‘The Walking Dead’: Heartbreaking Foreshadowing Teased Daryl as a Dad

The Walking Dead 902, ‘The Bridge,’ seemed to have hinted at uncle Daryl (Norman Reedus) later [...]

The Walking Dead 902, 'The Bridge,' seemed to have hinted at uncle Daryl (Norman Reedus) later acting as a father figure to Judith Grimes after her father (Andrew Lincoln) is out of the picture.

When helping construct the new bridge that will link all five communities, Aaron (Ross Marquand) dished on messy life as a father to Gracie, the young orphan girl who Rick rescued from a Savior outpost last season.

Aaron told Daryl "you'll see," halting Daryl in his tracks and earning a look that read "bullshit." Without a word, Daryl went back to hammering.

"What?" Aaron pressed, innocently. "You'd be a great dad."

Daryl blew it off with a sarcastic "yeah," the kind of c'mon Daryl gives when he thinks he's being bullshitted. While the long loveless Daryl isn't expected to start sowing oats anytime soon, he could step up in a big way when Judith loses her father.

Characteristically aloof because of his traumatic past and abusive history, Daryl has famously had a soft spot for kids: he took on an uncle-like role with Rick's son, Carl (Chandler Riggs), and tended to a just-born Judith in Season Three when he lovingly nicknamed the baby "Lil' Ass Kicker."

Rick's lover Michonne (Danai Gurira) and Judith have already mutually embraced one another as mother-daughter, but Daryl could take on more of a father-like role with Judith when she's out of a dad — despite the currently strained relationship between the two men.

While Daryl Dixon star Norman Reedus has shut down rumors he'll be replacing Rick Grimes once Andrew Lincoln has exited the series, showrunner Angela Kang previously explained the introverted archer will be looked to more and more in Rick's absence.

"It's part of his arc for the season, as people look to him more and more as a leader in certain situations. It's something he struggles with, because he doesn't feel like he's a person who likes to give speeches. He's a person who likes to be out there on the road, in action," Kang told Rotten Tomatoes.

"But that in and of itself is a different type of leadership. He's going to find what it is that he's comfortable with and go forward with that."

Kang added Daryl is "growing up," having become more confident in the 18-month span since the end of the war.

"I think part of the evolution of his character is he is not a man of many words usually, but across time he has built these very close relationships with certain characters who he's very loyal to," she said.

"Daryl and Rick look at each other like brothers. That can be a complicated relationship, but he is developing ways of being more open about what he feels. That's part of his growth as a character."

The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9/8c on AMC.

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