Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol episode 4.
UndeadThe decision to kill Carl Grimes was one of the franchise’s biggest mistakesbut it may have just repeated the story in one of its more popular spinoffs. Given the nature of the zombie series, character deaths are inevitable and can often create incredibly emotional scenes, but only when done well. Unfortunately, The Walking Dead: Daryl DixonThe big exit from failed to achieve this and is reminiscent of the franchise’s most infamous exit. The reaction to Carl Grimes Undead the death caused a huge backlash and is one of the often-cited reasons people give up on the series.
Considering that ratings saw a huge decline from season 8 to season 9, it doesn’t seem like an empty threat, confirming that killing off Carl was damaging to the show’s reputation. Although it seemed like the franchise would learn from this mistake, Daryl Dixon may have just proven that is not the case. Although UndeadWhile the other spinoffs often waste new characters, Daryl’s series has often treated its supporting cast with care and made them crucial to the plot. However, the show just killed off one of its most promising survivors in an extremely frustrating way.
Isabelle had so much more to offer in Daryl Dixon Season 2 and beyond
Killing her could be a big mistake
I was already a little worried that Isabelle would die in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixonbut killing her just a week after Sylvie was a huge surprise, especially since she had so much more to offer. With L’Union and Pouvoir attacking Daryl, Isabelle, and the series’ other main characters, the action was becoming more exciting, and it would be great to have Isabelle around. In addition to being a compassionate character and an excellent love interest for Daryl, Isabelle was skilled with a weapon and could have played an important role in fighting the antagonists before escaping from France.
Her relationship with Daryl along with her bond with Laurent would have been a fascinating dynamic to carry into season three, but unfortunately, that can no longer happen. Furthermore, “I love you“line in Daryl Dixon episode 3 made her arguably the most important character to be introduced after the main episode Undead the show ended, but once again, Daryl missed out on his happy ending. Knowing that she could have had a compelling romance with Daryl while also being a potentially permanent addition to the franchise’s core survivors makes her death an extremely bitter pill to swallow, which could be a crucial mistake.
Isabelle dying the moment Carol arrives is a very transparent change
Daryl Dixon clearly couldn’t find a way to have Isabelle and Carol as Daryl’s main companions
Isabelle’s death also exposed a very obvious change for Daryl Dixonas Carol almost immediately replaced her as Daryl’s main companion. While it was great to see Daryl and Carol together again, it was equally heartbreaking to see the blossoming relationship between Isabelle and Daryl end. It would have been interesting to see the three characters together, but unfortunately Carol and Isabelle’s only interaction occurred in the latter’s final moments. So the spinoff made it seem like an obvious switch between the two, and it clearly couldn’t find a way for Carol and Isabelle to share the spotlight.
Carol’s solo journey was fun, but her story had to intertwine with Daryl’s eventually, and I’m not sure if that came at Isabelle’s expense. While Daryl and Carol Undead the friendship is one of the best in the franchise, the protagonist’s relationship with Isabelle was completely different, mainly because it was becoming romantic. Even though the trio sharing the screen led to Isabelle and Carol’s conflict due to their different ideologies and personalities, it could have added extra drama to the series and made it even more entertaining.
Unfortunately, the spinoff made the bold decision to kill off Isabelle, allowing Carol to take her place in a very transparent change. It may be the easiest way to return the focus to two of the UndeadThe most iconic characters in the game, but we lost a refreshing dynamic in the process without a huge payoff, which is hard not to be upset about.
Isabelle dies for no reason in Daryl Dixon’s second season
His death achieves very little to the overall plot
Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of Isabelle’s death is that it was all for nothing. While this will likely weigh on Daryl and potentially create animosity between him and Carol, her departure wasn’t particularly heroic. She managed to give Losang a cut on the face, but it didn’t seem enough to justify being stabbed by a supposed pacifist. Killing Isabelle may be the event that turns Losang into a true villain after L’Union has already betrayed Daryl Dixon, but it’s still not the noble sacrifice audiences would expect from such a central character.
Isabelle had the potential to be an important character for years to come and killing her pointlessly was not how she deserved it.
It could be argued that Isabelle’s death is a reminder of how brutal Undead universe is and that every match doesn’t always have a purpose, but that still feels like a huge waste. Isabelle had the potential to be an important character for years to come and killing her pointlessly was not how she deserved it. If she had gone out protecting Laurent or even Daryl, it would have seemed like a poignant but fitting ending to her story. Instead, she was stabbed out of frustration and died without really impacting the overall plot.
Hopefully, Daryl will see some significant changes over the rest of the season and beyond, but the end of episode 4 suggests he’s back on the same page as Carol and will quickly get over Isabelle’s death, even if it hurts. As a result, his final moments feel like nothing more than extra ammunition for Daryl to protect Laurent, which he was already committed to anyway.
What Isabelle’s death means for Daryl Dixon, season 2 and season 3 finale
Isabelle’s death could still have a big impact on Daryl going forward
With Isabelle gone, the rest Daryl Dixon Season 2 and the future of Season 3 look completely different. Norman Reedus stated Daryl DixonThe final episode of season 2 is the best moment of Undead television of all time, indicating that it would end with a bang. While the actor’s comment may have alluded to Isabelle’s death happening at the end, the fact that she is already gone means the story will be very different. Daryl may have a softer side, but without Isabelle, his bond with Laurent could suffer as he has a tendency to lash out in times of stress.
New episodes of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol airs Sundays on AMC and AMC+.
Plus, getting over Isabelle won’t be easy for Daryl, especially since his previous romance ended in tragedy. Therefore, the protagonist may be more aggressive and hot-headed throughout the rest of seasons 2 and 3, which could create even more enemies for the main group. Daryl Dixon will certainly have a big hole now that one of its main characters has been written out, and while season three may offer some sort of replacement, It will be difficult to fill Isabelle’s shoes, suggesting that the tone of the show will face a permanent change because of her absence.