Even without The Walking Dead, the TWD Universe has found a way to live on. It has done that by investing in the very thing that the franchise once did so well: Spinoffs. Fear The Walking Dead started a new chapter of the franchise in 2015 while World Beyond bridged the gap between the old era and the new one. When the original show rolled its credits, three new spinoffs took form.
Daryl Dixon and Carol Peletier have travelled across the undead world to Europe, while Maggie and Negan have taken their long-standing feud to Manhattan. Rick Grimes and Michonne also returned to finish their own love story, surviving the Civic Republic Military's corrupt ways and making it back to Alexandria.
With all of these offshoots carrying the story forward, fans have often wondered how they can hope to wrap the overarching story of the TWD Universe up now - especially since the Rick and Michonne-led spinoff, The Ones Who Live, was a miniseries that has already concluded. Well, one of the franchise's stars recently addressed the popular fan-theory as to how things might wrap up for the saga, and it might not be what fans were hoping to hear.
Norman Reedus addresses the Walking Dead Rick return fan theory
Norman Reedus recently spoke to the press about the impending conclusion of TWD spinoff The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon. The offshoot has remained popular since its 2023 premiere but the creatives decided that the fourth season would be the right place for this particular chapter to end.
With that, AMC renewed it for a fourth and final season, while also teasing the possibility of Daryl and Carol's returns in the future.
But how could Daryl Dixon end? Better yet, how could the whole TWD Universe end? With Dead City's recent renewal for a third season, there are still more stories in this franchise to be told, but when - or on which show - could the ultimate TWD finale take place? And it could it see Daryl and Carol's long-awaited reunion with Rick and Michonne. The latter pair finally made their way back home to Alexandria in the series finale of The Ones Who Live, reuniting with their family for the first time in years. But Daryl and Carol (and Maggie and Negan) were no longer there, leaving fans hoping for an on-screen reunion between these characters.
Reedus is aware of this, but he's also aware that the show can't be produced to give the fans exactly what they're expecting, telling IGN that the better option can often be to surprise people.
"We’re very aware of it... There’s so many ideas thrown around from fans for all these things. I think sometimes it’s better to do the opposite of what people expect so they’re surprised."
He went on to explain his thought process, adding: "If we just read what fans wanted all the time and gave them what they wanted, then you would know the outcome of everything. So sometimes I think it’s better to tell your story... People can like it, argue, hate it, whatever, but you don’t want to just read Twitter, you know what I’m saying?”
Daryl and Rick have both been a part of this franchise since the very beginning. Although Rick is and always will be the face of the TWD Universe, Daryl stepped in as the lead throughout the show's final few seasons after the departure of actor Andrew Lincoln. That's rather fitting considering that the two formed a strong friendship that often saw them come together to battle foes like The Governor, Terminus, the treats within Alexandria, and Negan. Given the strength of that bond, it's important that fans get to actually see them reunite on-screen.
Naturally, those fans have requested that this take place in the season 4 finale of Daryl Dixon. While it's pretty clear that the door will be left open for Daryl and Carol's returns in the future of the TWD Universe, they will have likely met Rick and Michonne again at that point. With that in mind, the series finale of their spinoff would be the perfect - and perhaps only - opportunity to make that happen.
Dead City star Lauren Cohan has also shared her hopes of an ultimate team-up to finish up the TWD story, bringing the characters from her series, Daryl Dixon, and The Ones Who Live all back together (along with other characters from The Walking Dead) for one more adventure. And given that this is what the fans truly want, it is safe to say that it would be a wise idea.
While Reedus' comments potentially cast doubt on a TWD reunion happening in the finale of Daryl Dixon, that doesn't mean it won't happen eventually. Honestly, it would be a bad idea not to have this moment take place on-screen. After all, this is what the fans want to see. Although he's completely right on the concept of surprising viewers, this isn't one of those situations where not giving them the endgame that they are hoping for would be a good thing.
Everyone on The Walking Dead has thought that Rick was killed during the bridge explosion in season 9. To rob audiences of the eventual reunion between the leader of the TWD Universe and his closest friends would be a bad idea. With that in mind, it's important that it does happen on-screen at some point... even if that moment doesn't take place in Daryl Dixon's final season.
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