Warning: Spoilers ahead for The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon — The Book of Carol, Episode 4.
In Sunday’s episode titled “La Paradis Pour Toi”, fans of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon were left stunned by major character deaths that shifted the story in significant ways. The much-anticipated reunion between best friends Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Carol (Melissa McBride) finally occurred, only to be followed by gut-wrenching losses that left viewers reeling.
In this emotional episode, Carol arrives at the Nest after traveling with Genet (Anne Charrier), the leader of the Pouvoir, who had injected her soldiers with a serum turning them into super-powered zombies. Her army of Guerrier was unleashed on the abbey in an attempt to eliminate Laurent (Louis Puech Scigliuzzi), a boy seen as a symbol of hope. Genet’s goal was to crush the Union de l’Espoir, which she considered a false promise.
While the Pouvoir sought to destroy Laurent, Union leader Losang (Joel de la Fuente) tried to restore his followers’ faith by attempting to use Laurent’s immunity to prove he could survive a walker bite. However, Fallou (Eriq Ebouaney) intervened, helping Laurent escape. Unable to locate him, Losang turned his frustration on Isabelle (Clémence Poésy), stabbing her and leaving her to die as the walkers overran Mont-Saint-Michel.
Despite Carol’s efforts to save Isabelle from being bitten, the damage was already done. Daryl found Isabelle in her final moments. After sharing a tender kiss in a previous episode, Isabelle declared her love for Daryl one last time, telling him to protect her nephew Laurent. Her final words were heartbreaking: “I can see them. The fireflies. They’re so beautiful.” A reference to Daryl’s promise to take her to America, a dream now tragically unfulfilled.
The Significance of Isabelle’s Death
The death of Isabelle was a devastating moment, not just for fans, but for Daryl as well. Showrunner and episode co-writer David Zabel revealed the intent behind this scene on AMC+’s Episode Insider, saying, “What we wanted for Isabelle’s death was to show dignity, strength, and give her a deeply emotional ending. Her death impacts Daryl in a way that’s new for him, because she was so different from anyone else in his life, and now he has to ensure Laurent is safe, honoring her final wish.”
Poésy, who portrayed Isabelle, reflected on the emotional weight of the scene, saying, “In this world, you become accustomed to saying goodbye. Isabelle knew her time was up, and she accepted it with grace.”
The bittersweet end of Isabelle was a testament to her strength as a character. She died protecting Laurent, fulfilling a promise she made to her sister.
Genet’s Shocking Death
But Isabelle wasn’t the only casualty of the episode. Genet, the antagonist responsible for much of the chaos, met her own gruesome end in a fitting twist of fate. After Daryl and Carol escaped to a remote village, they sought refuge with kind strangers Didi (Marie-Christine Adam) and Theo (François-Éric Gendron). However, Genet tracked them down, leading to a final confrontation.
It was Carol who ultimately ended Genet’s reign of terror, using a tranquilizer gun loaded with the same serum Genet used to turn her soldiers into supercharged zombies. Genet’s death was nothing short of horrific—her eyes turned black, her body convulsed violently, and in a gruesome finale, her eyes burst as she succumbed to the serum’s effects.
Greg Nicotero, the show’s executive producer and special makeup effects artist, explained the importance of giving Genet a death that matched her villainous legacy: “She was a tremendous villain, and we wanted her death to reflect the severity of her actions. We aimed for something horrific and gut-wrenching.”
Charrier, who played Genet, also weighed in on her character’s demise: “Genet believed she was bringing order to the chaos, but in the end, she became a victim of the monsters she created. Her journey was complete, and there was no other fitting way for her to go.”
Genet’s violent death marked the end of her arc, and in doing so, it also set the stage for Daryl and Carol to face whatever comes next. With two major characters now gone, the path forward for Daryl is filled with uncertainty.
A New Direction for Daryl and Carol
The episode leaves fans wondering what’s in store for Daryl and Carol as they move forward. With Genet gone, Daryl is now tasked with protecting Laurent, fulfilling Isabelle’s final wish. As the series continues, viewers are left to anticipate how Daryl’s connection to the boy will grow and how Carol’s involvement will shape their journey.
Season 2 of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon promises more intense drama, and with characters falling in rapid succession, no one is truly safe. Each Sunday, fans can catch new episodes on AMC and AMC+.