Walking Dead TV show, after Morgan (Lennie James) made the transition in the beginning of season 4.
Dwight exited The Walking Dead after the battle with Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and the Saviors at the end of season 8. His departure wasn’t his own choice, as he was exiled by Daryl (Norman Reedus) for all the terrible things he did as a Savior. So Dwight dedicated himself to finding his wife, Sherry (Christine Evangelista), who disappeared some time before. And all of this brought him to Fear the Walking Dead, where he encountered John (Garrett Dillahunt) and June (Jenna Elfman). After John agreed to help Dwight find Sherry, Dwight reunited with Morgan and became a member of the group. Since then, Dwight has contributed a great deal to the group and their mission. He also played a big role in the conflict with Virginia (Colby Minifie) and the Pioneers.
Fear the Walking Dead did a lot with Dwight in season 5, and even made him one of the show’s most interesting characters. Furthermore, the series succeeded in greatly improving on what The Walking Dead built with him. With Dwight, the main series created a compelling villain full of flaws. Dwight was a man who did what he felt was necessary for both his own survival and for the sake his wife. He loyally served Negan, tormented Daryl, and killed innocent people. When he switched sides, he remained the same person, but his motivation became revenge against Negan (not redemption). When he ed Fear the Walking Dead, he seemed at first like an odd fit, given the group’s altruistic mission and Dwight’s villainous tendencies - but things changed.
On Fear the Walking Dead, Dwight evolved in a way that felt meaningful and organic. It didn’t in any way feel like the series was forcibly molding him into something that wasn’t true to his character. He started down this new road when he met John for the first time. John – more so than Morgan – was the perfect person to send Dwight in a new direction. John's honesty, sincerity, and eagerness to help Dwight find Sherry really surprised him. He couldn’t believe that John would be willing to do this for him, and get nothing in return. Dwight soon found himself surrounded by people who shared John’s mindset. In the presence of Morgan’s group, Dwight found acceptance, which is something that he didn’t have during his short time with Rick and the others. Being with these people had a transformative effect on him.
The impact they had on Dwight was demonstrated on several occasions, such as the time when Dwight spared one of Logan’s men and when Dwight quickly forgave John for lying to him about Sherry’s message. Also, Fear the Walking Dead did more than just align Dwight with the goals of Morgan’s group. It also told a meaningful story about his quest to find Sherry. Instead of reuniting them, season 5 took Dwight on a journey that saw him put aside his search to focus on helping people. It was an important step for his character. Looking at how much the show developed Dwight in season 5, it’s worth wondering what stories Fear the Walking Dead season 6 will have in store for him when it brings Sherry into the fold.