According to Comicbook.com, in The Walking Dead #130 creator Robert Kirkman was asked about Daryl’s sexuality and he answered, “All I can say is that it’s been discussed. We have very specific ideas about Daryl’s sexuality (or the seeming lack thereof), and if there’s ever a quiet period in the show where he’s not consistently distracted by crossbowing… we’ll tackle it in the show.” This doesn’t exactly confirm that Daryl’s gay, but doesn’t rule it out either
Of course the online comments have ranged from full support to fans threatening to quit watching the show. My opinion is that it shouldn’t matter. There’s been so much chatter about whether Daryl is going to have a love interest and fans wanting to see Daryl and Carol together, but I feel like this is probably people wanting to see some kind of happy ending. Guess what folks, this is the zombie apocalypse and there aren’t really any happy endings. If The Walking Dead was a sitcom then I could understand why people would want to see Daryl in a relationship, but it’s not. The dynamic between the group and their family-like relationship in their quest for survival is more compelling than a romantic relationship between Daryl and someone else. Daryl is so bad ass, he doesn’t need a relationship to make his storyline more compelling and the fans already love him so much they repeat the mantra “If Daryl dies we riot” online.
If Daryl is gay, it could give a new perspective on who his character is and could provide a different take on his relationship with his brother. It could add complexity to the show because it is set in the Deep South, a place that is notoriously conservative and although society no longer exists, the survivors still carry some of their attitudes and prejudices. It could also be a good way to break stereotypes about gays because he is such a bad ass character. It would make waves and be great for AMC’s marketing because while it could push some viewers away, it could also bring more in.
Don’t get me wrong, there are potential benefits for the show, but I just don’t think Daryl’s sexuality matters or, rather, that it should matter. There is no reason why him being gay would change who his character is in terms of what he is capable of. Daryl Dixon, as a character, has shown viewers what he is really made up of and that part’s not going to change. If they do reveal that Daryl is gay or not, I don’t care either way as long as he’s still the same Daryl and the story of the group’s survival is still compelling.