It's been an emotional few years for fans of the legendary Walking Dead franchise. The series that started it all for AMC wrapped its incredible 11-season run back in 2022, launching a brand new era for the TWD Universe in the process - one full of spinoffs and sequels. Since then, original spinoff Fear The Walking Dead has wrapped up after eight seasons and miniseries The Ones Who Live surprised fans with an announcement that it was only designed to run for one season.
Two shows remain on the air but it's unclear what's next for the franchise. Dead City returns this summer for its third season but it has not yet been announced if there are plans for future seasons. Meanwhile, Daryl Dixon bows out with its fourth and final season, which airs this fall. And to add to the emotion, Norman Reedus bid farewell to the show with an emotional message that left fans in the feels.
TWD fans feeling 'bittersweet' over Norman Reedus' goodbye to Daryl Dixon
As we reported earlier this month, Norman Reedus bid The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon adieu with a heartfelt post that acknowledged the ride that he, co-star Melissa McBride, showrunner David Zabel, and all involved have been on over the course of the show's four-season-run, while also teasing the upcoming final season. That post can be seen here.
In the midst of the message, Reedus acknowledged the finality of season 4, adding "It was a special season. I can’t wait for you to see it. It hits just way different this time."
Naturally, fans were quick to react to it and it's pretty clear that they are in their feels about the whole thing. While there is understandably a lot of excitement for the fourth season of Daryl Dixon, there are a lot of messages regarding their upset over the fact that the show is ending.
One commented: "I’m so excited to watch it but also don’t know if I’m ready for it to end! It’s been a glorious ride". Another shared those sentiments, saying: "I still can't believe we're talking about the final season. 😠Thanks to everyone for pouring so much heart into it. Can't wait to see it." And another added: "Can’t wait! But it will be bittersweet, I don’t want Daryl Dixon to end! Going to miss him!"
One fan pointed out why the series finale of Daryl Dixon hits different than The Walking Dead's series finale - as we knew that Daryl and Carol would return after that episode - saying: "Hits way different here as well. I have never been good at goodbyes and I hope that somehow the story continues cause Daryl is not someone I want to say goodbye to 🥺"
Of course, this has raised the question as to whether the end of the Daryl Dixon series will mean the end of the Daryl Dixon character. While the AMC creatives implied that we would see both him and Carol Peletier again in the future back when they announced that the show would end at San Diego Comic-Con in 2025, the lack of confirmed projects from the TWD Universe's future has cast doubt on whether that will actually happen. Furthermore, Melissa McBride has revealed that she will be taking a hiatus from acting after wrapping Daryl Dixon season 4, which has left fans wondering if the "Book of Carol" is about to come to an end.
Of course, AMC's Chief Content Officer of The Walking Dead Universe, Scott M. Gimple, recently confirmed that there are still hopes of making that long-rumored Walking Dead crossover / reunion series. If that were to happen, it's very much expected that Reedus' Daryl Dixon and Andrew Lincoln's Rick Grimes would be at the center of it, while McBride's Carol, Danai Gurira's Michonne, Lauren Cohan's Maggie Rhee, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan's Negan would all be involved too. And if that were to happen, it would very likely be the final season for The Walking Dead franchise - or this chapter of it at least.
Let's hope that we will see Daryl, Carol and the rest of the gang in the not-too-distant future.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 4 arrives on AMC and AMC+ in fall 2026.
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