The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 4 is likely to premiere last this year. Unfortunately, with it being the final season of the Walking Dead spinoff, we're going to be saying goodbye to Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Carol (Melissa McBride) for at least a little while.
But, we can't say goodbye after 16 years without a party! We need David Zabel and the creative team to bring back some of the remaining original Walking Dead characters, also known as The Ones Who Live, to give Daryl and Carol the sendoff they deserve.
I picked four Walking Dead characters we need to see return for the end of Daryl Dixon, starting with the man, the myth, the legend, Rick Grimes.
Rick Grimes
After all this time and two series, including The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, Rick Grimes is still kicking somewhere in America, most likely. If he is actually still alive, well, then we absolutely need to see him return in Daryl Dixon season 4.
There are some rumors and speculation that Grimes will be part of the Daryl Dixon series finale, but it's still unclear if those rumors are true or if it's simply just what the fans want to see.
Honestly, I think it would be so incredibly fitting if the final scenes of Daryl Dixon include Daryl and Carol returning to America, or what's left of it, seeing Rick, and then taking the next steps on their adventure before Daryl finds a small shack at the top of a mountain or something to live out his remaining years.
There are so many logistical challenges to make this reunion happen, and it's so hard to keep anything a secret in 2026, but fans would lose their minds if Rick returns. Andrew Lincoln revealed that there were some discussions happening about his return late last year. The only thing that makes sense right now would be Lincoln returning for Daryl Dixon season 4 on that timeline.
Some fans might think it's a little gimmicky considering how The Walking Dead ended, but Rick, in many ways, is the face of the franchise after all these years and iterations. He has so much history with Daryl and Carol, and it's only fitting that he be there to witness the end.
Judith Grimes
Outside of Rick Grimes, the next character who makes sense to return to the world of The Walking Dead for Daryl Dixon season 4 is Judith Grimes. For a long time, I've thought the natural progression of The Walking Dead franchise is to follow Judith's story in a kind of reset that introduces many new characters and builds on everything we've seen so far.
In that way, Daryl Dixon season 4 could be a passing of the torch moment for The Walking Dead. With Daryl Dixon ending, the only current spinoff with any kind of fanbase is The Walking Dead: Dead City. We know that this story and franchise isn't going to end anytime soon, so it only makes sense, in my opinion, to continue the stories of the characters we've already met. It pulls in old fans, and it gives new fans a chance to catch up.
So, if I were in charge, I'd hand over the keys to Judith, and I'd do it in Daryl Dixon season 4. Even if Lincoln does return, it makes sense to include Judith because it just makes sense for the story to continue with her after a sizeable time jump.
Maggie Rhee and Negan Smith
Speaking of Dead City, there are two characters on the East Coast of the United States that would make incredible cameos in Daryl Dixon season 4. Of course, I'm talking about Maggie and Negan.
It makes so much sense to me to bring Dead City and Daryl Dixon together in some way for a crossover episode. I can just picture Daryl and Carol landing around Manhattan, or New York, getting captured, and getting escorted to Maggie and Negan somewhere in the city. Maybe, that's how they get connected with Rick and Judith or some of the other original series survivors? There are so many potential options.
The only trouble here is the timeline doesn't totally match. Daryl Dixon takes place before the events of Dead City, and Maggie and Negan are not together until the first episode of Dead City, so they likely couldn't meet Daryl and Carol together.
Still, it's going to take a long time for Daryl and Carol to actually make it back to America. There's a lot of potential for a big time jump in Daryl Dixon season 4 to move this story to the point that we could, in theory, see them meet the New Yorkers after their return from Europe.
Those are the four characters I would love to see Daryl and Carol meet in season 4, and I hope that there's a way that it can happen.
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