Daryl Dixon Season 3 Ending Explained

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3, episode 7, “Solaz del Mar”.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon has officially wrapped up its third season, and while the protagonists didn’t quite manage to make it home from America, they did resolve several key conflicts. After leaving The Walking Dead‘s fallen United Kingdom, Carol and Daryl sailed towards the US before unintentionally washing up in Spain following a storm.

Ever since, they’ve been trying to repair their boat and get home, but quickly found themselves getting invested in the Spanish residents of Solaz del Mar. During the finale, Carol attempted to save her Daryl Dixon season 3 love interest, while Daryl headed to El Alcazar with Paz to try and rescue Elena and Justina.

Despite the odds stacked against both protagonists, they risked their lives for people they’d barely met, showcasing their humanity. However, even after completing their missions, the central characters didn’t manage to make it home as their boat was sabotaged by one of the spinoff’s central villains, creating a finale with plenty to unpack.

Daryl & Paz Rescued Elena & Justina While Taking Down El Alcázar

Although several villain groups have emerged throughout Daryl Dixon season 3, El Alcázar was by far the biggest threat in Spain before Daryl and Paz took them down. After finding out Fede had essentially traded his niece to the group against her will, Daryl agreed to go rescue Justina on his own before meeting Paz en route to Barcelona.

While their initial plan didn’t work out, they posed as workers who wore masks as a means of infiltrating the evil settlement. During a dinner among El Alcázar’s most influential residents, Daryl was able to sabotage a play that used zombies to let them loose from behind the curtain, causing all hell to break loose.

The king of Spain was bitten as everyone fled the room, prompting Daryl and Paz to split up. The latter attempted to locate her ex-girlfriend, who had been transferred to El Alcázar during a previous La Ofrenda, while Daryl used the chaos as an opportunity to set the place alight before tracking down Justina.

Justina tried to escape by threatening the man who selected her for marriage, but her plan quickly backfired and started a fight. Fortunately, Daryl saved her just in time and freed several other women before escaping the community.

Meanwhile, Paz located Elena and learned she had a son, buying time for them to pack up and leave. However, after killing a guard, she was knocked down by Torres, the same man who had thwarted her plans to rescue Elena several years ago.

Things played out differently this time though, as Elena stabbed her husband while Paz delivered the finishing blow, eventually reuniting with Daryl and the other women outside the premises. This seemed to mark the end of the antagonist group, with Paz, Elena, and the others bidding farewell to Daryl and Justina, who traveled back to Solaz together.

The pair rode back on Daryl’s motorcycle, just in time to help end the commotion going on inside the fortified town.

Carol Helped Rescue Antonio Before Fede Was Exposed

As Daryl and Paz took down El Alcázar, Carol returned to Solaz del Mar to rescue Antonio. Having previously left the community while smuggling Antonio’s son out of town, Carol decided to return, knowing her romantic interest would be in trouble after standing up to Fede in front of everyone.

Arriving with a few of Valentina’s men, they managed to free Antonio, who was being tortured and left in the middle of town as punishment, leading to a shootout. One of the residents allowed Antonio and Carol to hide out in their home until Fede’s men came looking, leading to the two sneaking out through a secret exit.

Several townsfolk came together to help them escape, but they were eventually sold out by Gustavo, who took them to Fede in exchange for medicine. Rather than kill them, Fede managed to locate Roberto and chain him to walkers, allowing Carol and Antonio to help protect him, albeit without the luxury of weapons.

They managed to keep the zombies at bay, with some of the spectators feeling guilty and dropping weapons to help them fight, but ultimately, Daryl saved the day once again during Daryl Dixon season 3’s ending. He arrived in the nick of time to shoot the undead, stalling just long enough for Justina to arrive and tell the truth.

After she revealed that Fede was the real traitor, the town came together to kill the walkers, and Fede was imprisoned for his treachery, ending the conflict in Solaz Del Mar while allowing Justina and Roberto to properly reunite.

Why Fede Destroyed The Boat In Daryl Dixon Season 3’s Finale

With all conflicts settled, it seemed like it would be a simple trip home for Daryl and Carol, especially with Antonio, Roberto, and Justina all joining them on their journey. Sadly, things weren’t quite as straightforward, as Fede’s mother released him from prison, prompting Solaz’s former leader to confront Daryl down at the beach.

Holding him at gunpoint, he promised to kill The Walking Dead veteran, but Carol tackled the villain just as he went to pull the trigger. Remarkably, The Walking Dead ended a common trope of needlessly killing off new characters in Daryl Dixon season 3’s final showdown, as there were no casualties during this scuffle except for one: the boat.

The bullets from Fede’s gun pierced through the ship and set it ablaze, with the group unable to put it out. Not only did this undo a season’s worth of hard work, but the vessel will likely now be beyond repair, giving the main characters no clear way of returning home.

While Fede didn’t intentionally sabotage their voyage, he did want revenge on Daryl for being a thorn in his side, and he would have presumably killed everyone else on the beach as well, perhaps other than Justina. He clearly didn’t want the survivors to leave, but his actions were purely out of vengeance, rather than any other motive.

Still, he ended up costing Daryl and Carol their best chance at returning to the Commonwealth, but “Solaz del Mar” did offer one glimmer of hope through a major character return.

Codron Returned To Daryl Dixon & Somehow Made It To Spain

Having last been seen during season 2’s finale, it seemed like Daryl Dixon may have forgotten about Codron after his disappearance in the Channel. However, to many fans’ surprise, he showed up in Spain, wandering the country on his own before stumbling across Laurent’s Rubik’s Cube that Daryl placed by a monument.

The show never provided any details about how he got to Spain, a mystery that will presumably be resolved in the next installment, but seeing Codron return to Daryl Dixon was certainly a welcome twist. We only got a brief glimpse of him at the start of the episode, but it certainly appeared as though he was looking for the protagonists.

He then featured again in season 3’s closing moments, where he spotted the fiery ship from afar, suggesting his reunion with Carol and Daryl is certainly on the cards. Given that he has been one of the spinoff’s best characters, his presence should undeniably spice up season 4, providing something for viewers to look forward to.

How Daryl Dixon Season 3’s Ending Sets Up The Final Season

Manuel Fernandez-Valdes/AMC

With Daryl Dixon season 4 confirmed as the final outing for the spinoff, it is bound to be bigger and better than ever, especially after season 3’s finale. It may not have ended on a stereotypical cliffhanger, given that many of the main conflicts were resolved, but it did leave questions around how Daryl and Carol will get home.

As a result, the burning boat means that the upcoming story will likely revolve around finding a new way home, something Codron’s return could help with. He had to make it to Spain somehow, and assuming his transport is still in operation, there remains a chance of finally returning to the US.

Fede’s descent into villainy is also likely to play a factor in the next installment. Sure, he’ll presumably be back in jail when season 4 starts, but his power and influence over people mean he’s destined to get out again, with season 3 showing just how easily he can manipulate those close to him.

There is also the lingering issue of Los Primitivos, who never returned after their initial attack, a threat that surely will be back. Overall, “Solaz del Mar” sets up the main characters searching for a new way back to America while they attempt to overcome familiar villains, and there will inevitably be new obstacles facing them when season 4 arrives.

What Daryl Dixon Season 3’s Ending Really Means

The true meaning behind Daryl Dixon‘s ending seems to be about Daryl and Carol’s commitment to doing the right thing, no matter the cost. Despite wanting to go home countless times, Daryl was consistently talked into staying and helping by Carol, simply because it was the morally correct thing to do.

They both helped innocent people when it would be easier to leave, with Daryl even going off track to help a struggling community after they showed him kindness. Additionally, the ending also focuses on Daryl’s journey of self-discovery.

He openly admits he is unsure why he left the Commonwealth, putting it down to getting scared of being comfortable. His flashbacks also explored Daryl’s past relationship with Merle in The Walking Dead and how that played into his inability to stay in one place.

While he clearly felt like leaving the Commonwealth was all for nothing and that he lacked purpose, by the end of the season, he seems ready to go home and has helped change several people’s lives for the better, proving both he and Carol are good people at heart, despite their violent actions in Daryl Dixon.

Release Date

2023 – 2026-00-00

Showrunner

David Zabel

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  Norman Reedus

  Daryl Dixon

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  Clemence Poesy

  Isabelle Carriere