Fans were shocked to learn that the main Walking Dead television series will end after its upcoming eleventh season. However, to ease fans' minds, AMC also announced it will follow-up the conclusion of the flagship series with a spinoff starring longtime, fan-favorite characters Daryl Dixon and Carol Peletier, which is set to premiere in 2023. Daryl was the series' earliest breakout character. Throughout its run he's been a huge fan-favorite and, since Rick Grimes' exit in Season 9, he's been the face of the show. This is all the more impressive as Daryl is an original character created for the series who has no clear analogue in the comic book source material by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard.

Portrayed by Norman Reedus, Daryl was introduced in the series' third episode as the younger brother of Merle Dixon. Initially furious Rick handcuffed his brother to a rooftop in Atlanta and left him for dead, Daryl joined Rick's group as they left the area, armed with a crossbow and riding his brother's motorcycle. Originally introduced as a supporting character, Reedus officially joined the main cast by the second season before gaining top billing in the second half of Season 9.

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While a valuable member of Rick's ensemble of hardy survivors navigating the post-apocalyptic South, Daryl maintained a more lone-wolf mindset early on. He often traveled alone and kept to himself, even during Season 2 when he participated in the search for Carol's missing daughter, Sophia. Daryl took on a more active role in the burgeoning survivor community after they relocated to an abandoned prison, especially after Rick fell into grief-fueled madness following the demise of his wife, Lori, in childbirth during Season 3. Daryl's prominence would continue to grow; he became Rick's right-hand man, a formidable fighter and survivalist and the community's eventual leader as it faced the threat of the Whisperers.

Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes and Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon - The Walking Dead _ Season 6, Episode 10 - Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

While Daryl was always something of a stoic loner and reluctant leader, the character was an immediate hit with audiences, and Reedus was particularly lauded for his performance. The actor took what could have been an one-note character and imbued him with plenty of emotional nuance, especially when he was forced to put down his brother after he became one of the walking dead. Reedus originally auditioned for the part of Merle before learning co-star Michael Rooker had already been cast. However, impressed by his audition, Season 1 showrunner Frank Darabont created the character of Daryl with Reedus specifically in mind. This gave Reedus the creative freedom to mold his new character outside the constraints of expectations created by the comics.

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Following the premiere of The Walking Dead in 2010, Daryl quickly became the ultimate badass on the series. He's able to singlehandedly dispatch waves of walkers and rival survivors while occasionally offering rare glimpses at his softer, more vulnerable side. A brutally efficient warrior perfectly suited for the undead apocalypse, Daryl is a character who's exuded survivalist cool as he has grown from supporting character to leader over the course of the series. Now, in his upcoming spinoff, he's likely to go back on the road, where he'll retun to being a post-apocalyptic ronin wandering the walker-ridden wasteland.

Airing Sunday, Oct. 4 on AMC, The Walking Dead Season 10 finale stars Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Josh McDermitt, Christian Serratos, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Seth Gilliam, Ross Marquand, Khary Payton and Cooper Andrews.

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