close friendships with several characters who represent minorities. His dynamics with Aaron and Eric, Denise, Michonne, and Connie remind fans of this change in him.
He's More Extroverted
The Daryl Dixon that fans met in season 1 was clearly an introvert and considered himself to be the outsider of the group. He often isolated himself and didn't interact with other characters all that much. Today, Daryl thrives with the friendships he's formed within the communities.
It's satisfying character development that Daryl actually enjoys being around his people now, and that his friendships mean so much to him.
He Wears His Heart On His Sleeve
Considering that Daryl was very closed off and almost never showed his emotions in the early seasons of The Walking Dead, the fact that he's so openly emotional now is quite meaningful and indicative of just how much he's changed since the beginning of the show.
Norman Reedus once described Daryl as "the kind of guy who needs a hug but would probably stab you if you hugged him" and today, that couldn't be further from the truth. Not only is Daryl more open emotionally, but he is no longer averted to physical touches - such as hugs - from his friends.
The Daryl Craze Has Fizzled Out
Daryl is still one of the most popular characters on The Walking Dead but compared to the show's earlier seasons, the wild fan craze for the character has considerably dissipated. It's hard to pinpoint when the saying "If Daryl Dies We Riot" started to be seen less and less, but Glenn's death certainly played a role in the hype around Daryl Dixon dying out.
Though this character is still popular enough to have his own spinoff show, Daryl isn't exactly the show's superstar anymore, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
He's Lost His Sense Of Humor
Just because Daryl's character has grown a lot since the first seasons, doesn't mean that he hasn't lost some of the original qualities that drew fans to him in the beginning. In the early seasons of The Walking Dead, Daryl was known for having a rather crude, quippy sense of humor.
He often made witty, sarcastic remarks that became some of his most famous lines. One of his most notable quotes was, "people in hell want Slurpees". Fans used to love Daryl's sense of humor, but it's something rarely seen in the show today. One could argue that the show as a whole has noticeably lost the humor it had in the beginning.
He's Selfless
The Dixon brothers were immediately regarded as being a very self-serving, careless duo from the very beginning. Even after Merle's disappearance in season 1, Daryl was viewed as selfish by the group, up until the search for Sophia started to change their minds.
Since then, Daryl is now considered to be easily one of the most selfless characters on the show. He never puts himself first and is always looking out for everyone else - and everyone else's kids.