The Walking Dead: Is Daryl Dixon a Virgin?

Daryl Dixon has never had a romantic relationship on-screen in over six seasons of The Walking Dead. Is this because the show’s biggest badass is actually a virgin?

Will Daryl Dixon ever find himself a romantic partner?

Fans of The Walking Dead have been wondering this ever since the show’s first season. He is named by millions of women (and men) who watch the series as its most attractive character. So why is it he hasn’t hooked up with anyone yet?

It’s not like Daryl has not had opportunities. Carol’s practically been trying for years, flirting with him every chance she gets. He spent a lot of alone time with Beth Greene and the two bonded pretty well— but no romance between them actually blossomed. And that’s not even including any number of potential partners from the prison or Alexandria.

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A while back, there were rumors that Daryl is actually homosexual. For what it’s worth, Norman Reedus said he would totally embrace this and rock the part well if the writers took Daryl in this direction. However, Robert Kirkman himself later confirmed that Daryl is not gay. I get that, as there is another popular character currently on the cast who might be revealed to be gay soon (as he is in the comic books).

So if Daryl’s not waiting for the right man, then evidently he’s just very shy with women. Beth in particular showed us just how hard a girl has to chip away at Daryl just to have him open up a tiny bit. The question is, why is he so afraid to get close to a woman?

Here’s the answer— Daryl Dixon is a virgin. Years ago, Reedus mentioned that he plays Daryl as if he is a “total virgin”. I think there was more truth in the actor’s comments than he realized. I believe that this provides a perfect explanation for his behavior with women.

Think about it. Daryl is obviously a loner who grew up in a broken, abusive home. He wouldn’t have been bringing girls home to the train wreck he lived in. He lived a sheltered life growing up and developed a shy personality. As he got older, I bet he spent more time in the woods than he did in the club. If he finished high school, I highly doubt he ever went to college. Where the hell was he supposed to meet anyone?

The Daryl character is likely in his mid 40s. At this point in his life, he is totally expected to have lost his virginity. Haven’t you seen The Forty Year Old Virgin? It’s humiliating for a man this far in life to admit to never touching any genitals beyond his own. In that movie, Steve Carell completely avoids talking about sex to hide his virginity. Notice how Daryl totally stays away from this topic as well.

I’m not saying he’s never been tempted. He is a man, and a human being, after all. Those thoughts probably pass through his head sometimes. But to act on them would be to admit to the woman that he’s never done it before. And for an alpha male like Daryl, who prides himself on his toughness, that can be a really hard thing to do.

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However, nothing is confirmed. At this point, Daryl’s sexuality is still very much a mystery on the show. But I don’t think that he’s gay, or that he’s avoiding relationships for some other fantastical reason. I say it’s as simple as the fact that TV’s biggest badass is a 40+ year old virgin.

And he just might die one if that’s who Negan chooses to kill when The Walking Dead returns on October 23.

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