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Once the Walking Dead proper ended, we were awarded the news of three spin-offs with our favorite leading characters. The first of Maggie and Megan, which will continue their story line in coming seasons. The last of Rick and Michonne, which will be iconic and historic, and a true full circle moment of the TWD Universe. The middle, which is the most deserving, is Daryl Dixon's story. A day-one original from Georgia who know finally gets his own show as the leading man. After months of waiting, we've finally have our first episode, and we will be breaking down the biggest headlines and questions going forward. So, where do we even begin?
Warning: Spoilers Ahead
Something I know we will learn over the course of the season, but the question that has been burning ever since this spinoff was announced. How did Daryl Dixon end up in France? Why did he go? What trouble did he get in? I need to know these answers. He mentioned that he got into some trouble (clearly), but his scares prove that he really got into the mix with things. I assume this happens right after the main show ending, where Dixon drives off as his final send off. As a fan, I wish he would just stay put, but Daryl is a nomad, who seeks adventure.
In addition to that, I know Dixon was trying to find Rick and Michonne, but did he succeed or does this lead into their show now?
Back to this show. I thought the cinematography of this season was incredible. The intro video was one of the best ones AMC has ever released. The French scenery was stunning, and provided a much different vibes from the shows within the storyline. I am excited for what's to come. The French connections throughout will also be provide great storytelling. The episode title, L’Âme Perdue, means “the lost soul” in French, which could perfectly describe Daryl as a character.
The location is France. We knew that is where the spinoff was going to take place, but the connection of The Walking Dead Universe is something spectacular. From season 1, to the cutaway on "World Beyond", France has always been a location of importance, and now we get to learn more.
It's amazing how Daryl is never fazed. He washes ashore and discovers he's in a foreign country, and without hesitation, does what he does best - survives.
The first set of Walkers Daryl faces, are in fact variants. They burn skin and combust when killed. When Daryl gets rescued, his arm is getting seared in which I assume is to avoid the spread, but it's wild how these walkers continue to change.
With any show in TWD, there is obviously going to be an antagonist or two. I didn't expect that a random French woman named Maribelle and her older father, Guillaume, were going to con Daryl and later injure him.
I spy a Harry Potter character! When my favorite worlds collide. The main female lead, Isabelle the nun,is played by Clémence Poésy. She was Fluer Delecour in Harry Potter, Goblet of Fire!
I need to know and learn more about the Abbey. They are part of this Union of Hope (Union De L’Espoir), but we didn't get much deeper once the conflict occurred. One thing is for certain, the nuns were a badass bunch of people. I did like the connections that were made from years past. The nun's kept a zombified priest Pére Jean locked up (like the Governor did as well as Hershel's farm). Laurent, the intelligent little boy or "messiah" as Isabelle proclaimed, was very similar to a young little ass kicker Judith back at home. They event hit us with the same line.
Our second antagonist are these guerriers. We met them briefly at the hold up with Maribelle, but their head guy Codron, clearly doesn't mess around. I'd love to understand their MO a bit more, but now he is out soldiers.
We get our first major fight scene, which whites out Codron's men, and clears out The Abbey. You have to think, this monastery probably has had very few issues over the corse of the world ending, and this random American comes in and they get completely shutdown.
So Daryl now has a crew. He won't be heading home anytime soon, so what's next? Codron is still on the hunt, and at the end of the episode, we get introduced to our final villain (for now.) We now see the boat that Daryl was captured on (or at least held up, still trying to wrap my head around that). It is docked in Le Havre, Northern France. The captain is confronted by a woman named Madame Genet, who is not pleased by whatever progress the ship’s crew is making at whatever they’re supposed to be doing.
With the French connection in the TWD universe, we know this country is very much into experimenting. Heck, they are the reason this whole downfall began! Madame Genet, the ships captain, and a doctor talked about prisoners escaping, experiments, and a mutiny. Their research has been destroyed, and either Daryl started this whole mess or he escaped out of it. That's where we learned that the Captain tossed him overboard, and where our new story begins.