Appears In: TV Show Cause Of Death: Shot By The Governor We first meet Merle early on in the TV show when protagonist Rick Grimes encounters him among another group of ragtag survivors. He makes it blatantly clear he is a bad 'un from the moment his presence graces the screen and not a tear is shed when he is left handcuffed to the roof of a building by the group. But this is not where Merle meets his end. A man of true grit, Merle successfully amputates his hand - and subsequently fits it with a gangster shiv - setting himself free and somehow making his way from a horde of oncoming walkers. His fate is unknown for some time until we meet him again in season 3. Throughout the season we see a more interesting development with his character as he is torn between the safety offered by brutal dictator The Governor and the more moralistic but shaky security his little brother and fan favorite Daryl has found. The viewer's sympathy is slowly ratcheted up throughout the season before The Governor goes predictably insane and shoots the other half of the Dixon brothers after finally deciding where his loyalty lies - with his brother. Why It's So Brutal What makes his death all the more affecting is when he is found by Daryl who is now turned and feasting on a fellow human. The shock and horror in Daryl's reaction is an incredibly heart wrenching moment and gives us a window into just how traumatic it would have to be to witness one of your close ones become one of the undead, something the show only delves into with thankful rarity.
