The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon finally premieres on September 10, vowing to show audiences an entirely new perspective on the zombie apocalypse. A spinoff of The Walking Dead, the new series follows Norman Reedus's beloved character as he navigates the dangers of a post-apocalyptic France.
Daryl will encounter plenty of new friends and allies on his new journey, but few could ever really compare to the survivor's allies from the original series. Over the course of his long tenure on The Walking Dead, Daryl formed several tremendous relationships that affected him greatly.
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10 Merle Dixon
Michael Rooker portrayed Merle Dixon, Daryl's brother, in the first three seasons of The Walking Dead. The two very rarely saw eye-to-eye and even temporarily ended up on opposite sides of the war with the Governor. Ultimately, Merle met his tragic end in a duel with the villain, who shot him to death, leaving Daryl to find his brother's reanimated corpse.
As toxic as their relationship could be at times, Daryl and Merle truly loved one another and would have fought to the end side-by-side if given the opportunity. Despite Merle's death early in the apocalypse, Daryl learned quite a bit from his older brother, including all the things that he didn't want to be.
9 Rosita Espinosa
Rosita Espinosa, portrayed by Christian Serratos, is one of the main survivors in The Walking Dead. She and Daryl first met at the end of Season 4 when they were both captured by the cannibals at Terminus. The two would continue to embark on many missions together until Rosita's tragic death by a walker bite in the series finale.
As unlikely as their friendship seemed, Rosita and Daryl ended up growing quite close, especially in the last several seasons of The Walking Dead. They served together as Commonwealth law enforcement agents, eventually unraveling the truth about Pamela Milton and her corrupt regime. In their shared storylines, Daryl and Rosita learned that they weren't quite as different as they might have guessed.
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8 Beth Greene
Daryl Dixon became extremely close with Beth Greene in Season 4 of The Walking Dead. Emily Kinney's character found herself on the run with Daryl after the prison was destroyed, leaving the two to bond on their own. While a truly memorable relationship was formed between the two, The Walking Dead memorably killed Beth Greene in its fifth season.
Daryl and Beth made for one of the most surprising pairings in The Walking Dead--and one of the most compelling. Each of the two very different characters managed to bring out sides in the other that audiences had never seen before, complimenting one another perfectly. What the two might have become if given more time together will always haunt longtime fans of the post-apocalyptic series.
7 Maggie Greene
Lauren Cohan portrays Maggie Greene-Rhee in The Walking Dead. She and Daryl first come across one another when Rick's group comes to live on the Greene Family Farm while searching for Sofia Peletier. Since then, Maggie and Daryl fostered a memorable friendship that spans the entirety of the series.
Daryl and Maggie had a special bond, as two of the longest-lasting characters in the entire series. The two survivors shared many of the same strengths and weaknesses, including a predilection to kill anyone who gets in their way. Daryl and Maggie only got closer after Glenn's death, as they mourned his loss together.
6 Connie
Lauren Ridloff portrays Connie, a survivor whose group finds its way to Alexandria several years after Rick Grimes's disappearance. Connie and Daryl immediately discovered a connection in their interactions, though time and circ*mstance often kept them apart.
Some of Daryl's best episodes in The Walking Dead have come from his team-ups with Connie. Around her, Daryl takes on an entirely new dimension as a character, showing his compassion and care for others. The two form a particularly compelling bond over their three seasons together, one which will hopefully extend into Daryl's new spinoff series.
5 Judith Grimes
Judith Grimes, portrayed by Cailey Fleming, is the young daughter of Rick and Lori. After Rick's disappearance and Michonne's departure, Daryl became the de facto guardian for Judith and her younger brother, RJ, looking after them for the remainder of The Walking Dead's initial run.
While Daryl could be viewed as a parental figure for Judith, he was also very much her friend. Even when everyone else left, Daryl was always there for her, right from the day she was born. It was he who helped introduce Judith to both the horrors and beauties of the new world, showing her that there is more to life than fighting to survive.
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4 Michonne
Dania Gurira portrays Michonne, a powerful warrior who joins Daryl's group of survivors in Season 3 of The Walking Dead. Daryl and Michonne fought side-by-side in many different conflicts, including against the Governor, the Saviors, and the Whisperers. The two eventually parted ways, however, after Michonne set off in search of Rick in Season 10.
Daryl and Michonne influenced each other greatly during their time together, bonding as warriors. However, they truly became close after their shared trauma in facing an army of children commanded by a figure from Michonne's past. From that moment on, Michonne and Daryl understood each other in a way that no other characters ever could.
3 Glenn Rhee
Steven Yeun portrays Glenn Rhee, one of the original survivors in The Walking Dead. He and Daryl may not have gotten off on the right foot but eventually grew to be great friends over the years. Tragically, Glenn ends up beaten to death by Negan in retaliation against Daryl's insubordination in the infamous Season 7 premiere.
Daryl and Glenn were together from the very beginning of the outbreak, standing side-by-side as two of Rick's most trusted lieutenants. Their friendship went through its highs and lows, as all do, but the two characters always retained a profound love for one another. As a result, the guilt that Daryl felt for Glenn's death nearly broke him, as he realized the horrifying consequences of his own actions.
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2 Rick Grimes
Rick Grimes was the protagonist of The Walking Dead for its first nine seasons, leading the group through various harrowing events. Portrayed by Andrew Lincoln, Rick was the first person to see potential in Daryl, making him his right-hand man. However, Daryl and Rick eventually were separated after the latter was abducted by the mysterious CRM.
Daryl and Rick were far more than just friends--they were brothers. While they had their spots, each would have given his life for the other in a heartbeat if given the opportunity. Rick's disappearance was a heavy weight on Daryl for years, as the man he respected the most in the world seemed gone forever. However, the two brothers could still meet again when The Walking Dead series inevitably all cross over someday.
1 Carol Peletier
Carol Peletier, played by Melissa McBride, is one of the original survivors on The Walking Dead, who transformed from a fearful and timid housewife to one of the greatest warriors in the apocalypse. She and Daryl grew very close over the years and, while they had their ups and downs, considered themselves to be best friends.
By the end of The Walking Dead, Daryl and Carol were the only two characters from the show's first season who were still around. As a result, the two share a bond that can't be surpassed by any other character in the series. Even through their many spats, Daryl and Carol have simply been through too much together to not consider one another family. Even when everyone else was gone, Daryl and Carol were the ones who stuck around.
