Norman Reedus made it clear, if The Walking Dead producers ever asked him to do this, he’d burn the building, and the fans would probably help.

The Walking Dead has given us plenty of reasons to gasp, yell at our screens, and occasionally throw a pillow in frustration. From shocking deaths to zombie-infested chaos, the show thrives on keeping fans on their toes. But there’s one constant that has kept viewers coming back, no matter how many walkers or beloved characters bite the dust, Daryl Dixon.

Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon in The Walking Dead | Credits: AMC+

Norman Reedus has been a fan favorite since the show’s early days, and his portrayal of Daryl is as essential to The Walking Dead as, well, the actual walking dead. But what would drive such a beloved character to burn down the building? Let’s find out.

The one thing that will drive Norman Reedus to burn down the building

Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon in The Walking Dead | Credits: AMC+

Imagine The Walking Dead without Daryl Dixon. No, really, try to picture it. It’s like trying to imagine peanut butter without jelly, Batman without Alfred, or a zombie apocalypse where everyone actually makes smart survival choices. It just doesn’t work.

Norman Reedus isn’t just an actor on the show, he’s practically The Walking Dead’s beating heart. Fans have been attached to Daryl since day one, and for good reason. He’s the ultimate survivor, gritty, resourceful, and about as comfortable showing emotions as a zombie is at a vegetarian buffet.

Reedus has built an entire empire around his character’s appeal, from fan conventions to spin-offs. The Walking Dead universe knows that losing him would be like throwing gasoline on their own franchise, and not in a cool, explosion-filled, action-movie way.

That’s why Reedus said on Conan O’Brien’s talk show that if they ever told him Daryl was being killed off, he’d burn the whole building down. You can almost hear the producers nervously laughing while double-checking the fire extinguishers.

Norman Reedus’ Daryl Dixon went from lone wolf to fan favorite on The Walking Dead

Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon in The Walking Dead | Credits: AMC+

Daryl Dixon wasn’t even supposed to be a major player, in fact, he wasn’t even a part of Robert Kirkman’s comic book series. He was originally created as a supporting character, but Norman Reedus brought so much grit and charm that fans demanded more.

And more they got. From his rough-around-the-edges beginning as Merle’s squirrel-hunting little brother to becoming Rick Grimes’ right-hand man, Daryl has had one of the most incredible arcs on the show.

He’s gone from loner to leader, from emotionally closed-off to someone who will literally cry over a dog and let’s be honest, we all cried too. He’s wielded a crossbow with the kind of accuracy that makes video game players jealous, and he’s given us some of the most memorable scenes in the series, granted, half of them are just grunts and meaningful stares, but still.

Through betrayals, walker attacks, and losses that would make most people curl up in a fetal position, Daryl keeps going. And as long as Daryl keeps going, so does The Walking Dead. Reedus knows it, the fans know it, and deep down, the producers know it too.

Although he made his exit from The Walking Dead for now, he has his own spin-off, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon. This is probably why, despite all the twists and turns, they’ve never been reckless enough to hand Norman Reedus a last-episode script. Because if they did, well… let’s just say the biggest fire on set wouldn’t be a controlled explosion.

The Walking Dead can be streamed on Netflix.