Dale Horvath (TV Series)


 * For the comic book character, see Dale Horvath (Comic Series).

Dale Horvath was an elderly man who was a member of the Atlanta survivor group. During his time in the group, he was extremely concerned over Andrea's well-being and found himself at odds with the group's second in command, Shane Walsh.

Overview
Dale's age, calm experience, and RV provide the nucleus around which the small community of survivors has formed. He is wise, sometimes profound and is the respected elder of the group, though is also rather feisty, not afraid to speak his mind and call others out for mistakes in judgment.

Over time he, Andrea and Amy form their own little family unit and he finds spending time with them has helped bring him back to life in a way he never anticipated. Dale is a fairly self-sufficient man, and ever watchful of the changing dynamics among the survivor community.

Pre-Apocalypse
Dale was married to a woman named Erma for years. Early in their marriage, they had attempted to have a baby, but it ultimately miscarried, which led them to not try again. At some point later, she had developed cancer. Despite Dale bringing her to several doctors, she had already accepted the disease and her eventual death, much to his dismay. Once he retired from his job, he planned to take his wife traveling with him across the country in a new RV he bought, but she died before that could happen.

Her death brought him into a great depression and he found himself not caring about anyone around him. He decided to take his RV and do the trip alone. When the outbreak began, he first encountered Andrea and Amy in distress, and the three of them soon joined up with Shane's group and settled in a quarry on the outskirts of Atlanta. He cared increasingly for Andrea and Amy during their stay at the campsite, and used his RV as a type of "command post" for the group.

Days Gone Bye
Dale is first seen as Amy tries to respond to Rick Grimes' calls over the radio as he drives to Atlanta. He initially doubts that anyone could hear them but is then surprised (as well as relieved and excited) to hear a voice on the other line.

Guts
As Lori Grimes goes to pick berries and mushrooms in the forest, she has Dale watch over her son. Dale tells Lori to stay close within shouting distance as he is on lookout duty atop his RV. Later, he is fixing his RV with another survivor and tells Amy to relax when she worries about the others. He later receives T-Dog's radio call from Atlanta, learning of their troubled situation.

Tell It to the Frogs
When the other survivors return, he greets all of them back. He also introduces himself to Rick. Later that night, Rick sits around the fire and tells his story to the group and decide what to do about telling Daryl about his brother Merle. The next day, Dale strip Glenn's stolen car until he along with others find a walker eating a dead deer that wondered near by to the campsite. When Rick decided to go back to Atlanta for the Bag of guns and Merle, he asks Dale for tools, mainly a pair of bolt cutters to cut the chain and handcuffs to save Merle. Dale then continues to watch over the campsite on top of his RV.

Vatos
The next day he's on lookout duty and observes Andrea and Amy fishing on the lake. He then notices Jim strangely digging holes on the hillside. He decides to check up on Jim and offer him water, but Jim acts strange and refuses water, leaving Dale worried and confused. He returns to camp and alerts the other survivors about Jim's delirious behavior. Dale approaches Jim once again, with Shane Walsh, Lori, and several others. Lori explains that his actions are scaring some people and Shane tries to reason with Jim, in which he responds with hostility so Shane detains him. Later that evening, Dale finds Andrea in the RV looking for wrapping paper for Amy's birthday gift, in which he responds that he doesn't have any, but will try to look for something as a substitute. That night, during the fish feast, he enjoys the food and company of his friends. When asked about his watch and how he is always rewinding it, he speaks of time and recites a passage from the writer Faulkner. Moments later, the camp is attacked by zombies and he helps defend the remaining survivors.

Wildfire
The morning after the attack, he helps some of the other men burn, chop up, or bury the dead. He and everyone else is at a crosshairs when they learn that Jim has been bitten, and struggle to decide what has to be done with him. When they argue about granting the man's wish to be left to die, he notes specifically that this is what Jim wants and that his say is the only one that matters. He and the rest give their goodbyes to him and leave for the CDC.

TS-19
At the CDC, he's quick to ask questions, point out things, and argue with Dr. Jenner. He along with everyone else enjoys the various luxuries the building has to offer. He gets drunk with the other adults the first night they arrive, and later comforts Andrea as she throws up in her bathroom. He tries to convince her that they all can start to rebuild their lives here, but she responds by berating him about his nativety and obliviousness to the situation they're in, telling him that there's no hope left. This leaves him shocked, and at a loss for words.

As the building is about to explode, he tries to convince Andrea not to committ suicide along with Jacqui and Dr. Jenner, explaining that she gave him a reason to live after his wife died and that without her he would be lost. She refuses to leave, and so he sits down by her side, ready and willing to die with her. Not wanting Dale's blood on her hands, Andrea finally gives in and the two of them escape before the building blows up.

What Lies Ahead
Dale and Andrea's friendship is put into question when Dale refuses to give Andrea the gun her father gave her in fear of her possibly repeating her suicidal intentions she attempted at the CDC building at the end of Season 1. Dale implies he saved her life, and after a snappy remark from Andrea he claims he would just like some gratitude from her. This stirs up angry feelings in Andrea and causes her to reveal to Dale that after Amy died all she wanted to do was to stop living in the current apocalypse, and the only reason she decided to leave the building was because she did not want Dale's blood on her hands. She claims he "stole" her one escape from the supposed nightmare they are living, and that she was not his problem to worry about or take care of. This drives a wedge between the two.

Bloodletting
There is a small confrontation with Dale and T-Dog where they watch over the RV while the group is looking for Sophia. During this time T-Dog starts to get a fever and delirious from the cut he suffered on his arm prompting him to feel as if him and Dale are the "odd men out" in the group because Dale is old and 'weak' while T-Dog is the "only black man". He explains to Dale how he feels and implies they should take the RV and leave together, Dale, being the rational man he is, suspects something is wrong with T-Dog and feels his forehead realizing T-Dog has a severe fever, possibly due to infection, and attempts to take care of him.

Save the Last One
Dale finally hands Andrea her gun and tells her he acknowledges the decisions he made were not his to make, still fearing her suicidal tendencies he tells her not to make him regret giving her gun back. Dale then asks if she forgives him, Andrea responds by telling him she's trying to.

Cherokee Rose
Dale is obviously wary of Shane when Shane retells Otis's death by his facial reactions. He also helps with the well walker, saving T-Dog's life before he could drink the contaminated water.

Chupacabra
Dale brings the bag of guns to the group and distributes them among the group to help continue the search for Sophia. Jimmy attempts to grab one but Rick stops him due to his lack of training and using weapons. Later, Dale and Glenn have a talk about the women in the group about their behaviors lately and about Glenn's relationship with Maggie. Dale questions Glenn and asks "Did it ever occur to you how her father might feel about this?" but Glenn answered he just thought about the whole situation and the world being overrun by walkers. When Daryl comes back to the farm looking like a walker, Andrea prepares to shoot him but Dale tells her not to, not listening to Dale, Andrea shoots Daryl and injures him. Dale comforts her and tells her that everyone wanted to shoot Daryl at one point. Later he joins both groups of survivors for the well prepared dinner by the women.

Secrets
Dale and Glenn talk about things that have happened in the camp and Glenn reveals of Lori's pregnant state and Hershel's barn full of walkers. Dale confronts Hershel about the barn full of walkers but Hershel argues saying that the walkers are still people but Dale tries to make Hershel see what the walkers truely are but Hershel replies saying that his wife and step-son are in the barn and that Dale should keep quite about it. Back at the camp Dale talks with Lori about how his wife had miscarried and assures her that the baby can have good memories, but he sits in silence when Lori asks if he thinks her child could live a long life. Dale confronts Shane about the night Otis died and brings up Shane’s attempt on Rick. Dale tells him its time for him to leave because he knows who he really is, leading Shane to challenge Dale and threaten him.

Pretty Much Dead Already
At breakfast Dale signals Glenn to reveal about Hershel's barn full of walkers. At the barn dale tells Rick that Hershel sees the walkers as just sick. Dale also tells Rick that his wife and step-son are in the barn. Back at the RV, Andrea and Dale talk about Shane with Dale telling Andrea not to trust him and that she doesn’t really know him. Andrea asks him to stop worrying about her. As she leaves, Dale asks Glenn for water. With Glenn gone he takes the survivors weapons and sneaks away from the camp. While in the swamps, Dale is tracked down by Shane. Dale is in the process of hiding the guns from Shane when he is spotted. Shane confronts Dale and Dale asks if he’ll kill him like he did Otis. Shane says he wouldn’t waste his time as he’s already dead. Demanding the guns again, Shane tells Dale the only way he’ll stop him from taking the guns is if Dale shoots him with his rifle. Dale holds the gun on him, but can’t pull the trigger. In the end he returns the guns, but says that the new world deserves men like Shane and that he’d rather be who he was than a monster like Shane. Dale returns while the barn shooting is happening and stands there watching in horror of what Shane has done.

Nebraska
Dale is watching Shane from afar, Shane asks Dale what he has done to keep the camp safe but Dale sits in silence and then Shane says when he needs a radiator hose, he will go to Dale. After the funeral, Andrea and T-Dog pile corpses into Otis's truck, saying that Shane did what needed to be done. Dale protests, suggesting that a new problem with Hershel was created in the wake of resolving the safety concern of the barn walkers. Dale reveals to Lori that he believes Shane shot Otis and left him as bait to cover his escape, and that it's only a matter of time before he kills again.

Triggerfinger
Dale tells Andrea that Shane is dangerous and that Shane doesn't want Rick or Hershel to come back so he can be leader but Andrea doesn't believe him and walks off.

Judge, Jury, Executioner
Dale makes an impassioned plea to the group to spare Randall, and though he apparently fails, Rick decides not to kill Randall when he sees Carl watching.

Later, Dale is wandering around the farm at night before he is attacked by a zombie that Carl had seen earlier in the day and failed to tell anyone about. He is disemboweled by the zombies bony fingers and is in great pain when the others come to his aid. As Rick is unable, it is Daryl who shoots him as a mercy killing.

Killed Victims

 * Numerous counts of walkers

Trivia

 * Dale is referred to as "Old Man" by Daryl Dixon.
 * In his comic persona, Dale and Andrea had already been sharing an exclusively intimate relationship. In the show, Andrea is in fact resentful of Dale to the point she says she saved HIS life by leaving the CDC with him.
 * Dale and Shane have a particularly severe antagonism. This is worth noting, as Shane is seen as a torn leader like Rick by others and Dale can see through this(save possibly for Lori, definitely Rick who chooses not to admit it and Daryl Dixon to some degree). Several times has Dale been given reason not to trust or have ever liked him in the first place:
 * The knowledge Dale has of Shane holding Rick in his shotgun's sight during the episode "Wildfire", having witnessed the event first hand. This particularly proves to Dale that Shane is indeed capable of murder.
 * Shane clearly bullying others throughout his leadership to get results.
 * His clear jealousy for Andrea's desire to stick with Shane.
 * The fact Shane was going to kill Jenner in TS-19 when the man was the only one who could save the group from the building imploding.
 * Upon being threatened by Shane, Dale surmises Otis' fate with incredible accuracy down to rationalizing Shane sacrificed Otis in order to get away..
 * Dale clearly keeps faith in keeping up with the groups humanity as well as time itself as he continuously winds his watch.
 * Dale's death was ironic in the sense that after Rick spared the prisoner Randall's life as he had wished, he was killed before he found out.
 * It should be noted that Carl is indirectly responsible for Dale's death, as he had seen the walker who killed him earlier in the day and did not tell anyone in fear of getting into trouble.