‘The Walking Dead’s Austin Amelio on What’s Next for Dwight

Austin Amelio, who played reformed Savior Dwight on The Walking Dead, believes his being spared [...]

Austin Amelio, who played reformed Savior Dwight on The Walking Dead, believes his being spared and subsequently exiled by Daryl (Norman Reedus) has only strengthened Dwight's resolve to find missing wife Sherry (Christine Evangelista).

"I'm going to find Sherry. I'm alive," Amelio said during the Saviors panel at Walker Stalker Con Atlanta. "He's not killing me. We'll see what happens."

Dwight "got put through the ringer," Amelio noted when asked if banishment was deserved despite Dwight putting himself in harm's way when acting as a mole leaking information to Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and the coalition to help defeat Savior leader Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan).

"I think he's paid his dues at this point. I think it's fair," Amelio said. "He hates Negan, he loves his wife... he's gonna go find his wife."

He was last seen discovering a note penned by the long-disappeared Sherry, reading simply "honeymoon," a letter Dwight reacted to with a knowing smile. As for life as a solo survivor with a mission, Amelio said, "I think he's got it. He's not afraid of killing people and can handle life on his own."

When appearing at Salt Lake City's FanX convention last month, Amelio said Dwight following his comic book trajectory and taking over as leader of the Saviors at the withering Sanctuary would be "a nice cherry on top."

"I really like that," Amelio said of a potential Walking Dead return. "I'm f—king ready, man."

The Sanctuary has seen a revolving door of leadership over the course of the 18-month time jump separating seasons eight and nine: Daryl acted as overseer before telling Rick he was leaving his post, arguing the Saviors should be left to stand — or fall — on their own.

Best friend Carol (Melissa McBride) then took over as interim leader, a position she will also next abandon.

Amelio said Dwight's main mission is to find Sherry, but he now wants to put "some good back in the world, too, whatever that means," Amelio told ComicBook.com.

"I don't know. No one tells me sh-t. I think there is more than just the Sherry road but I think that is definitely really important to his storyline."

19 months have now passed on The Walking Dead since Dwight's exile, and not so much as a whisper of his name suggests he may have moved on from the area.

Dwight's mission seeking both his wife and his redemption could put him on the path towards joining spinoff Fear the Walking Dead, where he would join Morgan (Lennie James), who has since established a mini-community whose entire purpose is to put good into the world and provide help to needy strangers.

When speaking at San Diego Comic-Con in July, Walking Dead chief content officer and Fear executive producer Scott Gimple said the lengthy time jump "does not" rule out future crossovers between the two series, hinting at future character mixing.

"I wouldn't expect it all the time. Things could happen," Gimple said. "You never know who might pop up on Fear the Walking Dead. That includes The Walking Dead and potentially people in the past from Fear the Walking Dead."

The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9/8c on AMC. Fear returns with its fifth season in 2019.

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