Warning! SPOILERS for The Walking Dead's series finale.Rick Grimes and Daryl Dixon are The Walking Dead's most popular characters, and their scrapped plans for the show's finale should be used to end the franchise. There are only a handful of Walking Dead characters who have survived since the early seasons, and Rick and Daryl are two of them. Initially, the pair didn't start off on good terms, given how Rick left Daryl's brother, Merle, stranded to die on a rooftop in Atlanta. However, Rick and Daryl's relationship grew into a fully-fledged bromance by season 3. Since Rick's departure from The Walking Dead, fans have been longing for a reunion, and that nearly happened in the series finale.
For The Walking Dead finale, Norman Reedus, who plays Daryl, pitched the idea for his character to reunite with Rick Grimes. Narratively it would have been one of The Walking Dead's most rewarding moments, given the emotional toll Rick Grime's apparent death took on Daryl, which led him to live in the wild alone while he searched for his friend's body. Naturally, Rick's reunions with Michonne, Judith, and R.J., will be huge for The Walking Dead, but seeing him back on the screen with Daryl Dixon is the franchise's most anticipated moment. Since the reunion didn't happen in the finale, it can be saved to properly end Rick's spinoff show.
Why Rick & Daryl Didn't Reunite In The Walking Dead's Finale
Rick and Daryl did not reunite in The Walking Dead finale because Rick is a prisoner at Civic Republic Military and is still presumed dead by his group. The finale of The Walking Dead focused on the conflict at the Commonwealth, where Daryl helped save Rick's daughter, Judith, and lead the revolution against The Walking Dead's Governor Pamela Milton. If Rick was rushed into the Commonwealth arc, it would have been a fan-pleasing moment but would have overshadowed the storylines that were built up throughout season 11. Rick's brief scene to close The Walking Dead was a smart way of featuring the show's most famous character while looking forward to the franchise's future.
Although the flagship show is over, The Walking Dead franchise is continuing with three spinoff shows. To build anticipation for the spinoffs, it makes sense to save Rick and Daryl's reunion so that there is a major moment to look forward to. Exactly how they will reunite is unclear, given Daryl is set to head off to France in his spinoff, but The Walking Dead series finale hinted that Daryl will be searching for Rick and Michonne after he promised Judith that he will bring her parents back to Alexandria should he find them.
The Walking Dead's Real Ending Needs A Rick & Daryl Reunion
The final seasons of The Walking Dead did a good job of making survivors like Judith Grimes and Eugene a bigger deal than they previously had been, but Rick and Daryl have always been the show's most popular characters. The relationship between Rick and Daryl has led to some of The Walking Dead's best moments, including the pair's hilarious chase after Jesus. The inevitable Grimes family reunion will be a heart-warming moment, but seeing Rick Grimes and Daryl Dixon back together is the perfect way to end The Walking Dead franchise.