The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Season 1 Finale Delivers the Moment We’ve All Been Waiting For
Charlie Mason
Editor
Those of you who have been following a certain behind-the-scenes saga can probably guess the moment to which the headline refers. As for the rest of you, let’s review the big twists of plot in the Season 1 finale of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon before we get to that eagerly anticipated, if thoroughly spoiled, reveal.
‘I AIN’T GONNA DIE IN HERE’ | Picking up where the penultimate episode left off (read the recap here), “Coming Home” starts with Daryl defeating the hyperactive walker that Genet intended to kill him. Next, she has “the American” chained to Quinn to fight not one but five coked-up walkers. Oops, make that four. One’s head explodes as soon as it is shot full of uppers. No, on second thought, make that three. Another walker has its head ripped open by its undead teammate. “There is still work to be done,” Genet’s scientist nervously remarks. No kidding. In the end, Daryl and Quinn emerge victorious, with the former playing to the crowd by holding up a severed walker head.
Fed up, Genet orders Daryl and Quinn executed on the spot. Luckily, Fallou, Sylvie and Emile are able to intervene and save them. On the run in Maison Mére, Daryl discovers that Quinn has been bitten. He can still help Isabelle and Laurent, though, Daryl tells him. How? By letting Daryl hack off Quinn’s arm, thereby unchaining them from each other, and attacking the guards that are giving pursuit. Painful as it is, the plan works, and Daryl is able to locate Isabelle and Laurent… just in time for a reanimated Quinn to attack. Faced with the option of killing his newfound father or letting Isabelle die, Laurent dispatches Quinn.
‘SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO DO HORRIBLE THINGS’ | Finally, Daryl, Isabelle, Laurent and Sylvie take off for the Nest. (Though Sylvie has fallen for Emile, she leaves him behind to go where she’s most needed.) When the group’s jeep breaks down, Codron catches up to them. “God loves you,” Laurent tells the Guerrier. And whad’ya know? He finds himself unable to shoot the kid. Instead, he guns down all of the other Guerriers. He doesn’t even exact his revenge on Daryl. “Next time,” Codron warns.
Once the foursome reaches the Nest — and what a spectacular piece of real estate it is, too — it becomes pretty clear that Daryl and Isabelle have come down with “feelings.” Neither cops to them, however. At most, Isa challenges Daryl about the fact that he cares for Laurent and it scares him — so much so that he leaves Episode 1’s Rubik’s cube for the boy while he’s sleeping and takes off to catch the first ship bound for Newfoundland. Mind you, every step of the way, Daryl is clearly torn. By the time Laurent reveals that he’s followed Daryl, just as the ship is nearing shore, it’s pretty clear that he’s not going anywhere.
‘I LEARNED WHICH EYES TELL THE TRUTH AND WHICH LIE’ | Returning to Genet having failed to “execute” her orders, Cordon weaves a tall tale that she doesn’t buy for an instant. After confessing that he couldn’t kill the child, Codron lies that he has no idea where the Nest is. (Cue the torture in three, two… ) Finally, outside of Freeport, Maine, a ruffian tooling around on Daryl’s bike makes the mistake of underestimating Carol — yes, Carol, in the flesh! Before he knows what’s hit him, he’s locked in her car trunk, and she’s off to investigate the guys with whom he supposedly traded for Daryl’s bike.
So, what did you think of Carol’s return? The Season 1 finale? The season as a whole? Assign grades in the polls below, then read what EP David Zabel has to say about Season 2 here.
Welp, that was a thoroughly exciting season finale, although I was expecting an extended finale. I loved the arena fighting in the beginning. I was even concerned for Daryl for a bit, even though I knew they wouldn’t dare kill Daryl. Those amped-up walkers are scary as heck. It was gruesome to have Quinn’s hand hacked off, but it had to be done to save Daryl and thus, help Daryl get to Isa and Laurant. Speaking of saving, I didn’t expecting Cordon to let them go once he caught up with them. Good on him. The Nest was a beautiful bit of scenery. I’m not buying any romantic feelings between Daryl and Isa, but I do see a bond between Daryl and Laurant. Daryl is a good father-figure to Laurant. Must have been a difficult decision to leave him behind, but Laurant didn’t stay behind for long. I liked the ending. Carol returns! I am psyched for Season 2.
I enjoyed the season and look forward to the next season, particularly now that we know Carol will be back. However, and I know this will be an unpopular opinion, but I just find Laurent so annoying and really don’t understand what people see in him that is so special. I know he has been sheltered, but he is old enough that he he should be a less helpless and selfish. Daryl has a soft-spot for kids so I can see him connecting with him, but I just wish I could find anything appealing enough in Laurent to get why Daryl would abandon his people for him.
Jane, you are not alone. Laurent is a really irritating kid & frankly the last person I’d see as some sort of Messiah. As you said, he is selfish & acts helpless beyond his age. He’s been catered to all his life & cares nothing for anyone else’s needs or desires. And Daryl seems to have put this kid in front of Judith ( & RJ, but esp. Judith) who he promised to protect & care for. Laurent has Aunt Isabel & all those true believers at the Nest – Judith is looking out for herself & her little brother in the Commonwealth & likely feeling abandoned once again. No choice at all, imo. Look at all the death & disruption that Laurent has caused because of his selfish determination not to let Daryl go! Yet I’ve not seen any remorse from him at all. TWD universe seems to have made it a plot point in their spin off shows particularly to feature annoying selfish thoughtless kids – all who are old enough to know better, esp. in the world they live in – who exist to derail the progress of the protagonists at every turn. Some may find this touching, but I find it exasperating & unrealistic. Looking forward to seeing lots of Carol next season, & as little of Laurent as possible.
Pretty sure in the radio communication Carol said Rick came back, so no worries about Judith. It’s why Carol could go after Daryl as well.
What a great season finale and a great season overall. I’ll be honest I didn’t have high hopes that Daryl could be a character to carry a show alone but I was so wrong. His character has built upon and gained some depth and the change in scenery has really given new life to a 10+ year old series. And the cherry on top – Carol!
Yep. It was a great season. Those who left the mothership because of Negan should give the Daryl Dixon spinoff a shot. It brought new life to the overall series. Plus – you get more Daryl (and soon… more Carol!).
Daryl was never my fave but this show has really good writing. i freakin miss Carol tho so i cant waitA
Fabulous show!!! Just so well written and love the character growth. I was kinda rooting for Quinn to survive! Laurant is a bit annoying but he was SO sheltered by the nuns. I think he’s grown up some by the finale. Love that Carol is back!! Should be interesting to see how she gets to France! Can’wait to see her & Genet butt heads!! I have to say that the way this show is shot is AMAZING….so incredibly beautiful and full of history….just WOW! Ready for season 2!!
Speaking of beauty and history, I have loved seeing the many locations in France. That scenery of The Nest was beyond beautiful. How fitting that the location would be Le Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy and that Daryl would finally be reunited with his grandfather, who died at the Battle of Normandy. That was very poignant.
Poignant, yes, but also very predictable & unbelievable.
But I agree re: the beauty of the sites we’ve been treated to – The Nest in particular was breathtaking.
How has Laurent grown up?? At the end he once again ruined Daryl’s chance to get back to America! He’s as immature, entitled & selfish as ever. He wasn’t just sheltered – he was spoiled & raised to believe that he’s the Chosen One come to save humanity & therefore he must always get whatever he wants, whatever the cost to anyone else. I really dislike this character.
I love, love, love the continuing saga. Please don’t stop. I am a super fan.
Someone please explain why the French had to get American people and American walkers. Were there no closer supplies of lives and corpses? Couldn’t they have gone to Belgium? Or if they had to go over water, isn’t the UK wayyy closer? How much fuel did that ship take? This was never explained very well.
I thought about that as well – my guess is because Europe is smaller in population than the US the supply was less? Or Europe could have had a more aggressive approach to the initial apocalypse and thus less to choose from? What I still don’t understand is the purpose of a super walker? Maybe we’ll know more next season?
A lot of people have mentioned (thru out the season) why did Genet get walkers and people from the U.S. I think that maybe it’s because the walkers in the U.S. are “pure”…..not infected with whatever most of the walkers in France have (the burning, the veins, harder to kill) and probably most of the walkers in Europe are the same. U.S. walkers are “normal” still and they want those kind to experiment on. As for the people they took-those folks were simply food for the walkers (feed and don’t feed signs) and probably for experiments on the way back to France. I don’t think they took people for any other real reason-mainly food. Just my thoughts! Of course it to get Daryl to France!
That’s been my complaint. Especially the ship 12 years into the apocalypse.
And this is why TV shows should have limited number of episodes. The storyline was cohesive enough and told what needed to be told. If season 2 has the same number of episodes or add one or two for Carol, I’m down and I hope the show continues to somewhat revive the Walking Dead franchise.
The French artistic influence on the show really improved it!
This is a step above Dead City to me. The location alone is stunning. Add in Carol to the mix and you got a worthwhile season 2.
I really struggled with Codron’s decision to shoot his men. This character has been hell-bent on revenge for his brother since the day we met him. A weird kid says “God loves you” and he has a complete change of heart/character? I watched on dvr and actually thought I had missed a scene…I reversed, but, nope, it really was that sudden.
Other than that, an excellent episode!
Wonder why Daryl has never told him that he didn’t kill the brother? Cordon probably wouldn’t believe it, but he’s seen enough of Daryl & how he operates to know that it would make little sense for Daryl to lie about it.
I need to know what happened to Daryl’s dog.
Bah! Unreal! Codron NOT shooting Daryl at least? For killing his brother? When he’s had this murderous revenge all season? Puhleez. And Isabelle NOT GETTING BITTEN BY QUINN during that LONGGGG confrontation? Zombies are QUICK to bite and the way Quinn was lunging and “missing” was laughable. All to give Laurent “time” to vacillate on whether he would kill his father to save Izzy. It was laughable. And I was sooooo annoyed at that ending! Laurent on the hilltop, really? Surrounded by zombies? Calling Daryl’s name? I wanted Daryl to get on that boat, dammit!! I can’t stand the kid, sorry.