He was bound, gagged and all black and blue. The most loved Daryl Dixon is seen bloodied and bruised in the first exclusive photo published by Entertainment Weekly, giving fans a sneak peek of the upcoming popular AMC zombie drama.

But are fans ready to see him dead this season?

“If Daryl dies, we riot,” was the reverberating message of the fans to the show’s creators should the sexy, crossbow-wielding member of the gang of the hit TV series be off this season.

Like Us on Facebook

Was ‘Walking Dead’ creator, Robert Kirkman kidding when he said that he was ready to “off” Merle’s brother in the AMC series? In an interview with Entertainment Weekly Radio, SiriusXM, channel 105 in June 2014, Kirkman described what to expect in the premiere episode of TWD, ending it with Darly Dixon, played by Norman Reedus, getting off this season.

“In our premiere episode of season 5 we’re going to give a ton of answers of who the people of Terminus are, what they’re doing, why they’re doing it, what’s going on with them. And by the end of that episode you’re going to have a much better understanding of what’s going on with them and why they’re so important to the show. Oh, and Daryl dies,” Kirkman was quoted as saying during the interview by Entertainment Weekly.

The creators have not exactly ruled out Daryl leaving the show this season, and if they do, expect legions of fans to cause an uproar. Daryl was one very visible character in the last two seasons of TWD with Rick Grimes and Co. Fans have fallen in love with the sexy demeanor Daryl has represented on the zombie drama - - who was more of action than talk. He has been a dependable member of the TWD survivor and his friends in the series look to him when things go wrong - -even if he had tried countless times to avoid them.

He pushed his friends away throughout the series. He called Carol Peletier (Melissa McBride) and Lori Grimes (Sarah Wayne Callies) names when they asked him for help when he was suffering from the loss of brother Merle Dixon (Michael Rooker). But no matter how he tried to play stubborn and angry, he would manage to win them back (as well as his fans) as his character exudes a sexy, man of action.

Is Daryl’s time on “The Walking Dead” over? Are the show’s creators ready to face a tussle among Daryl’s fans?

The long journey to Terminus has ended and the gang of survivors in TWD was last seen being hostaged in an old empty train car. It will be recalled that Rick and Daryl did not enter Terminus as trusting as Maggie Greene (Lauren Cohan) and Glenn Rhee (Steven Yeun). The duo entered through the backdoor, surprising the leaders of Terminus with guns pointed at them.

No precautionary measures had prepared Rick and Daryl as they were led to a train car where the rest of their friends were already being kept. In the first still released by Entertainment Weekly showing Daryl gagged and bloodied, it is presumed that the cannibal residents of Terminus are putting Daryl Dixon in danger.

Was Daryl at his best again trying to save his friends? Will he survive the group of cannibals out to get him and TWD survivors?

Keep your fingers crossed TWD fans and click Daryl Dixon in full view as he was being gagged and bound in the first TWD still photo released by AMC, published exclusively by Entertainment Weekly.

Video/YouTube

TagsWalking Dead Season 5, Daryl Dixon