Editor’s note: The below recap contains spoilers for The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol Episode 5.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon was a fine show in its first season, but Daryl (Norman Reedus) just isn’t the same without Carol (Melissa McBride), so the second season, with the added title of The Book of Carol, promised fans what they wanted: Daryl and Carol were going to be reunited. Rather than giving the moment away right in the beginning, Daryl Dixon wisely chose to wait, showing us more of Daryl’s life in France, and Carol’s determination to reach him. In the fourth episode, it finally happened, as the best friends reunited and embraced as they cried. Daryl and Carol are together again, so now what?

As it turns out, there was a lot more going on in that episode than just a happy reunion. Daryl Dixon also gave us two shocking deaths. First, the woman Daryl loves, Isabelle (Clémence Poésy), is killed by Losang (Joel de la Fuente) after she refuses to give up where Laurent is hiding. We didn’t just lose a protagonist, but also seemingly our main antagonist when Carol shot Marion Genet (Anne Charrier) in the back with one of her super walker serum darts. Unable to remove it, Marion collapsed dead on the ground. Daryl and Carol need to race back to Ash (Manish Dayal) and his plane, which will take them back to the Commonwealth, but before they do, they need to find Laurent so he can come with them. There is also a new enemy rising against them, as Genet’s forces have decided to combine with Losang’s. What will happen to Daryl and Carol next in Episode 5, “Vouloir, C’est Pouvoir”?

Laurent Doesn’t Want To Go To America in ‘Daryl Dixon’ Season 2 Episode 5

The episode begins with their car broken down in the countryside. Daryl is quiet and hurting, but he tells Carol he’s okay when she asks. Meanwhile, Laurent and his protector, Fallou (Eriq Ebouaney), have taken up with a group of fighters, when knocking at their door comes Stephane Codron (Romain Levi), who was last seen fighting for Laurent at night. He was once on the other side of the fight, so Fallou isn’t so trusting at first, but Laurent speaks up about how Codron saved his life. He has news about Losang being captured and how an American was looking for Daryl and Isabelle. Laurent knows it’s Carol who Daryl has talked so much about.

Making their way through a barren city, Daryl and Carol discuss how to tell Laurent about Isabelle, before Daryl asks if Ash will be okay with the boy coming along. Carol says that she will talk to Ash alone because he might not be comfortable with Daryl. This confuses him, since Ash should know that she’s been looking for him. She doesn’t want to tell the truth, but with Daryl insisting that he’s coming with her, she admits that she lied, but she doesn’t finish her story. Daryl and Carol arrive at the racetrack where Ash and the plane wait, but he’s not there. He’s been busy booby-trapping the place against criminals, and one still barely alive in a trap says that Ash left but never came back. Daryl puts the man out of his misery. We then jump to Ash, who is in a world of trouble as he’s running from a horde of walkers. He manages to get in a car but is then hit in the head with the door and concussed. Will Daryl and Carol be able to get to him in time?

Back at the hideout, Daryl arrives, where he’s reunited with Laurent and the boy gets to meet Carol. When he asks where Isabelle is, Daryl takes him aside to break the horrible news. He takes it relatively well, knowing that she’s with his mother now. Daryl brings up taking Laurent to America with them. For the boy, he just wants a normal life one day. He says no to going to the Commonwealth because he’s at peace where he is now. Laurent has become like a son to Daryl, and now he’s going to lose him. Carol tries to comfort her best friend, but Daryl blames himself for Laurent choosing to stay.

Carol and Daryl Go Searching for Ash in ‘Daryl Dixon’ Season 2 Episode 5

Needing information about Ash’s whereabouts, Daryl takes Carol to a club called the Demimonde, which was shown in the first season of Daryl Dixon. There are a lot of Genet’s former soldiers there, and they find the owner, Anna (Lukerya Ilyashenko). Anna tells Carol to be careful because other people know about the plane. In fact, she sent some men to find it, but they never came back. At the bar, Carol finds a plastic can that Ash kept the plane’s ethanol in. Told where it was found, Carol and Daryl now know where to look.

Back at the base, Laurent asks Codron why he once wanted to kill Daryl. The man begs for forgiveness, but Laurent, kind as always, already has. As they’re speaking, Losang and his troops arrive, leading to Codron hiding the kid. Losang wants him, but they’re told that he’s not there. However, Losang sees Laurent’s Rubik’s cube on a table. Fallou argues with the man about how Daryl wants to save Laurent, while Losang only wants to make him a martyr. With him distracted, Codron and Laurent make a run for it.

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Daryl and Carol make their way to Genet’s former fortress, where dozens of walkers are locked up behind glass. Carol looks to see if Ash is among them, but he’s thankfully not. That’s when they notice the car outside surrounded by walkers. They’re able to fight their way inside the car, where Ash still sits in the driver’s seat barely conscious due to his concussion. Dozens of walkers now swarm the car, so just how are they planning on getting back out? The battery is dead, but Daryl finds some super walker serum darts in the backseat, so he lifts himself through the sunroof and shoots a few walkers with them. Back in the car, they wait as it takes effect and the two super walkers slaughter everything in their path. They break through the car next, where Daryl and Carol are able to dispatch of them. A mumbling Ash wants to know who Daryl is and where Sophia is, but right now the only focus is getting out of there.

Carol Finally Tells Ash the Truth in ‘Daryl Dixon’ Season 2 Episode 5
Image via AMC

Back at the plane, Ash is resting. Daryl takes Carol outside and tells her that she needs to give Ash the truth, but she wants him to be healthier before she breaks his heart. She stays to take care of him while Daryl heads back out again to look for more fuel. He ends up at Anna’s club again, where Codron and Laurent are now hiding. Daryl thanks his former enemy for protecting the boy. Anna tells him he can get the fuel for them. Laurent still refuses to go with Daryl, confessing that he doesn’t want his friend to die because of him. They can’t keep talking though, because once more, Losang has tracked them down, causing them to quickly flee with Anna’s help. They’re not fast enough, as Losang spots them on the way out. Daryl, Laurent, and Codron make their way through a dark catacomb filled with skulls, as Losang’s soldiers follow close behind. It leads to Daryl and Losang coming face to face, while Codron has to battle Jacinta (Nassima Benchicou). Jacinta is thrown against a wall and knocked out, but Losang is harder to take down. Eventually, Daryl gets the upper hand and beats Losang to death with a skull. His faith wasn’t able to save his life. A shocked Laurent can only watch it happen.

At the racetrack, a stronger Ash wakes up thinking that Carol was unable to find Sophia. She’s in tears as he tells her how the trip helped him get past the guilt of his son’s death. How’s she supposed to tell him the truth now? Later, trying to distract herself by cleaning the plane, Carol finally comes clean and admits that she came to France looking for Daryl and not Sophia. She confesses that her daughter died twelve years ago, but it’s like she never went away. She admits that she manipulated him, but Ash is understandably upset. He gave up everything for a lie. To him, their entire relationship has been meaningless now. He screams and throws things before walking away. Carol can’t do anything but take it.

As the episode ends, Daryl and Laurent are safe and say goodbye to Anna. Laurent still doesn’t want to go to America. Daryl tells him that he wants him to come, that Isabelle did too, but he has to decide for himself. Laurent smiles and finally agrees. They make it back to the plane, where Ash and Laurent meet. The man can’t be angry in front of a kid, but when he’s told that the boy is coming too, he tells them that it’s impossible. The plane’s weight will only hold three people, not four. It looks like either Daryl or Carol will be staying behind.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol is available to watch on AMC+ and every Sunday on AMC.

A new twist raises the stakes and the tension even more for Daryl and Carol.ProsDaryl’s relationship with Laurent brings out the best in him.Darol and Carol finally have a chance to reconnect.Carol is forced to confront herself because of her lie to Ash. ConsLosang was a weak villain, so his death felt uneventful.

Daryl’s journey across a broken but resilient France as he hopes to find a way back home.Cast Norman Reedus , Clemence Poesy , Louis Puech Scigliuzzi , Laïka Blanc-Francard , Anne Charrier , Romain Levi , Melissa McBride , Joel de la Fuente , Adam Nagaitis , Eriq Ebouaney , Tristan Zanchi , François Delaive , Maxime Lefrançois , Lukerya Ilyashenko , Catherine Arditi , Hugo Dillon Seasons 2 Showrunner David Zabel Release Date October 1, 2023 Story By Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, Charlie Adlard Network AMC Franchise(s) The Walking Dead Expand

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