The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Showrunner Laments Latest Character Death: "In A Longer Season..."

Warning: SPOILERS ahead for The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 2, episode 4!The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon showrunner David Zabel has lamented the most recent major character death in season 2, explaining why the survivor died the way they did. Near the start of Daryl Dixon season 2, episode 4, Isabelle (Clémence Poésy) is stabbed by Losang (Joel de la Fuente), and begins to bleed out. After the reunion between Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Carol (Melissa McBride), the latter takes him to where she's left their mutual friend. She shares one last goodbye with the titular character before dying.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Zabel lamented the way Isabelle died in Daryl Dixon season 2, saying that, if there had been more than six episodes to tell its story, her death would have happened differently. However, he says her demise was necessary for the story to move forward. The showrunner also expressed joy at how well-received she was, praising Poésy and Reedus for their performances and the story they told between their characters. Check out what Zabel had to say below:

We have six episodes to tell this story. In a longer season, I don’t think it transpires exactly the way it transpires. But in order to get to where we need to get in the time we have allowed, things have to happen fast.

The audience really responded to her. I’m not an aficionado of the old school Walking Dead audience, but they’re pretty tough on new characters. They liked her a lot. She’s really highly rated and appreciated by the old-timers, and that says a lot. Clémence [Poésy] is a great actor and she really threaded the needle of that character. It’s beautiful what she and Norman [Reedus] created. It’s tough to let it go.

What Isabelle's Death Means For Daryl Dixon Season 2

Daryl's Love Story Comes To A Swift End

Isabelle dies protecting Laurent (Louis Puech Scigliuzzi) from the Nest, who want to capture him to complete a ceremony where he'll prove he's the Messiah by getting bit by a zombie and surviving. However, because he's her nephew, she refuses to give Losang his location, resulting in him stabbing her after she berates him for having dismantled trust between them. Her death will impact multiple characters in Daryl Dixon, especially in episode 5 once the young boy and Fallou (Eriq Ebouaney) learn what happened.

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However, Zabel's comments also indicate that, had season 2 been given more room to breathe, Isabelle's death would have happened in a less rushed capacity. This is made more disappointing by the fact that Dead City season 2 is getting eight episodes, showing The Walking Dead spinoff's episode counts can be extended if necessary. Even so, Daryl Dixon season 2, episode 4 appeared to signify the French story arc is coming to a close, not just with its hero death, but also with Genet (Anne Charrier) dying to Daryl and Carol as well.

Our Take On Isabelle's Death In Daryl Dixon Season 2

It Should Have Happened Another Way

As Zabel states, events happen fast in the spinoff series, meaning not everything gets room to breathe. We believe this damaged the emotional weight of Isabelle's death, which would have been much more potent had the series been given more time, and perhaps episodes, to build toward it. Yet Daryl Dixon season 3 is already confirmed to be sticking with its six-episode seasons. We just hope this doesn't mean a replication of her death being so rushed for future characters that get introduced.