'The Walking Dead' Season 8: Norman Reedus Teases Rick vs. Daryl
The Walking Dead could be headed towards a schism between brothers in arms Rick Grimes (Andrew [...]
The Walking Dead could be headed towards a schism between brothers in arms Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus).
Spoilers for The Walking Dead 8x03.
During an appearance on The Walking Dead live after show Talking Dead, Reedus hinted at a growing tension between Rick and Daryl, who stepped off the reservation twice this episode. Asked by host Chris Hardwick about Rick's more diplomatic handling of Saviors, Reedus says Rick's right hand man won't be following the Alexandria leader exactly to the letter.
"Following another one of Rick's great plans… you know, nothing for nothing, I know he's trying really hard," Reedus said. "But it's a complicated plan, and we're trying to stick to it as much as we can, but Daryl's gone a little bit rogue."
"Is there a conflict between Rick and Daryl now, then?" Hardwick asked.
"There might be one coming," Reedus answered with a laugh. "It looks like there could be something happening. But you know, we're still brothers and we're still on the same team, but the stakes are higher right now."
Following Rick and Daryl's botched siege on a Savior compound said to be holding a cache of guns, the pair are shot at by Savior Todd (played by Lee Norris, who first popped up in last week's episode).
"I tell you what," says Rick, "we'll make you a deal. You drop your gun and come on out, tell us what we need to know. Do that, you can take the car and go. You live. How about it?"
"Why should I trust you?" Todd asks.
"'Cause I'm giving you my word," Rick says, sincere. "There's not a lot that's worth much these days. But a man's word... it's gotta mean something, right?"
Todd, convinced, shows himself, hands up. He says the guns were here, but they aren't anymore — they were moved to another outpost west of here. "Can I go?"
Daryl shoots Todd in the head.
It's the second time in the episode Daryl stepped up to kill a Savior that Rick tried to reason with: while an unhinged Morales held Rick at gunpoint, Daryl shot Morales with his crossbow. Morales was one of the survivors from the original Atlanta group that first brought Rick and Daryl together, a fact of complete insignificance to Daryl.
"I know who it was," Daryl tells a surprised Rick. "Don't matter. Not one little bit."
Season 7 saw Daryl's capture and torture at the hands of the Saviors, paving the way for season 8's vengeful Daryl.
"He's just got revenge on his mind this year," Reedus said. "He's ready to kill everybody, no matter what the group says, no matter what anybody says. He's just like, 'Nah, screw it. Everybody dies.' He's very focused on revenge."
With the united forces of the Alexandria, Hilltop and Kingdom communities, All Out War against Negan and the Saviors is fully underway — but Rick is trying to avoid killing, if it can be helped. As seen in episode 8x01, Rick wants Negan dead; everyone else under the bat-wielding ringleader has the option to surrender peacefully.
And as seen in their own concurrent adventures, Tara and Morgan are also struggling with the idea of taking Saviors alive instead of simply executing the bastards — meaning we could be headed towards a Team Family civil war.
The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9/8c on AMC.
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