How Did Daryl Get To France On The New Walking Dead Spin-Off & Why Is He There?

Ever since the setting of "The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon" was announced, the question has lingered as to how the titular character would find himself navigating a walker-infested France. Now that the spin-off series has premiered, we finally have some answers — but maybe even more questions. Though Daryl (Norman Reedus) was last seen leaving the Commonwealth in the series finale of "The Walking Dead," hoping to track down his old allies Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne (Danai Gurira), the fan-favorite character's Europe-set solo series opens with him washing up on the shores of Marseille, France. The normally steadfast hero is unconscious and strapped to a capsized rowboat. So how did that happen?

In a scene later on in the episode, Daryl reveals, "I ran into some bad people. They put me on a boat. That didn't go well. And I washed ashore here." The boat in question, it's later revealed, was also carrying walkers for experimentation, though we don't know what kind. During its transatlantic journey, a mutiny broke out, apparently led by Daryl, during which he went overboard and was presumed dead. Instead, he somehow lashed himself to a lifeboat and made it to land. That's as much as we get for now as far as an explanation, but some big questions remain unanswered.

In the "Walking Dead" finale, as he's leaving his loved ones behind, Daryl reaffirms to Judith (Cailey Fleming) that he'll find Rick and Michonne, reminding viewers of his dedication to reuniting with his longtime allies. Is it possible this search could have led him to the ship? Or was he maybe looking into the experiments being conducted on the walkers for some reason? And who are the "bad people" he's referring to? Answers are scarce, but with Season 2 already confirmed, there's still plenty of time to explore the gap between this spin-off and the original series.

Since Rick and Michonne are finally returning on "The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live," it's possible we'll get some more information about whether their paths ever cross with Daryl's after the original series' finale. If Daryl ever does track down his old friends, their show could provide more insight into what led him to where we see him today. Though "The Walking Dead" may have aired its final episode, its survivors' stories certainly aren't done being told. And while we may still not know the why of Daryl's presence in France, at least we now know the how.