ThisWalking Deadarticle contains spoilers for the show.
And to the glee of viewers, Daryl has always lived to fight another day, crossbow at hand.
But how did we get here?
Daryl has always walked on the edge of death, but he never seems to slip.
How did he earn his fan armor and has he finally lost it?
The internet has many unsung heroes, but the greatest and least known has to be Wikipedia user 89.0.104.58.
Also known as Daryl Dixon ofThe Walking Dead.
And its the perfect distillation of Reedus appeal.
Because Norman Reedus is cool.
Buzzfeed has made enough Reedus appreciation posts to fill the servers at the Library of Congress.
Equally as cool as Reedus is hisWalking Deadcharacter.
Daryl Dixon has long been the character onThe Walking Deadfans have connected to most.
Hes got the three crucial characteristics that create Tumblr fandom perfection.
Daryl Dixon is: 1.
Extremely proficient in combat and violence, 2.
Still fundamentally a softie, and 3.
Daryl is no longer a superman by comparison.
Here are some ways the show could better incorporate the younger Dixon brother.
Viewers and critics alike responded to this with a hearty chuckle.
It was utterly absurd.
They mistook the audiences bemused enjoyment for disdainful laughter.
Daryl killing the tank isnt unlike a young Reedus wearing giant sunglasses and screaming.
Its over the top, for sure, but thats part of the appeal.
Since then, Rick has pretty much stolen every ludicrously superhuman performance from Daryl.
To a certain extent, thats fine.The Walking Deadis in part tellingthe story of the ubermensch, after all.
But Rick has the charisma and leadership abilities that Daryl doesnt have.
Its not entirely fair that hes stolen all of his combat skills as well.
Daryls role inThe Walking Deadshould be the ultimate Swiss Army Knife in the ongoing struggle to survive.
Season 8 has thrust him more into the action but thats because everyone is in on the action.
Daryl doesnt have anything else special to do befitting his character.
He is inserted into any plot that needs a main character thats not already featured in the comic books.
Thats just a waste of a tremendous talent and all-around baller.
Just Kill the Guy Already
Look, you dont want to read this, but its true.
Give him a noble death, befitting of his character.
Give him a sad, pointless death at the hands of an encroaching sociopath.
But just kill the guy already.
If Daryl dies, well stay quiet.
The Walking DeadSeason 9 Returns February 10.
A version of this article first appeared on January 7, 2016.
