TWD's Norman Reedus Opens Up About The Show's Bittersweet Ending

"The Walking Dead" protagonist Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) is a fan-favorite character on AMC's "The Walking Dead." Originally a loner who only listens to his older brother, Daryl eventually becomes an incredibly important character in the plot and ends up in an exceptionally protective role. Daryl grows close to several characters on "The Walking Dead," though more often than not, these relationships often put him in compromising situations. Think back on his friendship with Carol (Melissa McBride), which makes him often question her motivation in more recent seasons, like when they are hunting down members of the Whisperers.

Now in its final season, Daryl's journey has had several twists and turns. It is revealed that during his sojourn following Rick's death, he entered into a romantic relationship with Leah (Lynn Collins), and he later joins the Commonwealth as a foot soldier — a seemingly uncharacteristic move. However, upon further inspection of Daryl's motivations, it appears as if the weary character is simply sick of all of the conflict and wishes to see hostilities end in order to build a better future, and he often acts as a liaison between Maggie's Wardens, Leah's Reapers, the Commonwealth, and other survivor factions with the goal of lasting peace.

With the final episode of "The Walking Dead" fast approaching, Reedus has finally broken his silence about the upcoming ending of the show, and it definitely seems like the actor has some rather strong opinions about the end of the series.

Norman Reedus has spent a tremendous amount of time on "The Walking Dead," appearing in over 100 episodes as Daryl Dixon and gradually becoming a central — if not pivotal — figure on the series. As such, it's no wonder that Reedus has grown to cherish this world, perhaps even seeing it as a second home. In a 2021 interview with Inquirer.net, the Daryl Dixon actor was asked what it was like to spend so much time on a show that now has a definitive ending in sight. He replied, "I mean, 'The Walking Dead' has been such a huge part of our lives in every way you can imagine. But, you know, my hope is that we really go out big. I feel like we owe it to ourselves and the fans for the show to really go out with a bang."

He continued, "It's wild because we've had many people come and go, and we've made so many friends here. It's become a yearly routine for us. It's not like, 'Oh, I come here for a while to shoot the show, then go back to my life.' Like, it's been the dictating factor of my everyday life every week for years."

Jokes aside, it seems like Reedus feels bittersweet that the series that has birthed multiple AMC spin-off shows is ending. But perhaps he shouldn't be too upset because he also has a spin-off co-starring Melissa McBride in the works. From Daryl's beginning as an antisocial rogue just looking out for himself to an important member of several survivor groups, Reedus has shown that he is capable of character growth. Hopefully, this continues with his planned spin-off show.