The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon enters into its fourth and final season in 2026. Daryl Dixon has been on a wild ride throughout this series while trying to navigate through Europe and find his way back to America. His journey on this show started of solo in France, but thankfully Carol Peletier made her onscreen appearance at the end of season one.
Seeing a familiar face return to The Walking Dead universe made fans excited to watch and hopeful to witness more characters cross over to the show. Carol and Daryl's dynamic duo brought a great storyline to The Walking Dead that continued to grow and develop in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon.
As we wait for the final season of Daryl and Carol's journey across Europe to end, we can't help but wonder if we will see any familiar faces in the final season. There are several Walking Dead characters that we are dying to see return to The Walking Dead universe, but I believe they would only add certain characters that would be relevant to the story they are trying to tell within this show.
That being said, there are still many characters that would help complete Carol and Daryl's journey to back to America.
1. Rick Grimes
The last time Daryl Dixon saw Rick Grimes was when the bridge blew up in season 9, episode 5, titled "What Comes After." Then after Rick's departure, Daryl spent six years searching for his dead body. Rick and Daryl's relationship was left at a rocky place after the war with Negan. The two still struggled to agree on the state of Negan and the saviors, leaving Daryl and Rick at odds with one another. However, they still continued to come together to care for each other and love each other like they are brothers.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon picks up sometime after Daryl leaves Carol and the group at the Commonwealth. We see how Daryl ends up stranded in France and how he fights to get back to everyone in America. During season 1, episode 5, titled "Deux Amours," Daryl talks with Carol over the radio and she tells him that someone came back, but there was radio static that kept him from hearing whose name she said. Fans believe it sounded like she said, "Rick...came back." This is why I believe that Rick will make an appearance at the end of the show.
Andrew Lincoln stated that he was having conversations about reprising his role as Rick Grimes during an interview in September 2025. This conversation could have been about his return as Rick in the final season of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon or a new spinoff. I believe that Daryl and Rick will be reunited once again at the end of the show, which would complete Daryl's long-lost mission to find Rick.
2. Michonne
Throughout The Walking Dead Daryl always had a close relationship with Michonne. They both shared the pain of Rick's departure and tried their hardest to find him. Michonne and Daryl have been through a lot throughout the apocalypse, especially during season 9, episode 14, titled "Scars," where the two were kidnapped and branded by a group of children run by an old college friend of Michonne's. Later, Daryl would go on to look out for Judith and RJ after Michonne left to find Rick.
If Michonne were to reunite with Daryl during the final season it would connect The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live with The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, along with the main show. It would end an era of The Walking Dead that was centered around Rick's departure and bring about a long awaited reunion that fans have been longing for.
3. Judith Grimes
Judith Grimes has been a special person in Daryl's life ever since she was born and he gave her the nickname "Lil Asskicker." Daryl continued to care for Judith, protecting her and providing her with what she needed to survive. When Michonne left to go find Rick, Daryl helped take care of Judith once more and even helped her survive when she was injured during the walker invasion at the Commonwealth.
The last time Judith had seen Daryl he told her if he found her parents he would make sure they made their way back to her. I believe Daryl's journey would be complete, reuniting with Judith once more.
4. Dog
During season 9 of The Walking Dead, after Rick's departure, Daryl camped down by the river searching for his body every day. One day a puppy came to him, and later we find out that his former owner was a woman named Leah Shaw. Daryl and Leah develop a relationship until she disappears and later in the show we find out that she is a part of the Antagonistic group, called the Reapers. Daryl made her dog his own and they were inseparable for a long time.
Before Daryl leaves at the end of The Walking Dead, Judith tells him she will look after Dog. Sadly the real dog who portrayed him passed away, but hopefully another dog can revise his role and reunite with Daryl once again.
5. Laurent Carriere
Laurent Carriere has been a huge part of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, adding to the meaning and depth of the show. Daryl grew to care for him and his aunt, Isabelle. They became family to him and after Isabelle died, Daryl cared for Laurent like a son. Laurent looks up to Daryl and the two of them have taught each other a lot during their time together.
Laurent made his exit during season 2, when Ash Patel flew him back to America with him. He wasn't able to fit everyone on the plane, so it was only right to let him take Laurent back with him. Carol could have went with them, but she couldn't leave her best friend to make the journey on his own. Thankfully, Daryl told Ash and Laurent how to find their home back in America, hoping to meet them there. It would only be fitting to have Daryl and Carol reunite with Laurent once more.
6. Ash Patel
When Carol was in America, she was able to lie and convince pilot Ash Patel to take her to France to rescue her daughter. Later, she reveals that it wasn't her daughter she wanted to rescue, but her best friend, Daryl Dixon. Ash was upset that Carol used her dead daughter to manipulate him to take her to America, knowing that it was a soft spot for him since he lost his son. However, Ash was able to forgive Carol and helped them by bringing Laurent to America with him by plane. It would complete Daryl and Carol's journey back to America, knowing that Laurent and Ash made their way there safely.
I believe it is highly likely that we will see Laurent Carriere and Ash Patel in the final season. Hopefully, fans will get to see Rick Grimes back on the screen as well as Michonne, Judith, and Dog for an epic reunion.