‘The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon’ Recap – ‘L’âme Perdue’

9/11/2023

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon in Episode 101 of ‘The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon’ - ‘L’âme Perdue’. (Photo Courtesy of Stéphanie Branchu/AMC.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Series Premiere of ‘The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon’. Also, this piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the series being covered here wouldn’t exist.

Thirteen years ago on Halloween night, when the series premiere of The Walking Dead arrived on AMC, we began a journey that treated us to wonders untold. Wherein we experienced a rollercoaster of emotions, as characters we came to love and adore, suffered greatly, and overcame incredible odds to survive another day in a world where civilization had collapsed, and where humanity was outnumbered by walking corpses that craved human flesh and the flesh of anything living. But of the many characters we met on that evening and along the way, one stood quite tall above the rest, a man named Daryl Dixon. In part because, he was new to this franchise, for there was no Daryl in the comic book series but also because… he was unlike any other character in this fascinating universe.

For he was a man with a difficult and painful past, that had grown beyond it to the best of his abilities and learned how to survive the worst of the worst moments. And while he would sometimes stumble and sometimes struggle… he would always find his way back to the light and to the people that cared deeply for him. Making him nothing short of an infallible rock in that series, one that everyone could rely upon and who in the later years of the series would lead the good people of the Alexandria Alliance to better days. All of which made Daryl one of the most popular characters in the franchise, one so beloved that he received his own spin-off series once the flagship show came to its end, leaving all of us to wonder… what kind of story would we be treated to down the line? Well as it turns out, we no longer have to ponder upon that question… for last night saw the premiere of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, and ‘L’âme Perdue’ wasted little time in informing us… that this was going to be a Daryl story unlike any other.

In large part because… Daryl steps into a bold new world in this show. For we are not near the Commonwealth or somewhere else in the United States as this franchise has often taken the time to showcase. No instead, this story opens up on the shores of France, with Daryl no less… placing him far away from home in a strange land that he doesn’t know in the slightest and that allows for some incredible moments to take place. The kind that showcases first and foremost, the impact of the apocalypse on the people of France, and Europe, for that matter as well. Which allows for us to bear witness to one of the most devastated corners of the zombiepocalypse we’ve ever seen. Since France and Europe were clearly hit hard by the plague of living death that descended upon humanity, giving rise to a bleak environment for Daryl to explore… one filled with new dangers.

For we also get to meet in this series… new variant walkers. Something that of course first popped up in The Walking Dead: World Beyond and eventually TWD, and that makes sense. Since World Beyond established that the beginning of the end originated in this place, and well… whatever experiments happened here… resulted in real nightmares for certain. Since Daryl encounters what is later referred to as the Burner Walker. One that can burn flesh and create infections that will kill and resurrect a person. Giving rise to a new threat to be vigilant against, and of course… old haunts are present here too. Since Daryl oft encounters some ugly souls in this world. People hardened in the wake of the apocalypse that only worry about their own and that gives rise to some unexpected twists.

Romain Levi as Codron in Episode 101 of ‘The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon’ - ‘L’âme Perdue’. (Photo Courtesy of Stéphanie Branchu/AMC.)

Because the Burners and some unsavory folks… and kindness… lead/bring Daryl Dixon to a nearby convent for healing and rest and relaxation and it is there that we learn… that Daryl is in fact, quite fallible after all. For there are hints in this story, of him working to escape his former life in search of something greater, something we come to learn about in his discussions with a nun named Isabelle. Giving rise to the reality that peace time did not settle well with a man such as Daryl. Who is bound by moving forward and challenges, and that adds new depth to this character. Since clearly, he is lost here, and broken and that leaves us wondering exactly what shattered his soul and what it will take to help him find faith in himself and others again, and this place may provide it to him.

Primarily through… a new acquaintance and a new mission. For Isabelle and her sisters in Christ, are firm believers that the end of everything was nothing more than a transitional period, a purgatory for humanity if you will, and that eventually… the second coming of the Messiah will take place and that He is among humanity now. For Laurent is a young man that is quite gifted and empathetic, and he really believes in a better tomorrow, and the inhabitants of this convent, truly believe that if Laurent is given the chance to meet with the right people and thrive… he can restore hope to the world and usher in a new era of peace and prosperity. Provided of course… he can survive the trip. Since there remains… some genuinely unsavory characters in this story with agendas their own.

One of whom is a man named Codron. A ruthless individual that only believes in the nefarious cause that he stands behind, and that brings about great trouble for Laurent and Isabelle when he feels the need to avenge the death of some of his men, the kind that only Daryl can quell. For few have seen the cruelty of man as he has, and that leads to a grand setup for the rest of this series. One where Daryl agrees to escort young Lauren to his destination in exchange for safe passage back to America and the life he left behind and of course… trouble awaits this motley crew. Since Codron walks away from a battle with Daryl, barely, and will undoubtedly work to put down the man that embarrassed him in combat, and that ending… also hints deeply at something greater going on in the north. Something unsettling and unwholesome, run by a woman named Genet.

All of which, brought forth quite the amazing series premiere. One that features a new tone for the franchise, a new tone for Daryl’s character and the beginning of a journey that is clearly going to offer us so much. Since it will obviously be grounded in explorations regarding the nature of faith, the power of hope and what is means to find redemption in dark times. All of which it seems, Daryl is desperately searching for and well, sign us up. Because that’s refreshing stuff to find not only in this universe, but zombie-themed storytelling in general. Since they oft focus on the darkest parts of who we are and well, all this premiere does… is generate incredible excitement for things to come. Because we really are on an incredible journey now, with a character we love and adore and want to see find his way again, and hopefully he does, because as Laurent and so many others have pointed out over the past decade or so… Daryl does deserve his own happy ending. Until next time.

To learn more about what cast members, Anne Charrier (Genet), Romain Levi (Codron), & Louis Puech Scigliuzzi (Laurent) think of the central themes of season one of this show, visit our preview article for ‘The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon’.

Watch ‘The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon’

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