The Walking Dead Is Flipping Daryl & Carol’s Roles In Daryl Dixon Season 3

With The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3 just around the corner, excitement is building for the upcoming story, which looks set to flip Carol and Daryl's previous roles. Before Carol's arrival in season 2, Daryl's Walking Dead spinoff was a completely different series, as it involved the protagonist connecting with a bunch of French survivors as he searched for a way home.

However, Carol showing up in Europe changed the show's entire dynamic, as the focus once again became about her and Daryl's relationship, which resulted in various characters being killed off to accommodate. As a result, Daryl Dixon season 2's ending saw the duo leave France and embark on a new journey, but it looks like their parts could be completely swapped.

While Daryl had made genuine friendships and even found love during his time in France, Carol's time in the country was much briefer, giving her no real affinity to the country. In contrast, Daryl Dixon season 3 looks like it could make Carol's affection for Spain much more prominent compared to Daryl, who cares more about returning to America.

Daryl Is The One Pushing To Go Home, While Carol Wants To Stay In Spain During Daryl Dixon Season 3

Daryl Dixon season 3's trailer revealed a lot about the upcoming story, including a plethora of new characters and a war between communities, but despite Daryl's commitment to helping protect people, he wasn't the one who wanted to stay. During the trailer, Daryl tells Carol, "We're always fighting everyone's fights. I just think we should get back home."

Interestingly, he seems to have no intention of sticking around in Spain, yet Carol is far more sold on the idea of aiding their new community, replying, "We can't just do nothing." Given she hasn't always been too motivated by assisting strangers, Carol's potential new love interest in Daryl Dixon season 3 may be behind her desire to stay.

Conversely, Daryl is often driven by saving those who are vulnerable, as was the case in France, yet this time around, he only looks interested in making it back to the US. Given he's been out of the country for quite a while and has more reasons than ever to return, Daryl's attitude shift is completely understandable.

That said, both characters' changing behavior is almost a complete flip of their roles in season 2. As a result, it will be fascinating to see how their views impact crucial decisions alongside their strong relationship that has been at the heart of The Walking Dead for over a decade.

Daryl Was Determined To Stay In France Until Laurent & Isabelle Were Safe In Season 2

While Daryl seems pretty eager to leave Spain in season 3, the same can't be said for his time in France, as he opted to stay in the country to help protect Laurent and Isabelle. Given he never planned on leaving America, it was no surprise the spinoff's main protagonist wanted to exit Europe the moment he washed up there.

However, his best chance of getting transport home involved helping escort a child named Laurent across the country, something he reluctantly agreed to. Despite trying not to get attached, Daryl formed a bond with Laurent and chose to extend his time in France to keep him safe, even though he had a golden opportunity to leave during season 1's finale.

As a result, Daryl put all his effort into shielding the child, and he even became romantically involved with Isabelle in Daryl Dixon season 2, giving him a stronger connection to the country. His goal did eventually pivot to leaving with Isabelle and Laurent, after convincing the two that America was a safer and more suitable home for them.

Still, this is a huge contrast to his attitude in season 3, which suggests his upcoming role will be the opposite of the last installment. Given Carol was always trying to flee the country ever since reuniting with Daryl, her desire to stay in Spain will also feel extremely different, setting up an exciting new adventure for the duo.

How Daryl & Carol’s Flipped Dynamic Will Impact The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Season 3

Considering all they've been through, it's likely Carol and Daryl will work through their differences of opinion, especially since season 3's trailer shows Daryl helping fight in Spain, but this doesn't mean their relationship won't be tested along the way. With Laurent and Ash flying by themselves to the US, Daryl will understandably be desperate to know if they landed safely.

Carol is aware of this, but even though Daryl is one of her best friends, it's not out of the question that she would sabotage a potential route home to stay in Spain. Assuming she does use her cunning, manipulative nature to ensure the protagonists remain in Spain and see out the war, it could spark tension and drama.

Daryl Dixon season 2 highlighted that Carol's lies weighed on her mind as she eventually revealed the truth, which could be repeated in season 3. Even if the duo may manage to overcome their conflict eventually, the flipped roles certainly create a lot of potential problems on the horizon in the new location.

Until the show returns, Daryl and Carol's dynamic remains a mystery, but knowing how often they've clashed before due to their opposing views, it seems like The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3 could be completely different from the previous two outings, which is exactly the kind of refresh the spinoff needs.