The Walking Dead Season 7, Episode 3 was titled “The Cell” and aired Sunday evening on AMC. It featured Daryl Dixon, who was kidnapped by Negan and the Saviors. On Talking Dead , which aired following the episode, Norman Reedus explained what was going through Dixon’s mind at the Sanctuary.
There are spoilers for TWD ahead. If you have not seen Season 7, Episode 3, then proceed with caution.
Held in a tiny closet-sized room at the Sanctuary, fans saw a very different Daryl Dixon on The Walking Dead . At first, he was completely naked. Cold and shivering, Dwight (Austin Amelio) fed him dog food sandwiches. When the door closed and he was left by himself in total darkness, loud music blared, nearly driving him insane.
Every once in a while, Dwight would drag Norman Reedus’ character outside the “cell” and push him around. Dwight shoved his face against the fence that separated the workers rallying up walkers to work on the barricade. The Walking Dead hostage didn’t seem to fight back or really have anything to say. The only times that he rebelled were during his escape attempt, which was a test, and when he told Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s character he was Daryl, not Negan.
On Talking Dead , it was revealed why Dixon behaved the way he did. A snippet of an interview with Norman Reedus was revealed. The actor explained that part of his character feels like he deserves to be punished. He blames himself for Glenn’s death on The Walking Dead . During Season 7, Episode 3, Dwight even tells him that his friend is dead because of his actions. Rubbing salt in the wound, Dwight threw down a photograph of Glenn’s remains. After the door shut once again, Dixon broke down and cried.
Even though Dwight is the one pushing Daryl around and is responsible for “breaking” him, he isn’t all bad. It turns out that Dwight was once in a similar position. However, certain things happened that changed Dwight. In order to survive and keep his loved ones safe, he had to make certain choices and follow Negan. On Talking Dead , Christine Evangelista, who plays Sherry on The Walking Dead , discussed this.
During the episode, she tried to help Daryl on more than one occasion. At the doctor’s office, she told him to do whatever they said. Outside his cell door, she recalled saying she was sorry when they took his belongings. During the failed escape attempt, she warned him to go back, knowing it was a test. She told him that whatever Negan has done, there is always more.
Asked why she was attaching herself to the The Walking Dead hostage, the actress explained that Sherry sees something in him that Dwight has lost. Right now, Reedus’ character is at a crossroads and could go either way. She is desperate to save someone and hopes to help Daryl.
Evangelista also gave some history on Dwight and Sherry’s relationship. Christine explained that Sherry and Dwight have been together forever and she will always love him. However, he is losing himself and the things he is doing for Negan is making her look at him differently.
As an example, she recalled when fans first met Dwight and Sherry on The Walking Dead . In the forest, Dixon asked if he had killed anyone. Austin Amelio’s character said no, explaining that once that happens, a person doesn’t come back from it. As viewers saw on Sunday’s episode of TWD , Dwight not only killed another human being, but someone who was his friend. The man wanted to leave the Sanctuary, but Dwight couldn’t let that happen. He had to bring him back dead or alive or face the consequences from Negan.
That isn’t the only “test” Dwight went through during The Walking Dead Season 7, Episode 3. Negan offered one of his wives to Dwight, but the Savior refused. It was a tense moment, but it was a test because Negan wanted to see if he would sleep with Sherry or not. Just because Negan says something is okay doesn’t really mean that it is. He keeps his men in line by constantly testing them. He wants to be sure they stay loyal, obedient, and compliant. He also likes to rub it in Dwight’s face that he has Sherry, the woman he loved.
Even though Dwight told Dixon to make things easy on himself, the Savior really isn’t okay with everything that goes on. He is merely surviving, doing what he has to do to keep himself – and possibly Sherry – alive. He is conflicted about some of his actions. He clearly didn’t want to kill his runaway friend, but did anyway. The Walking Dead character told Dwight that he understood why he chose that life. He was thinking about someone else. However, Norman Reedus’ character will probably never submit to Negan. Yet, he might be able to talk some sense into Dwight.
In The Walking Dead comic books, Dwight ends up feeding information to Rick Grimes during the war. Later, he becomes a member of the group because in a way, he redeemed himself. Seeing how Dwight isn’t completely evil and is only trying to stay alive, there is a chance this could happen on the TV show as well.
What did you think of Season 7, Episode 3? What does the future hold for the TWD character? Will Daryl and Dwight end up teaming up eventually? Keep watching The Walking Dead to find out.
[Featured Image by John Sciulli/Getty Images for AMC]