Sumith Prasad
A spin-off of ‘The Walking Dead,’ AMC’s post-apocalyptic series ‘The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon’ revolves around the titular protagonist, who ends up in France under mysterious circumstances. Daryl ends up at an abbey under the care of a nun named Isabelle, who takes care of him. When Daryl sets out to find a way to return to the United States, Isabelle offers her help but she wants his assistance to fulfill a dangerous mission. ‘L’ame Perdue,’ the first episode of the series created by David Zabel, introduces the predicaments Daryl has to deal with in France and ends with ambiguous revelations! SPOILERS AHEAD.
Arrival in France
‘L’ame Perdue’ begins with Daryl getting washed ashore in France. He gets into a boat and collects useful resources left behind by a perished family. Daryl then begins a journey to find a way to return to the Commonwealth. On his way, he comes across a group of walkers, who are different from the ones he encountered back in his home country. When one of the walkers touches his arm, it leaves a burn mark on the same. Still, he manages to put the walkers to the ultimate rest and continue his expedition, which leads him to Maribelle and Guillaume. He trades a medical kit for food with them. Their encounter is interrupted by two soldiers, who try to harm Maribelle.
Daryl interferes and kills the two soldiers with the help of Maribelle to ensure the safety of the latter. However, Maribelle and her grandfather then attack and leave him upon stealing his bag. Isabelle, a nun, takes him to her abbey. She takes care of him and lets him recover from the attack at the abbey, where he meets Laurent. Isabelle informs Daryl that Laurent is the next messiah who will lead humanity to a better tomorrow, as per a prophecy. However, Laurent has to be taken to another center of the religious group, the Union of Hope, which is located in Northern France.
Isabelle believes that Daryl is “sent” to them to take Laurent from the abbey to his destined destination. Meanwhile, Codron, the leader of the soldiers, kills Guillaume and learns about Daryl from Maribelle. He leads a group of soldiers to the abbey to find Daryl, who fights the soldiers with a group of nuns. Codron loses his men and is forced to retreat upon getting injured. Mother Superior, the head of the abbey, dies after trusting Daryl to help their cause by leading Laurent to the North. He accepts the mission in return for Isabelle’s help to reach Le Havre, a Northern French city where there’s an active port to leave the country.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Episode 1 Ending: Who is Genet?
Genet is seemingly the supreme head of the militia Codron leads in Southern France and most likely the primary antagonist of at least the first season of the show. When Codron and his men raid Isabelle’s abbey, they come across Laurent, only for the former to say that he wants to take the boy away to turn him into a “Guerrier,” which means “warrior,” for Genet. His words imply that he is a subordinate of the woman and his militia is headed by the latter. In the closing scene of the episode, it is revealed that Genet is the one who operates the port in Le Havre, where Daryl needs to reach to leave the country.
Ever since the inception of the zombie apocalypse, certain individuals had formed groups, militias, or communities and led them for the survival of the same. The primary goal of these communities, hostile or otherwise, has been to ensure that they have access to the resources required for their survival in a chaotic and hostile world where resources are limited. Genet is seemingly another such leader who leads a militia for her survival. Her authority seems to be present throughout the country of France, likely exerted by trusted generals like Codron. Her “ruling” the port in Le Havre indicates that she has international connections as well.
In addition, Genet is trying to learn more about the walkers. In the closing scene of the episode, she is accompanied by a “doctor” who treats walkers as “test subjects,” likely to find a cure for zombie bites. Since the zombie apocalypse apparently originated in France, as revealed by ‘The Walking Dead: World Beyond,’ Genet, the “Doctor,” and their team may have more information concerning the evolution of the walkers, which must be getting used to develop a cure. Genet must be aspiring to rule the world with a cure, likely expecting other leaders like her to trade their empires in return for the same.
How Did Daryl Dixon End Up in France?
Daryl was aboard one of Genet’s ships, willingly or unwillingly. In ‘The Walking Dead’ finale, Daryl leaves the Commonwealth to find Rick Grimes. His search must have led him to Genet’s people, who must have kidnapped and locked him up inside a ship to France. Otherwise, he must have boarded the same upon coming across a (false) lead that Rick left the United States. Daryl likely didn’t even know that the ship was bound for France when he boarded or got forced to board the same. Regardless of how he boarded the ship, Daryl was taken in as a prisoner.
Daryl then most likely formed a group of prisoners and led a mutiny against Genet’s people. When Genet talks to the captain of the ship, he lets her know about how the crew was able to contain the mutiny but not the “American” who spearheaded the same. Daryl must have gained his freedom on board the ship by attacking the crew and his allies must have tied him up to a boat and sent him to the shore in return for his help. Before leaving the ship, he “messed up” Genet’s plans, likely by helping some of the prisoners attain freedom.
