The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon episode 5 introduces a surprising twist that could pave the way for Rick Grimes’ comeback. Rick’s return to the franchise has been confirmed, but the details of his appearance in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live and his potential reunion with his friends are still unknown.
Rick is expected to encounter at least one character from The Walking Dead (Michonne) in The Ones Who Live. However, the fate of his other relationships is uncertain. It would make sense for the franchise to explore Rick’s reunion with his children and former allies like Daryl and Carol. Daryl has been searching for Rick without success, but his quest may finally yield some results in Daryl Dixon episode 5.
1. Who Came Back in Daryl Dixon?
The static interfered with the message, but Carol’s voice could be heard informing Daryl that someone “came back.” The show deliberately made the name unintelligible and cut off their conversation, leaving Daryl without an answer when he inquired, “who came back?”
The episode did not offer any clues to this mystery, but it was clear who the viewers were supposed to speculate. Among the characters missing from Alexandria, Rick Grimes was the most prominent. He was the object of Daryl’s search after the bridge explosion, and Daryl had vowed to Judith that he would bring her father back.
However, Rick was not the only possibility for this hint. Another option was Michonne, who departed to look for him in season 10. It was feasible that Michonne visited Alexandria before the events of their joint spinoff, The One Who Live. She had been gone for a long time, and could decide to see her children before resuming her quest to find Rick.
Another option was Heath, a confirmed captive of the CRM and a character who vanished in season 7. Heath did not have a long presence for his return to have much significance to Daryl, but his link to the CRM, and consequently, Rick Grimes, would make his appearance in Alexandria noteworthy for Daryl.
Finally, there was Fear the Walking Dead’s Morgan, who might be heading back to Alexandria now that he was searching for Rick. However, he did not have a strong relationship with Daryl, which is why a mention of him would seem irrelevant.
2. Carol May Have Hinted at Rick’s Return
Carol’s behavior during her conversation with Daryl indicated that something was happening in Alexandria that she was hesitant to disclose. Her evasiveness suggested that it involved news that would shock or divert Daryl.
Rick’s unexpected return after being absent for more than a decade would certainly fit that criterion. The same would apply if it was Michonne who returned, as that would also relate to Rick’s Walking Dead story in some way. Either way, it was likely that things were not as “quiet” in Alexandria as Carol implied.
3. Why Rick Grimes Could Be Back in Alexandria
The possibility of Rick Grimes returning to Alexandria despite his involvement with the CRM in The Ones Who Live added to the surprise of Daryl Dixon’s episode 5 tease. Rick’s desire to reunite with his family and friends in Alexandria was understandable, as that may have been his objective all along, but the CRM had prevented him from doing so. This was evident when he was shown unable to escape from their grasp in The Walking Dead series finale.
Besides seeing his loved ones, he might have another motivation for going back. A more urgent reason could be the danger posed by the CRM. It would be inconsistent with Rick’s character to involve them in his conflict and expose them to harm, but that might be a risk Rick would take if Alexandria was already on their radar. The CRM had potential Lance Hornsby connections, so there was at least a possibility that the CRM had targeted them over what happened to Lance in season 11. If so, Rick could be trying to warn them of the impending threat that was approaching their doorstep.
4. Rick’s Return Complicates the Timeline
Rick’s reunion with many of his friends from The Walking Dead would be thrilling, but it would also complicate the Walking Dead timeline. Firstly, The Walking Dead: Dead City occurs after the events of Daryl Dixon, meaning that any significant events should have been mentioned in Maggie and Negan’s spinoff.
Naturally, Rick’s return would be too important to overlook; it would be difficult to imagine the former leader of the main group rejoining them without being referenced by either Negan or Maggie. This also applies to whatever issue Carol was alluding to in episode 5.
5. About The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon is an American post-apocalyptic horror drama television series created by David Zabel for AMC, based on The Walking Dead character of the same name. It is the fifth spin-off and overall sixth television series in The Walking Dead franchise, sharing continuity with the other series, and set after the conclusion of the original The Walking Dead television series.
Norman Reedus reprises his role as Daryl Dixon from the original television series, alongside Clémence Poésy, Louis Puech Scigliuzzi, Laïka Blanc-Francard, Anne Charrier, Romain Levi and Adam Nagaitis playing new characters.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon premiered on September 10, 2023, and will consist of six episodes. In July 2023, ahead of the first season’s release, the series was renewed for a second season.
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