Warning: Spoilers for this week's Walking Dead episode, "The Cell," follow...
Ever since the end of the The Walking Dead's Season 6 episode "Always Accountable," Austin Amelio's Dwight has been an ongoing problem for Rick and his crew. This wannabe Daryl not only killed Denise in "Twice as Far," but he also wound up getting the drop on several major characters in "East."
In this week's episode, "The Cell," however, we were allowed a peak into Dwight's life as part of Negan's Saviors. As one of the top thugs in the Sanctuary, Dwight's creature comforts and new status came at a high price - a cost that transformed him into a more sympathetic character.
I had a chance to talk to Austin Amelio about this Dwight-heavy chapter, the parallels between his character and Daryl, and what it might take for Dwight to take a stand against Negan. Is he too far gone at this point, or will Daryl's strength inspire Dwight in ways he never anticipated?
IGN: Did you know that Dwight was going to have a showcase episode like "The Cell?"
Austin Amelio: I didn't. I mean, Scott [Gimple, showrunner] is very peculiar with the way he directs us and how he goes about telling us what's happening. He kind of alluded to things happening with Dwight. 'Oh, yeah. Dwight's gonna be a bigger part of the show.' But I didn't know I'd have this big of an episode. It's just really cool.
IGN: After your introduction back in "Always Accountable," you've only sort of popped up on the show sporadically and as a pretty hateable villain. Did you enjoy showing fans a different side of Dwight?
Amelio: It was fun being able to pop up every now and then, but I'm a lot more excited now. When I got the script for this week's episode it was a lot more meaty and there was a lot of depth to it, which was really exciting for me. We got to see Dwight different and look at him through the lens of 'Alright, we've got a lead Savior who's one of the top guys, but also he's this other guy who has some humanity in him.' Now we're getting a different view of him and he's become different on the show and I'm trying to place those choices correctly. It's fun to play with that.
IGN: Did you know why Dwight's face was burned back when you were having the makeup put on in Season 6?
Amelio: Yeah, Scott confirmed why. And I had also read the comics, so I was aware of what was happening.
IGN: How guilty is Dwight feeling at this point?
Amelio: A lot. He's totally gone against everything that he stood for in the beginning. I can tell you this much: he doesn't sleep well at night.
IGN: What's it like for Dwight, in this episode, to deal with two guys who refuse to comply to Negan's will? Whether it's Daryl or the guy Dwight went out to capture, Gordon? They're making a choice he couldn't make.
Amelio: It's emotionally taxing for him. Dwight prays at the altar of common sense now. So he's no longer this guy with a romanticized vision, he's now all about 'This is what I have to do in order to survive." And unfortunately, both of these jobs, these errands, are extremely taxing. And Dwight doesn't want to get killed or off upend his own life. They're two different jobs too. With Daryl, he knows Dwight from the beginning so looking at Daryl is a constant reminder of who Dwight was and how he had no clue as to how the world worked. Now Dwight's torturing this guy who won't break and is sticking with his morals and code. It sucks because Dwight has to go down there every day and torture a human being.
Dwight's also trying to give Daryl some options. It's almost compassionate. He's going "All you have to do is this, this, and this. If you don't say 'Negan,' you're gonna on the fence or you're gonna be a walker." So he is giving Daryl choices. When it comes to Gordon though, the acquaintance of Dwight's who ran, it totally sucks because it's similar to the route he took when he ran away from Negan. The question is "Are you better off in the Sanctuary or are you better off dead?" I feel like Dwight killing him was kind of like an act of mercy.
IGN: Do you think Dwight almost wishes someone would have killed him before he got recaptured?
Amelio: Yeah, it's definitely something he's thought about. I think so. As much as Dwight has a nice life -- well, not a nice life but he gets to make a nice sandwich -- he's still trapped in this world. There's a moment in this episode where he's looking at the walker on the pole, on the other side of the fence, kneeling up and down and he's questioning himself and thinking about his mortality. Does he want to be the walker on the other side of the fence who keeps kneeling up and down, or is he already that guy? What choices does he have to change the life he's living? It's deep, man.
IGN: Does Dwight have a breaking point? I mean, can he be pushed too far at this point?
Amelio: Yeah, I think he's definitely going to have to make some choices soon. I don't think he wants to accept his fate in the Sanctuary. I think he wants to make some bigger choices.
IGN: How would you describe Dwight's relationship with Negan right now?
Amelio: It's great working with Jeffrey [Dean Morgan]. He's so awesome. Negan though is totally different monster. It's like playing Russian Roulette when he comes up to you. It's like "Is he going to kill me or is he going offer up one of his wives?" I don't know what's going to happen. And for Dwight, he just has to sit there and swallow his pride. He can't just uppercut Negan right there or he's going to get the other side of his faced burned or something worse. Dwight and Negan, they have a very weird relationship. He's letting Dwight live a comfortable life, but at the same time Dwight's very much under his thumb and doesn't have much room to move.
IGN: In a perverse way, Dwight's tried to emulate Daryl, with the crossbow and the vest and such. What are some of the similarities between them?
Amelio: For one, they're both trying to stay alive for a greater thing. There's someone else involved, so to speak. There are some differences too. Dwight sold out and went against his code and his ethics and morals. Daryl's hanging in there so I think Dwight would like to be a little stronger in that sense. Also, looking into Daryl, when Dwight's torturing him it's kind of like seeing his past self. Because he was there.
IGN: Daryl didn't say much in this episode, but when he did speak he told Dwight that he understood why he surrendered to Negan. Do you think Dwight felt some relief in hearing that?
Amelio: One hundred percent. I mean, finally. It's not one of Dwight's friends or anything like that, but it's even better. Someone who's an enemy but he gets where Dwight's coming from. Daryl has been there for some very awkward situations between Dwight and Sherry and Negan and so he's getting an inside view of what I have to live with. So yeah, there was a bit of relief that someone finally understands where he's coming from.
Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association (TCA). Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at http://ift.tt/2aJ67FB.
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