‘The Walking Dead’: How Daryl Dixon Should Die, According To Norman Reedus

Six months, hours of scorching debate, a complete online frenzy, thousands of rumors and theories, and speculation that has now reached critical fever pitch. Yes, The Walking Dead returns to our screens in a few hours time, and the show will finally reveal the conclusion of one of the biggest cliffhangers in TV history. When we last saw our heroes and heroines, they were being lined up for brutal execution by psychopathic madman Negan, a role that has garnered massive critical attention since it’s emergence on the small screen. The key question coming out of the previous season’s finale is a very simple one though, who will die?

Where this question has torn the internet to shreds in previous months, there’s no doubt that regardless of the outcome, the show may never be the same again. The Walking Dead has touched on the darker side of humanity in previous episodes and story arcs, but many believe that Season 7 will set a new precedent in the show. After six successful seasons and massive TV ratings and confirmation of an eighth season in the past few weeks, it can only be good for business. It also means they need to do something new and something fresh to keep the show relevant.

So who will die? It’s a common question on the lips of anyone who enjoys The Walking Dead, a show where characters come and go with brutal efficiency. Speculation is rife and nothing is confirmed, but many believe it will be fan-favorite Daryl Dixon. Written specifically for the show and possibly the most popular character in the series to date, the loner with a heart of gold is one clear favorite for the chop. Not only would his death be significant and truly shocking, but it could push The Walking Dead into that rare echelon on network TV and make it truly groundbreaking. Despite this possibility, Norman Reedus has been promoting the show and discussing some alternatives. He recently stepped out and declared how he would like Daryl to die — and his suggestion is a little more lighthearted.

The Walking Dead has a huge ensemble cast, and Daryl Dixon has been a key cog in this lineup since the first season. Unlike many of his co-survivors, Dixon was not adapted from the comic book source material. He was invented specifically for the TV show and has bolstered the series with his appearance. As a result, the prospect of his death has been widely speculated in recent seasons. In an interview with ComicBook.com, Norman Reedus spoke about the character and despite the implications of the incoming Season 7 premiere, he revealed that he has his own ideas about his character’s fate.

“I’d like him to just walk away and just walk away into the woods, and people go, ‘Where the heck is that guy?’ It’s like, ‘Oh, he gets shot.’ ‘Oh, he turns into a zombie.’ ‘They put him down.’ We’ve seen all of that happen so many times. I think with Daryl, because he came in that way, I think he should go out that way. He should just walk away, and people are like, ‘What ever happened to him?’ Nobody knows. He’s like the Outlaw Josey Wales or some s**t.”

Reedus clearly has plans for his beloved character — or an ideal ending in mind, at least — but that doesn’t mean he will survive tonight’s pioneering episode. AMC and the cast have done a spectacular job of keeping the outcome of Negan’s vented rage a secret, and extensive measures have been put into place to ensure this continues until showtime. Where many expect him to die, this doesn’t guarantee he will. His death would be truly shocking, yes, but it could also derail the show at this point — mainly because Season 6 preferred to showcase other characters over everyone’s favorite possum eating tracker.

Dixon has much more to do in the eyes of many fans, so killing him now might actually be a bad idea. Luckily, Dixon isn’t the only popular character on the block. He will be joined by Glen, Maggie and Abraham, all of whom were in close proximity to Rick when the season finished and are more likely candidates for a one-on-two with Negan and his beloved barbed wire-wrapped baseball bat, Lucille. Each of these characters were expanded in Season 6 for various reasons, so the vicious death seems to be headed in their direction. As we all know, though, nothing is ever that simple in The Walking Dead.

As reported by The Express, a teaser for Season 7 has revealed that whoever receives the fatal beating from Negan and Lucille seems to be sitting on Rick’s right hand side. In the teaser, Rick is seen with splashed blood on his right cheek. Again, this could be a ploy on AMC’s part — it wouldn’t be the first time they’ve pulled the wool over viewers’ eyes — so take it with a pinch of salt, but this clearly puts the aforementioned characters in the firing line.

Regardless of the outcome, the start of Season 7 is set to be truly shocking. As mentioned, it may set a new precedent in the show itself and steer The Walking Dead in an entirely new direction. Where storylines from Season 6 indicate that Daryl may be safe — after all, he didn’t receive as much screentime or relationship development compared to some of his fellow survivors — nothing is ever certain. Reedus might yet get his desired ending, that’s true, but in a TV show where nothing is certain and the slightest hint or tip is taken to extreme proportions, be prepared for anything to happen.

The Walking Dead returns to AMC tonight.

[Featured Image by AMC]