Unveiling the Untold Journey: Daryl Dixon's Epic Voyage to France in The Walking Dead

Warning: spoilers ahead for Daryl Dixon season 1.

Summary

Daryl Dixon embarks on a unique venture, shifting the setting from the United States to France, while his voyage to Europe remains an intriguing enigma.

In the first season of Daryl Dixon, the narrative unfolds in a non-linear fashion, gradually divulging the series of events that brought him to a beach near Marseille, as he traverses through France.

Daryl's journey to France commences in Maine, where he is captured by a malevolent group headed by Genet. Genet, who uses a boat as a laboratory to experiment with different zombie variations, becomes the leader of this group. Daryl manages to escape, forcing Genet to prioritize his recapture due to the knowledge and threat he poses to her operation and claim as the leader of France.

The spinoff series, Daryl Dixon, diverges completely from AMC's broader The Walking Dead franchise. Focusing primarily on the events in France, the show explores how Norman Reedus' central character made his way from the United States to Europe, which remains a mysterious and winding tale. While The Walking Dead has ventured into spinoffs before, Daryl Dixon represents the franchise's most significant shift yet, transferring the zombie horror action from American shores to France. Explaining this journey after the zombie virus devastated civilization proves to be a complex endeavor, especially without the availability of commercial flights. Daryl Dixon does tackle this question extensively throughout its inaugural season.

Daryl Dixon Was Captured By Genet's Group While In Maine

Adding to the enigma, the first season of Daryl Dixon unveils the story of his journey to France in a non-sequential manner. While episodes 1-4 provide minor details, episode 5, titled "Deux Amours," goes back to the beginning, featuring flashbacks depicting Daryl's time on his homeland. As a result, the series of events that led Monsieur Dixon to a beach near Marseille is now elucidated.

In The Walking Dead's 11th season finale, Maggie sends Daryl on a mission to explore the post-apocalyptic world further. His journey takes him all the way to the distant realm of Maine. In need of bike fuel, Daryl agrees to a deal proposed by a stranger - he must collect zombies in exchange for gasoline. The fact that a skeptical and solitary figure like Daryl would consider trusting this man's offer indicates that such operations have become commonplace in the world of The Walking Dead since the original TV series concluded. Unfortunately for Daryl, this trade racket is actually controlled by Pouvoir des Vivants, a nefarious group based in France and led by their leader, Genet.

The zombies that Daryl and his American friends capture are intended to be sent for Genet's experiments on zombie variants. However, Daryl's agreement to work in exchange for gasoline was truly genuine. If Daryl had simply gathered the zombies as requested and received his reward, he could have been enjoying Halloween treats in the Commonwealth, and the whole spinoff story of Daryl Dixon could have been avoided.

Unfortunately, Daryl violates the rules by physically attacking a fellow worker after discovering that the man had murdered a young boy who was also part of their group. Both individuals are punished, as Genet's soldiers seize them, transport them to her offshore laboratory, and confine them in a cell to serve as zombie food. This evidently serves as the fate for those who break the rules while working for gasoline. Additionally, Daryl loses his beloved crossbow during the capture.

What Genet's Boat Is Used For In Daryl Dixon

Daryl Dixon refrains from elaborating on the specific details of Genet's activities on the seafaring vessel that Daryl and his fellow prisoner are taken to. However, in episode 5's flashback, it becomes clear that Pouvoir des Vivants is utilizing the boat as a laboratory to further explore the mysterious science of zombie variants. Not only does Daryl encounter a swift Climber zombie during his escape, but the equipment on the ship closely resembles the apparatus seen at Genet's castle in episode 3 of Daryl Dixon. In both instances, a zombie head submerged in fluid is connected to unfamiliar machinery. Furthermore, the presence of the same unidentified scientist is consistent in both locations.

One aspect of these experiments seemingly involves manipulating the amount of flesh consumed by zombies. A glimpse into Daryl Dixon episode 5's flashbacks reveals two cages filled with undead, likely the same zombies that Daryl and his companions were previously capturing in Maine. One cage is labeled "feed," while the other is marked "fast." Genet's captives are used for the former group, with an unfortunate prisoner being thrown into the decaying horde at regular intervals.

Daryl's Escape & Route To France Explained

After successfully executing a clever deception and defeating the ship's guards with the help of Daryl Dixon's signature head-bashing moves, Daryl and his fellow captive manage to break free, causing chaos in their wake. They eventually find a lifeboat, which interestingly turns out to be the same one seen in Daryl Dixon's very first scene. In that scene, he is seen floating face-down with another person barely conscious on top. Due to his friend's mishap in dropping the boat into the water rather than lowering it gently, Daryl is forced to spontaneously dive overboard to avoid an imminent threat. It is possible that he then pulls himself onto the overturned raft and remains in that position for the entire journey.

Throughout their adventure, Daryl Dixon never discloses the precise location of Genet's floating laboratory. However, considering that Daryl is captured in Maine and Genet is based in Paris, the most plausible assumption is that it is located somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean between the United States and France. As the story progresses, Daryl eventually drifts south and then east, eventually reaching the area of Marseille in southern France. This suggests that he must have floated past Portugal, Spain, and Gibraltar, crossing the Balearic Sea, before finally making landfall in southern France.

Why Genet Wants To Recapture Daryl Dixon in His Walking Dead Spinoff

Genet dedicates significant effort to capturing Daryl Dixon despite his minor offense, as she cannot afford him to be free. Daryl's knowledge of Genet's science project, involving experiments and the truth behind fuel exchanges for hunting zombies, makes him a threat. Additionally, his escape severely damages Genet's operation and undermines her leadership ambitions in France.

Daryl Dixon continues Sunday on AMC.