It may not mean much to those who haven’t read Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead comic series, but AMC has now confirmed the identity of the male character introduced in last Sunday night’s episode played by Austin Amelio. The character, who wasn’t named in the episode, is indeed Dwight, as we suggested in this week’s recap.
https://twitter.com/WalkingDead_AMC/status/667034055679037440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Comic readers also understand why this is a big deal.
It appears as though Sunday night’s episode provided something of an origins story that wasn’t in the comics for the two major characteristics of Dwight (COMIC SPOILERS HEREON OUT): He wields a signature crossbow, and half of his face has been burned with an iron.
As for that signature crossbow, thanks to last Sunday night’s episode, we now know how he got it: He stole it from Daryl.
However, while Dwight in the television series didn’t have half of his face burnt, Sunday night’s episode may provide the reason for why he eventually will. He escaped Negan and the Saviors with Honey, who I believe to be one of Negan’s wives (there is no character by the name of Honey in the comics). If that’s the case, when Dwight returns to his colony, Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) has plenty of reason to punish him. He may do so by disfiguring his face.
Of course, comics readers also know that Dwight is instrumental in the death of a major The Walking Dead character, so it’s not just Glenn whose life is in immediate danger this season.
According to a now-deleted tweet from Austin Amelio, who plays Dwight, it may be a while before we see him again. He said in the tweet that he wouldn’t arrive until the end of season six.
