Summary
- Daryl from
The Walking Dead
series ends up in France after being a prisoner on a ship transporting walker test subjects. - Daryl remains in France for Season 2, not wanting to abandon Laurent like his father did him and his grandfather did his dad.
- Daryl might stay in France despite wanting to return to the U.S., but it’s almost a certainty that he will reunite with Carol, who has gone looking for him and may learn that Rick is still alive, well, and back home.
As a long-time fan of The Walking Dead, I must say that Daryl Dixon’s journey has been nothing short of captivating. His character has evolved from a troubled loner to a selfless leader, and his storyline in the spin-off series, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, is no exception.
One of three spin-offs from “The Walking Dead” that premiered after the original series ended is titled “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon.” This series also includes “The Walking Dead: Dead City” and “The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live.” Focusing on beloved characters Daryl Dixon (played by Norman Reedus) and, starting in Season 2, Carol Peletier (Melissa McBride), this post-apocalyptic horror drama offers a fresh setting. Unlike previous scenes of “The Walking Dead,” the show is set in Paris, France – a significant distance from where Daryl was last seen on the original series.
Prior to the debut of the series in September 2023, a burning curiosity among fans was about how Daryl ended up in France. Given that air travel wasn’t an option, the most plausible answer was by sea. And indeed, that’s how he arrived, but what really intrigues fans now is why he went there.
Daryl’s Journey From America to France
Previously on The Walking Dead, Daryl roamed from one community to another living as a wandering nomad. He often embarked on solo missions but always came back. In the series The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, we find him already settling in France, with details of his journey being gradually revealed.
At the finale of the initial episode, viewers find Daryl confined as a captive on a vessel moving walkers from the United States for experimental purposes. Despite his predicament, he sparks a rebellion, combats back, annihilates the research, and escapes. This action sets the stage for their pursuit of him, leading to his flight and arrival at a convent, which was subsequently assaulted. However, viewers remain uncertain about why he was aboard that ship with the test subjects initially. The only clue he gives Isabelle (played by Clémence Poésy), the kind nun who rescued him and nursed him, is that he arrived there following a string of unfortunate choices.
Fans don’t understand the full situation until Episode 5. During one of his numerous expeditions, Daryl stumbles upon Maine, New England – a 13-day walk from Virginia, where other colonies reside. Traveling by motorcycle is faster, which is usually how Daryl gets around.
Indeed, that’s how he traveled there, as he’s seen working for a group capturing walkers in exchange for fuel to get back home. He contacts Carol to check in, and her voice is heard on the other end of a radio, but their call is muffled and cut short. Daryl witnesses a bully named Juno (John Ales) murder a young man in cold blood and then try to cover it up. Daryl had been mentoring the young man who was just trying to get back to his family, and he was outraged that the man’s life was cut short.
As a die-hard movie buff, I found myself in quite a pickle after my impulsive outburst landed me and Juno on board a vessel named “Pouvoir.” Sailing aimlessly into the unknown, this ship became our temporary prison with no chance of escape for yours truly. After enduring the long voyage, we hatched a daring plan to break free from these confines. I faked throwing up to be let out of my cell, then swiftly overpowered the guard and unleashed all the walkers. Unfortunately, Juno was caught by one before I could intervene, leaving her at the mercy of the ravenous horde. To prevent joining her as walker chow, I leaped off the ship just as a section of it blew apart. Assuming that I had made it close enough to shore by then, I managed to float or swim to safety with whatever flotation device was available, eventually washing ashore.
Is Daryl Still in France, And Will He Stay?
At the end of the first season, Daryl succeeds in his mission of getting Laurent (Louis Puech Scigliuzzi) to a safe zone known as The Nest, which, as it turns out, is Mont-Saint-Michel, a tidal island and mainland community in Normandy. Daryl settles in and is welcomed by the leader to stay permanently. But eventually, he starts to miss home. He decides to leave and says his goodbyes.
On his way to board a friend’s boat for travel, Daryl pauses and stumbles upon a cemetery. He becomes anxious in his search until he locates his grandfather’s grave. Memories of his grandfather going off to war flood him, as well as the distressing sentiment that he might be abandoning Laurent like his father abandoned him (and his grandfather abandoned his father).
At a time when he’s deeply emotional, Laurent emerges atop a mountain. A young lad trails him, yearning to persuade Daryl to remain. Simultaneously, a horde of walkers approaches menacingly. Daryl offers a faint smile. In the sneak peek for Season 2, it’s apparent that Daryl will continue residing with Isabelle, Laurent, and the group, as hinted in the trailer. Isabelle discusses with him how new surroundings can alter one’s viewpoint, but Daryl also suggests to Laurent that they might be heading to America. “I’m unsure if this is where I belong,” Daryl muses, “contemplating all those I left behind, questioning if they still think of me.”
In the aftermath of the final episode’s post-credits scene, simultaneously, Carol embarks on a journey to Maine – a location where she believes Daryl might be. As he hasn’t contacted her for an extended period, her concern is growing. Her knack for problem-solving uncovers intelligence suggesting he was boarded onto a ship destined for France. A fresh character emerges to aid Carol in her quest. He poses a question about sacrificing everything for someone she hasn’t met yet. “If there’s a chance they’re still alive,” she replies, “yes.” This individual seems to possess a plane, and as it lands, presumably in France, Carol is visibly eager to create chaos against anyone obstructing her path. The finale hints at an emotional reunion with Carol approaching Daryl, who has his back turned towards her, leaving little room for doubt.
Despite learning that Carol had traveled a great distance to reach him, will Daryl choose to remain in France? This is because when Daryl communicates with Carol over the radio in Episode 5, she mentions someone has returned. Given the timeline, it’s suspected that she could be referring to Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne (Danai Gurira), who, if they had returned, would likely prompt Daryl to hurry back home immediately.
The finale of this season, and potentially the upcoming third one, might offer a long-awaited reunion between the estranged buddies in the show. Daryl’s demeanor drastically changed after he believed Rick had perished. Discovering that his brother-in-arms is still alive may evoke the deepest emotional responses ever seen from Daryl. Given Norman Reedus’ claim that the Season 2 finale of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon was “the best one-hour Walking Deadever,” fans are optimistic about this possibility.
But even if Daryl makes it back home, he’ll likely come with others in tow. He probably won’t stay long, but he will revel in the knowledge that he’s loved and thought about and his friends, new and old, are okay. Regardless of what happens in the future, how and why Daryl arrived in France is not nearly as important as what happens while he’s there. Stream The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Season 1 on Netflix and stream Season 2 on AMC+ starting September 29, 2024.
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2024-08-25 23:01