This article contains spoilers for the finale of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Season 2.

After the recent conclusion of Daryl Dixon Season 2, fans of the expansive horror franchise will have to wait until the second season of Dead City, set to be released in Spring 2025. Both of these spin-offs in The Walking Dead series have satisfied fans’ need for the post-apocalyptic world to expand with fresh and exciting plots. However, the conclusion of this season of Daryl Dixon was not nearly as thrilling as viewers witnessed in the first season’s finale, lessening the hype of the next installment.

Unfortunately, Daryl Dixon Season 2 continued the unpopular trope of killing off new characters, including Daryl’s ally from the beginning, Isabelle, and the overarching villain, Genet. These deaths felt like a way to propel the spin-off into its next storyline, featuring Daryl and Carol as a dynamic duo in an unknown part of the world. Though this decision can still work for the upcoming plot, another major storyline choice has viewers unnerved. As they await the London journey promised in Season 3, fans are left not knowing the outcome of Laurent’s arc, who has been a key character in Daryl Dixon since it premiered.

Daryl Dixon Season 2 Had a Predictable Ending

There have been many epic conclusions to The Walking Dead seasons over the years, but the finale of this spin-off season was predictable and heavily hinted at. In Daryl Dixon Season 2, Episode 6, “Au Revoir Les Infants,” audiences finally learn what comes of Pouvoir and Losang’s efforts to hunt down Laurent and prove he’s destined to end the infectious disease that turns people into zombies. To no one’s shock, they did not get to experiment on the boy and have a walker bite him. Instead, Ash and Laurent take off on the plane, foiling the villain’s plan to utilize the supposedly special child. Though Losang and his allies could still be potential enemies later on in the plot, losing access to Laurent is likely a way of ending this group’s storyline for the foreseeable future.

This was obviously a way for Daryl Dixon to start a fresh storyline. Though many expected the fight against Losang and the remnants of Pouvoir’s leadership to be an action-packed finale, this was only half of the last episode of Season 2. Afterward, Daryl and Carol begin their journey to London with Codron and their new allies. During a near-death experience in The Channel Tunnel between France and England, Daryl and Carol go off on their own, leaving the fate of Codron unknown. There were a few great and impactful scenes in this second half, but this conclusion was not nearly as thrilling as expected from such a suspenseful spin-off.

Since fans learned that Melissa McBride would reprise her role as Carol in this spin-off, viewers began speculating that there would be a major change in the Daryl Dixon plot. Though Daryl went back and forth between wanting to go home and remain in France, killing off his love interest Isabelle and sending Laurent to the United States establishes that the overall goal of the upcoming storyline will be these two long-time friends fighting to survive while they find a way back home. Carol’s inclusion in the spin-off has been positively received, but the changes made to accommodate her character leave some other storylines up in the air.

Laurent Has Been a Key Character From the Beginning

This long-awaited Daryl and Carol reunion was undoubtedly a heartwarming aspect of Daryl Dixon, but these long-running Walking Dead characters cannot overshadow the focus of the first two seasons of the series. Though the show began with Daryl trapped in France and yearning to go home, it was quickly made clear that Laurent and Isabelle would forever change his perspective. Even after the demise of Isabelle, Laurent continued to be a major focal point. It seems the creators have swept his storyline to the side in favor of a Carol and Daryl journey, but that doesn’t mean the previous plot will cease to have an influence on the spin-off.

It seems unlikely at this time that Pouvoir will continue to be the major overarching villain in Daryl Dixon. However, Laurent is now a key character in the widespread Walking Dead Universe. In the first season, Daryl was quickly interested in protecting the young boy, disregarding his supposedly divine purpose while accepting that the child is special for his thoughtful, kind demeanor. In this recently concluded season, the boy takes on even more importance, with the villains trying to utilize him to prove he is immune to walker bites and, therefore, destined to save the human race. While viewers can assume (or hope) Laurent is safe with Ash in the United States, the conclusion of Season 2 left his plot unsatisfying.

Just as viewers enjoyed watching young characters like Carl and Judith Grimes grow up and grow into their unique personalities and perspectives, they will be eager to see how Laurent’s life will continue after evading death in France and suffering so much loss before traveling to an unfamiliar country. The Walking Dead has a bad habit of shelving young characters in favor of older survivors. In Laurent’s case, leaving his storyline where it ended in Season 2 would be a major issue for the overall franchise. Given his unique history and exceptional storyline, Laurent’s character arc has the potential to add a wholly unique perspective to the post-apocalyptic world.

Laurent’s Appearance In Season 3 Seems Unlikely

Despite the vast importance of Laurent’s character in the last two seasons of Daryl Dixon, it is unlikely viewers will get any more of his storyline in Season 3. After Daryl says farewell to France and travels to London with Carol, the ending to Season 2 strongly suggests the focus will be on them exploring England and continuing to fight their way back to the U.S. Though fans can hope that they get glimpses of Laurent’s journey to the Commonwealth and his new life in another country, the short runtime of each season of this spin-off makes it seem as though the show will not have the time to focus on two different narratives.

While viewers say goodbye to Laurent’s character for the time being, that also solidifies the ending of Ash’s storyline for the time being. Therefore, these two characters leaving the show in favor of the other two long-running Walking Dead characters is a piled-on tragedy. While Ash had limited screen time in Season 2, with his purpose being bringing Carol to France and then removing Laurent from danger, he quickly became a fan-favorite Daryl Dixon personality. Aside from the horrific backstory of losing a child, which allowed Carol to manipulate him into the scheme to recover Daryl, Ash’s bold, independent, and caring personality made for a well-balanced, likable survivor.

The Walking Dead franchise has many positive and well-received tropes, but it has a few unpopular, reoccurring ones, including killing off new characters to keep long-running ones alive. Though the creators of Daryl Dixon chose to keep Laurent and Ash alive in the Season 2 finale, this conclusion feels similar to killing them off. Just like the deceased survivors that are introduced and quickly killed off, shelving these two lovable people to focus on two characters with immense plot armor is a major flaw in the spin-off. The series has the promise to further the revolutionary period of the Walking Dead spin-offs but risks a stagnant and predictable continuation of the franchise without fresh and intriguing apocalyptic survivors.

This Direction Is Leading to a Packed Reunion

There’s no doubt that many fans of Daryl Dixon were disappointed about the outcome of Season 2, which felt like a jarring and unfulfilling transition into another plot. On the other hand, the spin-off still has the potential to continue to capture the attention of the dedicated fanbase. One aspect of the upcoming Daryl Dixon Season 3 will be the change of scenery, expanding the growing world of the undead. Seeing the post-apocalyptic London of this world should be just as thrilling and ominous as the destructive scenery of France in the last two seasons. Though the creators will have to do something exceptional to keep viewers engaged on a journey with two characters they know thoroughly, this London excursion carries a similar promise as Daryl experiencing France for the first time.

In addition to the promise of Daryl Dixon Season 3, this spin-off has been building up to a reunion fans have been eager to witness since the conclusion of the flagship series. As the show continues to reiterate Daryl’s desire to go back home to the Commonwealth and his loved ones, it also gives long-time fans hope that this beloved character will finally get some highly-anticipated reunions with old allies. There’s no foreseeable conclusion to Daryl Dixon’s storyline that would be satisfactory if he doesn’t reunite with his beloved friend, Rick Grimes. This reunion will certainly lead to others, including Daryl, reuniting with Judith and R.J. Grimes. Assuming Laurent makes it safely to the Commonwealth, the next time he sees his savior will be when Daryl makes it back home.

So, there’s a positive perspective viewers can take when considering the unremarkable conclusion to Laurent’s storyline. They are left wondering about the boy’s safety and continuation in the franchise. However, the plot of Daryl Dixon has the groundwork to have a well-rounded feeling. With Laurent in the U.S., Daryl is no longer struggling with his decision to stay in Europe or return home. By placing his newest loved one in the Commonwealth, the spin-off can conclude by having the hero achieve his initial goal of fighting the living and dead in Europe to return to his people and community.