The Walking Dead’s Daryl Dixon, a character who was not in the original comic book series by Robert Kirkman, has been a big hit on the AMC television series, and actor Norman Reedus’ portrayal of the rugged yet sensitive redneck makes all the ladies swoon.

We’ve seen Daryl go through a lot in the past four seasons, but unlike some other characters, the former bad boy has yet to make a love connection. Matter of fact, he hasn’t had a single hook-up that we know of in all this time, but there could be a simple reason for this — Daryl might be gay.

Kirkman recently tackled the subject of Daryl’s sexuality in a question put to him in the letter column of The Walking Dead #130, the most recent issue of the Image Comics series. Apparently, the possibility of Daryl being gay has been considered.

Here’s Kirkman’s response (via ComicBook.com):

But, would AMC go for making Daryl gay? Kirkman thinks so. “For the record, they absolutely would,” he said.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm………….

We know AMC doesn’t mind lesbians in The Walking Dead, since they’ve had gay female couples, and in the post-apocalyptic world, you’re going to tell me not one of those male survivors is gay? This group has been together for a while now and let’s just tell it like it is — Daryl could have any of those women he wants, amirite? Beth, Carol, you name it. Yet, the closest Daryl ever got to anyone physically was to Bob, and that was when he was insanely pissed off.

Just look at the photo here below — look how CLOSE Daryl is to Bob.

Now, I know this is a TV show and there’s writers pulling the strings on these characters and it’s ludicrous to even think that this group of people could survive as long as they have by eating squirrels, berries and/or expired packaged foods, all while fighting against hungry zombies and illnesses and crazy neighbors. But, let’s get real: There is no way that these people would not all just be having sex with each other, regardless of sexuality — meaning, even if Daryl were gay, desperate times call for desperate measures, so he’d be getting his kicks from someone. Even if you look beyond the sex, I think these people would crave more intimacy than they are shown to on the series. But, perhaps Daryl just has some deep-rooted issues, maybe he’s buried his true sexuality for so long he wouldn’t even know how to express it now. Imagine what would have happened to someone of his upbringing with a son of a bitch brother like Merle if he had come out as gay. But even so, this is a post-apocalypse setting – I would think by now the cards would be on the table and Daryl would have hooked up with someone – anyone! – just to at least get his rocks off, if not to form a committed relationship.

I think the people behind The Walking Dead know that they have a real gem in the Daryl character and Norman Reedus’ tortured soul yet dead sexy portrayal of him. Women go crazy for Daryl and I think it’s clear that none of the existing female characters are in the same league as him. His only true potential love interest right now is Beth, but she’s still so young (although, again, post-apocalypse, time to grow up!!!). So, it’s either Daryl stays celibate (boring!); he hooks up with one of the existing female characters (again, boring!); a new female character is introduced who’s as dead sexy as Daryl (but what are the odds some supermodel has survived this long?), OR, dun-dun-duuuun, Daryl gets a boyfriend. And if he does get a boyfriend, that man’s gotta be someone as equally hot as him or I think the internet will go insane.

Ooh, this could be fun — who’d make a good boyfriend for Daryl? My first thought was True Blood‘s Joe Manganiello. Oh, yeah……….. Ok, that’s it, I don’t have a second thought. Let’s just stay on that first one.

What do you think? Will Daryl turn out to be gay? If so, who will be his love interest?

The Walking Dead returns to AMC for Season 5 starting October 12, 2014.

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