Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3, episode 2, “La Ofrenda”.Throughout its 15 years on TV, The Walking Dead has become famous for its controversial deaths, and Daryl Dixon season 3 quietly acknowledged a character that should never have been killed off. The spinoff has returned with a bang, as alongside introducing fresh locations and a new name for The Walking Dead‘s zombies,​​ Daryl Dixon has paid homage to an underrated survivor.

Given the franchise’s grizzly and unforgiving nature, it was inevitable that countless fan favorites were going to exit the series eventually, as these heartbreaking departures helped add drama and stakes to the horror series. However, while some of these moments were handled with care and provided emotional send-offs, others were surrounded by controversy, leaving viewers extremely frustrated.

As a result, some of The Walking Dead‘s most disappointing deaths hugely impacted its overall reputation, with many fans giving up on the franchise entirely. Sadly, this hasn’t prevented this same mistake from being repeated year after year, but Daryl Dixon is at least remembering one of the project’s most important characters, as evidenced by a subtle scene in “La Ofrenda.”

Daryl Silently Remembers Isabelle In Daryl Dixon Season 3, Episode 2

Having died midway through Daryl Dixon season 2, Isabelle’s legacy hasn’t been forgotten, as Daryl silently thought about her in his spinoff’s recent outing. After starting as unlikely allies, Daryl and Isabelle’s relationship grew closer over the first two seasons and eventually turned romantic, adding to just how heartbreaking the latter’s final moments were during Pouvoir’s attack on the Nest.

Although she died trying to stand up to Losang while fighting for her and Laurent’s freedom, Isabelle’s Walking Dead death was extremely frustrating, as it didn’t seem to lead anywhere. Thankfully though, the show acknowledged her in season 2’s ending sequence, and it has once again recognized her importance through Daryl silently remembering her in “La Ofrenda.”

With Carol briefly disappearing, Daryl goes out searching for her, eventually finding her watching a young couple enjoying each other’s company by the river. As Daryl looks at the duo, his gaze uncharacteristically lingers, seemingly taking a moment for himself before blinking and jumping back into survival mode by mentioning the resources they have with them.

While the show never expands on this scene, it seems reasonable to assume Daryl was thinking about Isabelle. Their limited time together clearly made a lasting impression on him, and just the faintest sign of love instantly drew the protagonist’s mind to Isabelle, making it a nice touch that Daryl Dixon hasn’t completely forgotten her.

It’s Good The Walking Dead Isn’t Forgetting Isabelle, But She Still Shouldn’t Have Died

Considering how swiftly the franchise has moved on from other characters, it’s nice to see The Walking Dead still quietly remembering Isabelle, but it doesn’t justify her death. Characters like Quinn, Sylvie, and Valery seem unlikely to be mentioned again despite their important role in the spinoff, highlighting just how easy it is to be forgotten in the zombie universe.

Therefore, it’s great that the series is still making subtle references to the character, with Daryl’s “Bet on hope” line in season 3’s trailer suggesting her legacy will continue to be honored as the story progresses. Despite this, The Walking Dead could’ve easily kept her alive, even if they didn’t have any immediate plans for the beloved survivor.

Laurent, Ash, and Codron all managed to make it out of season 2 alive, with the door open for their returns. Likewise, Fallou’s journey seems to be complete on-screen since he decided to stay in France, yet he was still given a happy ending, proving that Isabelle didn’t need to die, regardless of whether she appeared again or not.

This death didn’t really spark a huge revenge arc for Daryl either, and while it has briefly impacted his character, having Isabelle stick around would’ve netted a similar result. Overall, I’m grateful that The Walking Dead hasn’t simply forgotten Isabelle and that she’s still a part of Daryl’s story in spirit, but her departure still hurts, given how unnecessary it was.

Daryl Dixon Must Avoid Making The Same Mistake With Carol In Season 3

While Isabelle’s death may have shocked fans, it hasn’t had a lasting benefit to the story, proving Daryl Dixon needs to learn its lesson regarding Carol’s upcoming romance in season 3. Carol has had a few different relationships throughout her time on The Walking Dead, and her next love interest seems to have already been introduced.

Eduardo Noriega made his Walking Dead debut as Antonio in Daryl Dixon season 3’s second episode, and based on the trailers and promotional material, it looks like romantic sparks will fly between him and Carol. However, while Antonio may become a major part of the ongoing story, history suggests he is destined for a cruel fate.

Unless he eventually heads back to America with the protagonists come season 4, Carol’s new Walking Dead love interest appears to be doomed. Frustratingly, if the franchise does continue its trend of killing off new characters, Antonio’s death won’t do any real good for the overall narrative, especially if Isabelle’s death is anything to go by.

Instead, joining Carol in the US or reluctantly deciding to stay in Spain would offer a more satisfying conclusion than axing him for no real reason. It would also give Daryl Dixon‘s foreign setting more meaning, since Antonio, Roberto, and Justina could join Laurent and Ash as new additions to the Commonwealth, making it critical that the series avoid repeating its Isabelle mistake.

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  The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon
  

  
  

  7/10

  Release Date

  2023 – 2026-00-00

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    Norman Reedus

    Daryl Dixon

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    Clemence Poesy

    Isabelle Carriere

  
  

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  Created by

  Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, Charlie Adlard

  First TV Show

  The Walking Dead

  Latest TV Show

  The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live

  Upcoming TV Shows

  More Tales from the Walking Dead Universe

  First Episode Air Date

  
  October 31, 2010
  

  Cast

  Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Danai Gurira, Lauren Cohan, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Chandler Riggs, Steven Yeun, Lennie James

  The Walking Dead is a massive multimedia franchise that began with a comic book series created by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard. The franchise gained widespread popularity with the launch of the television series The Walking Dead in 2010 on AMC, which chronicles the lives of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies, referred to as “walkers.” The success of the original show has led to numerous spin-offs, web series, video games, novels, and other media. The franchise explores themes of survival, human nature, and the breakdown of society in the face of an existential threat, making it one of the most successful and influential horror series of the 21st century.