4 Reasons Daryl’s Love Interest on ‘The Walking Dead’ Doesn’t Make Sense
Opinion
[WARNING: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for The Walking Dead Season 10, Episode 18, “Find Me.”]
Put pictures of all the main adult characters from The Walking Dead on a board, throw a dart, and chances are you’ll hit someone Daryl’s (Norman Reedus) been ‘shipped with. As TWD’s ever-eligible bachelor, fans love the connection between him and Carol (Melissa McBride), see something going on with Connie (Lauren Ridloff), and saw some kind of chemistry as well with Aaron (Ross Marquand), although it was eventually confirmed that Daryl isn’t gay.
One thing that’s been clear: Romance does not come easily to Daryl.
In light of that, the March 7 episode, “Find Me,” and Daryl’s out-of-nowhere relationship — seen in flashback — with a woman named Leah (Lynn Collins) left us scratching our heads. Here’s why we’re just not feelin’ the love.
Eli Ade/AMC
The Romance Feels Rushed & Clichéd
Yes, Daryl and Leah got together over a period of years, in-story. But for viewers, this was a single episode, and it was supposed to answer a question building up for the better part of decade. The flirting by throwing fish at each other was cute enough, but other scenes were groan-worthy, like the “Oh no, there’s walkers, we’ll just have to huddle together for safety!”
Also, the story is bookended by Daryl and Carol’s story in the present day, leaving the new romance less than 20 minutes to develop. And Leah’s disappearance at the end of the episode is a barrier to developing the relationship further, which makes it hard to tell whether we should be yearning for them to get back together. And should Daryl find her again, will there be enough time to explore their connection?
The Carol & Connie Complication
Between Leah’s difficult past, her desire to isolate herself, and the loss of a child she loved, her backstory is similar to Carol’s — to the point where one wonders why the show didn’t just go the “Caryl” route several seasons ago.
Eli Ade/AMC
And what will the show do with Connie? Daryl keeps bringing her up and trying to find her, and they shared a bond before her disappearance. Why would the show would expend so much energy teasing a pairing if it never intended to follow through on it (same goes for Carol and Daryl). Right up until “Find Me,” the Daryl-romance situation felt like it had two ways to go: “Donnie” or “Caryl.” (Things could still change, of course, but it would be a twisty road.)
It Doesn’t Fit With Daryl’s Character
The Daryl-Leah romance throws a wrench into what’s been established about Daryl: Once he finds someone, she’ll be “The One.” Several interviews with Reedus have even implied that Daryl wouldn’t find love easily, but that once he did, it would be forever. In theory, that now eliminates potential relationships with Connie and Carol.
So, it seems that Leah should be the love of Daryl’s life. That’s a little difficult to swallow given he’s never even mentioned her. And for what it’s worth, we don’t love the ultimatum she delivered in her final scene with Daryl, which was to choose between her or continuing his search for Rick and spending time in Alexandria. If Leah cared for Daryl, wouldn’t she want him to see his family and try to find the man he referred to as his brother? It’s impossible to picture Connie or Carol demanding he make such a choice.
It Complicates His Future
Granted, Daryl’s love life isn’t likely to be a main focal point of the show — TWD is heading into the final big comic arc, the Commonwealth, and there’s plenty of non-romantic story to tell there. But it’s worth noting that Leah might show up at the community, if she’s not with CRM. A reunion with someone thought to be gone was a key aspect of that story in the comics, where Michonne (Danai Gurira) found her daughter.
Hopefully Daryl’s immediate next step is mending his relationship with Carol, which seems inevitable given that they’re going to have a spin-off show. It’s possible plans for Daryl’s character have changed over the years and he’d find love again after falling in love with Leah, or maybe when or if Leah shows up again, she’ll be a little more sympathetic.
Time will tell, but for now, we wishing there’s more to root for in Daryl’s first-ever romantic connection.
The Walking Dead, Sundays, 9/8c, AMC
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Most boring episode in the entire run of the series. TWD has jumped the shark
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Hate to break it to, but the show jumped the shark several years ago.
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I totally hope this is a set-up for him and Connie, in that he won’t want to lose her as he did Leah. I don’t think he can be shipped with Carol because I don’t see the chemistry anymore. And I also think they only mentioned the time lapse as a clue that Leah might have been pregnant. That and him finding Connie would be intriguing as to how they’ll tie it all up before the last curtain call.
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I just want Carol and Daryl to finally get together! That's all.
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Completely agree! It did not make sense and was so ooc for Daryl, it left me smh. The only true relationships he's ever had are with Rick and Carol. It would have been different had this taken place last season as an introductory. Daryl needs to mend his relationship with Carol, soon. They've always been each other's boo.
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I found 2 immediate issues upon reading this that is taking up so much space in my head that both my dogs have been looking at me like I've hit my head as I was yelling at my phone like y'all could actually hear me. First, I think it's not so hard to swallow that Daryl would make no mention of Leah. I've always seen him as the type that if he'd allowed someone to get close to him just to be hurt by that person,.I see him pushing all that pain deep down and locking it away as if it never happened. Seems to me like that's very much a Daryl Dixonish way to process that pain and move on. Second and for me this is what I don't understand, I'm incredibly disappointed and shocked that the article makes mention of everyone that ever even minutely seemed worthy of a Dixon Romance, including Aaron, which I find a bit too far fetched especially to be mentioned with any seriousness, and yet not ONE WORD ABOUT BETH!? Quite possibly one of his most difficult losses and in my opinion one that having experienced and absolutely messed with his head AND his heart, losing her at all not too mention to do so in the manner he did has absolutely influenced and shaped him into the man he's become. I still haven't gotten over Beths demise... obviously I am a huge Emily Kinney fan. I threw my shoe at the tv watching her final scene. Still stings a bit...😞😉🤔
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Hi Angelique. I enjoyed your post. This is my first time watching TWD because the lockdown in Italy is nearly unbearable and TWD has been a welcome distraction.
Daryl Dixon, by far, is my favourite character. In my opinion, the reason Daryl never mentioned Leah, not even to his BFF Carol, is because he keeps his feelings inside, where no one can ever use them against him to hurt him or the one(s) he love(s). To this day, he remains an enigma, and that is part of his allure. Everyone wants to figure him out because it makes them comfortable.
One thing is certain, he is beloved. When Negan went to Alexandria and Rick asked for Daryl, I nearly cried.
When Rick and the crew showed up at Hilltop and he saw Daryl, I cried my eyes out. When Daryl gave Rick his gun, that he took off Fat Joey during his escape, the look on Rick's face made me cry even more.
Back to the character of Daryl, he is loyal, and he loves fiercely. The look on their faces, combined with the music, made me cry so much that my eyes were so red and puffy that my neighbors thought something was amiss in my household when I went out to check the mail.
I honestly thought he and Beth would have something. During their time in the cabin, they were building a foundation for something meaningful. I was shocked when she was killed. But if memory serves me correct, she died protecting someone who wasn't as fortunate as she'd been. Daryl is the same way.
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Ummm isn't Carol a mother figure to Daryl? Well that's how I see it plus isn't she older then Daryl?
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No she is not. And that assumption has circulated more times than we care to count. Unless perhaps you just started watching the series...
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The Leah thing is the dumbest thing ever
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The whispers were finally defeated, Maggie came back they All make it back to Alexandra to see it in shambles! Then 2 episodes Darryl and Amy helping Maggie relocate her son Herschel and friends only to find out way too soon another villain group the reapers! Way to soon can't we have 1 episode where the group reconnects helps rebuild Alexandra? Thought maybe. after they found Maggie's son and friends that would be the next episode but now a weird episode about another love interest of Darryl that as a fan I can't get interested in knowing the series is ending soon and Darryl and Carol are having a spin- off series. Also Everyone talks about who they want Darryl with! How about who Carol should be with!? I want Carol back with King Ezekiel!! How about that!!
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Who said Carol was reuniting with Ezekiel? You're blowing this way out of the water. Daryl should be with CAROL, bottom line. They should have been canon 2 seasons ago.
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Totally agree, MDC!!
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Completely believable that Daryl would only fall for someone who gave him that much space and time, and needed it herself. Carol is a great character, but she's pushy and far more verbal than is Daryl.
Also, great episode. People are ticked because of how much between the two happened offscreen, but that made sense. 6 months of no contact and saying nothing to each other while Drayl stares into a fire would have made for some incredibly boring TV.
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I wanted to see where things went with Connie. I dont like Carol she annoying. I think the chemistry between the two of them is off. Not like it was.
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BC Sasha hugged Tyrese any kinda the same way during that Terminus episode huh lol(pst thats a relative hug) Too bad theyre the same exact age too... kinda hard to have a son your own age imo but go ahead keep your dream
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They will either save it for the spin-off, or right at the end of the final season to encourage people to invest in the spinoff. I’ll bet any amount.
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I think Daryl should find Connie in adventure to look for Lear. But find Connie instead.
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I just prefer Daryl on his own 🤷♂️ one can be happy without a partner, jfc.
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I thought it was great. A beautiful and well written script.
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This confusion could be two fold...first, Daryl's so popular it's a way to alienate fans
Two, which I believe, is Scott M. Gimple pulling strings in the writers room...it was bad enough they tried to tell their story in just ONE EPISODE!
Then again, this tactic has been used before, these Dammm time jumps...losing interest, yes we fans are
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I mean I bought it, there was literally nothing wrong with it. The only problem for some might be that Daryl wasn’t with Carol, so yeah. I’m just gonna shut down all the false opinions I can find because to me it’s not all about the friggin’ fact that it wasn’t Carol it was more or less about a character that Daryl had ran into and basically the reason he regrets losing Connie and why he’s still angry at Carol. It’s not petty that he still is, Carol literally bombed the cave she was in so he thinks she’s dead, regardless of inserting a needless protagonist into the episode this season 10c is all bottle episodes, not necessarily a bad thing just don’t expect much beyond that because they’re pulling a TV standard fr the last part of Season 10 because this was literally never intended the only thing that made this inevitable was the fact that COVID-19 happened and it gave AMC enough reason to make 6 extra episodes. I am grateful they did that too because the wait was destroying my anticipation of this entire series. With my feelings for Fear the Walking Dead greatly exceeding my feelings for the original since we were actually getting that even when we sure as hell weren’t getting the main show. So to me this pumped up my opinion of Fear to a point where it doesn’t necessarily exceed my feelings for TWD yet, but it is making the cancellation of the TWD spin off that stars Daryl & Carol highly probable! But it’s not AMC’s Fault, you cannot and shall not blame the network
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The relationship has this mother-son, “move out of my basement already” feel. Never got the push for a anything more with these two.
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Sorry, but mother's and sons don't flirt with each other as Caryl has done numerous times in prior seasons. Unless this is an ageism thing.... which is downright revolting.
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I remember Carol asking Daryl if they wanted to fool around at the prison, and I didn't enjoy that b/c I always saw them as having a mother/favourite son type relationship.
Carol was great with Ezekiel, in my opinion, and I hope they will reunite.
So it has nothing to do with ageism, OrangeFlame, b/c I think Ezekiel is much younger than Carol. They seemed to fit. They seemed right. Like Yin and Yang.
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If they do get together, it would have to be the end all. Like forever. For me, it'd be like IT.
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It would have been more interesting if Leah was decent. I agree, if she "loved" Daryl, she would see that he yearned for his friends and therefore encourage him to find them or go with him. An ultimatum given out of desperation- an already losing battle. It's usually a sign of things coming to an end already, rather than a test of "loyalty". Even if she did truly love him she would have come through supportive-ly at the end rather than "let him go". Than again, I'm biased as Carol is apart of the OG family and family is everything. Romantic or not, Daryl and Carol should remain close until the end of whatever. As for the possible idea of a Negan/Maggie spin off, there seemed to be moments of actual attraction rather than hate (although those too) and that was bizarre. I think so much time has gone in WD world and in real life that it was easy to forget that he ended Glenn. If any type of bond or friendship can actually start to happen in a morally realistic manner, they could start with young Hershel. An extraordinary bond could develop for instance. Life for a life, can possibly fix this awkward side by side existence. Something needs to be returned to Maggie- is what I'm saying. He's on that path but imagine having to almost forgive someone- by allowing them to live in your presence after horrifically killing someone you love. That can't be just "dropped" or easily forgiven if they are to exist together.
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In the comics she was only 25 at the beginning of the series as for daryl he was a write in that became permanent. He is said to be in his early to mid 40's in the current season while Carol would then be around or near the same. She was speculated to have gotten grey hair prematurely from Ed's abuse which has given the character the perception of being a lot older then she actually is. they should be only between 0-10 years apart in the show
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Carol is awesome, dog is awesome. Daryl not so much. Leah was a joke, Connie is a friend. Daryl and Carol are the same age so yall need to stop esp since you could pack luggage in his under eye bags. Daryl is at fault for Rick, Abe and Glenn yet talks trash to Carol (he told them get her btw, she NEVER asked for none of their company) and he dont deserve Carol
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zeke gonna die this season lol not gonna happen for him
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no shes actually not ,its like 3 literally, and hate to tell ya, HE LOOKS WAYYY OLDER then her, puffy face, puffy hands and luggage for days under his eyes, that man looks every bit over 50
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Yall need to remember DARYL said get her- Carol didnt want none of their help, That cave is on Daryls ignorant ass, since he cant leave her alone to do her thing. By the way- Rick, Abraham, and Glenn were ALL on DARYL so maybe remember that before blaming OG
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Horrible why mess up a GOOD thing with Connie and Carol for Daryl
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No to Carol and Daryl. She’s too old for him. She’s getting too weird
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She’s 5 years older.
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They are the same age ,
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Carol and Daryl already!!!! So many years...put them in an intimate setting and see real fireworks!
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I loved this episode. I agree it seemed rushed, but the relationship was not "out of nowhere". Those paying attention would have noted that in Ep 10-06 Daryl told Carol that his feelings for Connie were not romantic. "It's not like that... not at all." Carol obviously made the connection that his heart was still with Leah when she said, "Years pass, Daryl, you can't hide out with her dog forever." I believe the so-called 'ultimatum' was giving Daryl a kick in the ass, choose a life and get on with it instead of spinning around on this hamster wheel searching for Rick. I sort of compared it to Daryl telling Carol, "you don't know when to stop".
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You guys just ship connie and daryl because shes a woman of color and never look beyond that. Leah is literally the same person as Darly. Wants to be isolated and alone, but yet loves hard.
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Not true about the woc thing. As a woc myself, Connie seems sweet and Daryl takes a shine to her because she understands when he needs to go and she goes with him when she knows he'll need her. She has a 6th sense that Daryl picks up on, and trusts. Maybe it has something to do with her deafness/"super power."
He really likes her. He learned sign language for her and he went out of his way to make her and her sister feel comfortable. He even lied for her when Magna stole supplies.
I see Carol as a mother figure to Daryl. That one time at the prison when she asked if they wanted to fool around was really weird for me. They work well in a
best pals or mother/favourite son relationship, IMO.
Hailey, if Connie were not a woc would you feel the same way?
May I ask why you think this has something to do with skin color? I'm really interested to know. Thanks in advance.
T
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