The legendary Walking Dead franchise is about to experience the end of another era. Ever since the original series came to a close in 2022, the future of the TWD Universe has largely revolved around the spinoffs. But since then, we have bid farewell to veteran offshoot Fear The Walking Dead, and the Rick and Michonne-led spinoff The Ones Who Live. Now, it's time for Daryl Dixon to bid farewell too.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon has been a fixture - perhaps even the centerpiece - of the franchise since 2023 and it was largely praised for taking the Walking Dead story in a new, vivid direction. Norman Reedus' gruff lone wolf got some great character development and Melissa McBride's Carol Peletier proved once again why she's one of the franchise's best characters. But unfortunately, Daryl Dixon is coming to an end with its fourth and final season.
Although it's unlikely to be the end for the characters for good, the conclusion of this show allows the TWD Universe to finally address - and wrap up - a long-term storyline that deserves a fulfilling conclusion, too.
Daryl Dixon's season 4 finale needs to feature that Rick Grimes reunion
The objective of Daryl Dixon season 4 isn't complex. It's the same as the third season's objective: To get Daryl and Carol back home to the US. While their most recent adventure was unsuccessful in doing that, it has set the stage for one more larger-than-life battle to make that happen in the upcoming fourth season. The Walking Dead's most resourceful pair are obviously going to make that happen. And when they do, someone in particular has to be there waiting for them.
That person is, of course, Rick Grimes. The original leader of Daryl and Carol's group of survivors, Rick led his friends through the early days of the apocalypse before finding them safety in the Alexandria Safe-Zone. He was seemingly killed off years later when he destroyed the bridge between communities to stop a horde of walkers causing his family any harm. But we know that he didn't die; he was taken by the Civic Republic Military to join their community as part of a storyline designed to write Andrew Lincoln out of the show.
After a cameo appearance in the series finale, Rick would return in The Ones Who Live as the spinoff reunited him and Michonne, had them defeat the CRM once and for all, and returned them both home to Alexandria (where they reunited with children Judith and RJ). That's where the pair's storyline has paused for the time being as there were never any plans for a second season of that series, meaning that any potential return would have to take place in another series. And that's where Daryl Dixon season 4 comes in.
Daryl and Carol have a clear endgame in mind too and it's very similar to Rick and Michonne's: Get back home. Although they haven't been away for as long as their friends were, their time in Europe has kept them away from the action for quite some time - meaning that they are likely unaware of the fact that Rick and Michonne have returned. I say "likely" because there is a theory that Carol does know and has kept it a secret in order to surprise Daryl upon his return to the US.
Although our heroes were very much in control of three-plus communities by the time that The Walking Dead ended (Hilltop, Commonwealth, and Alexandria), Daryl went out on his travels from Alexandria - meaning that this will be where he and Carol plan on returning to. Moreover, he told Judith that he would keep an eye out for Rick and Michonne, unbeknownst that the pair would turn up while he and Carol were in France / London / Spain. And with that, it's imperative that when they return home, they are greeted by Rick and Michonne.
The good news is that this actually might happen. Although Norman Reedus' past comments about wanting the spinoff to avoid the expected outcome, fans are beginning to fully expect a Daryl and Rick reunion in the closing moments of Daryl Dixon season 4. Not only does it make sense from a storyline perspective, Andrew Lincoln himself confirmed in the fall of 2025 that he was in talks to return as Rick Grimes at some point in the franchise's future. This just so happened to be during the same window of time that the final season of Daryl Dixon was in production in Spain.
Now, Lincoln may have been referring to the long-rumored Walking Dead revival / reunion series, an unexpected return elsewhere, or something else entirely (he has reprised the role to voice the character in various video games over the past year), but the general consensus among fans is that he was likely preparing to film a cameo appearance for the Daryl Dixon finale.
This would make the most sense to be honest. Rick's primary storyline has come to an end: He's back in Alexandria, he's back with Michonne, and he's back with his family. The only major loose-hanging plot threads are the fact that he hasn't reunited on-screen with major characters like Daryl and Carol, Maggie and Negan (who are currently battling walkers in Manhattan in Dead City), Morgan (who is on his way back to Alexandria after leaving Fear The Walking Dead in its final season), and some of the other TWD veterans. And the series finale of Daryl Dixon allows him the chance to check at least one of those character groups off by having him reunite with Daryl and Carol.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 4 arrives on AMC and AMC+ in fall 2026.
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