07-22-2013, 02:15 PM
I don't think he was solely killed to give Daryl character development. Michael Rooker said that when he played that scene, he played it with the mindset that Merle knew he wasn't coming out. He let Michonne go, and did one last good deed by taking down as many of the governors men as possible. While I do think it will affect Daryl, I don't think it will be huge. The characters are becoming stronger each season as the world they know vanishes around them.