Why I Love Daryl

Do you watch The Walking Dead? Do you have a favorite character? Do you have several? Are you like me and warn the show's writers and producers while you watch the episode that if they kill off So-and-So, that's it, you'll be done, and swear to hunt them down and force them to rewrite the episode???

I do. I have three. Well four. Okay five.

First Glenn and Maggie, I think of them more as a unit. Glenn for his just plain niceness, he was a good guy before, his is good guy after, he is reasonable, loving, guy. And Maggie, well, because she makes Glenn happy and loves him like we all do. And they found each other after all of this garbage happened and they are the hope that life can continue on even amongst all the craziness.

Second is Carol. Now she is a character that I sometimes struggle with, especially some of her tactics! But at the same time, she is a person who suffered through abuse before the zombie apocalypse, and now through all the crap that is going on in the world she has grown into this really strong woman that is solution minded. She sees what needs to be done, and not matter what it is or the cost, she gets it done. Her whole bad-A-ness is pretty awesome. Symbolic that what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger.

And along the same lines of Carol's bad-A-ness is Michonne. Oh my goodness, this chica. I want her on my apocalypse team as she sports a samurai sword and can take a walker's head off in one stroke. She is also solution minded, smart, but very compassionate and funny, and sticks to her moral code. She has more hope than the rest of the group that things might get better.

And then finally is Daryl. I LOVE DARYL the most.

No, it's not because he can rock the crossbow, though he does rock it. Better than anyone else in TV or movies.

 Not, it's not because he has this rugged biker vibe going on, even though, come on, it's attractive.

No, it's not because he has some pretty sweet arms, even though, oh man have you seen them???

No, it's not because he is an amazing tracker and can discern a person from a walker by the way a twig snaps in the woods.

No, none of those reasons, though great as they maybe, are why Daryl is my favorite.

Do you remember Daryl at the beginning of the series? He was almost the cliche hillbilly. Running his mouth in his ignorant arrogance. Didn't care about anyone expect his brother, who really only cared about himself. Shoot first and ask questions later. Trying to take advantage of other people, planning with his brother to rob the group they were with... Then collecting ears of walkers and wearing them as a necklace. It was really easy to not like him to begin with.

But then something happened. He decided to care about someone. Carol. And her daughter. When Sophie goes missing, he comforts Carol with a flower and spends his time looking for Sophie. And slowly he changes. He calms down, and becomes this steady, reliable person, trusted by the group, and pretty much second in command. And even when he finds his brother again, he just can't make himself abandon this group that has become his family. Rick calls Daryl his brother. And when Rick loses it completely, it's Daryl that is there for him. Daryl, who is now so rational, who is this still water that runs deep. And this season, you wouldn't even recognize him, because he is the one who is not only caring about his group, but wants to go out finding people to bring to the safe compound. He is the one who hopes to find good people out there still. He is the one whose judgement you can trust the most. He is the one who tries to help the strangers that captured and tied him up. He is the one who returned to those strangers to bring back the insulin they needed.

This is why I love Daryl, that when season after season we run into people who trying to survive have turned into the worst of monsters. Way more terrifying than the walkers. Here is a man that has gained more humanity and character in spite of the worst possible of circumstances. Daryl became a better man, when most are becoming animals. He gained more compassion, when most can't care in order to survive. When others crack, Daryl has forged a stronger person.

I LOVE DARYL!!!! So, writers...

                                                                                                                Figuratively of course.

Now... Daryl, go take a shower...