The Walking Dead fans think upcoming Daryl Dixon spin-off could be gearing up to introduce the franchise's first immune character – and the theory is giving us major The Last of Us vibes.
In the show's most recent trailer, which you can watch above, it's made clear that it'll see Norman Reedus's titular character wash up in France, where he's rescued by a mysterious religious community.
Later, Clémence Poésy's nun Isabelle asks the American to ferry Laurent (Louis Puech Scigliuzzi), a young French boy, to a specific location across the zombie-filled country – and reveals that the kid might be the key to the "revival of humanity". Much like how Marlene convinced Pedro Pascal's Joel to do the same with Cordyceps-immune Ellie (Bella Ramsey) in the aforementioned video game adaptation...
"I was thinking to myself, in a joking matter, that he's gonna escort that boy The Last of Us style, and then the nun said he's the revival of humanity," one Reddit user admitted, while another said: "I love Daryl. And I'm hyped for this. I just wish the storyline felt more original."
Others joked that the narrative was similar to that of Death Stranding, too, Hideo Kojima's 2019 video game, which starred Reedus as a courier tasked with delivering supplies to isolated colonies, and reconnecting them via a wireless communications network.
Immunity has been hinted at within The Walking Dead universe before, through characters like Alicia Clark and her mother Madison in Fear, as well as hopeful rumors about Andrew Lincoln's Rick Grimes. But if this theory turns out to be accurate, it'd be the first time someone is confirmed to not be susceptible to walker bites. It would also add interesting context to The Walking Dead: World Beyond's post-credits scene, which told us that the virus originated in France and that scientists there have been working on a cure.
In The Last of Us, Ellie's immunity to Cordyceps is due to the fact that her mother, Anna, was bitten just before she gave birth. Laurent's age – the outbreak happened at least 13 years before the events of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – could mean that his story is similar, though that's pure speculation for now.
Back in 2018, The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman expressed his disinterest in having any character in the franchise wind up being immune, which potentially debunks the above idea. "No, that would be terrible," he told ComicBook.com. "That's not a storyline I like." Still, a lot can change in five years...
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon premieres on AMC and AMC+ on September 10. For more, check out our handy guide on how to watch The Walking Dead franchise in order, or have a look at our list of the most exciting new TV shows heading our way.
