Carol and Dog wait patiently for Daryl to return from his European spinoff adventures in haunting new fan-created The Walking Dead art.
The Walking Dead art hauntingly depicts Carol and Dog waiting for an absent Daryl. Norman Reedus' fan-favorite TWD hero Daryl Dixon is thrillingly getting his own spinoff show, which sees the motorcycle-riding loner washing up on the shores of France and embarking on a whole new post-apocalyptic adventure. Unfortunately, Daryl's long-time Platonic pal Carol will not be joining him on his European trip, after actor Melissa McBride elected to drop out of the spinoff.
McBride's decision not to join Reedus in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon indeed has led to a lot of fan consternation, and that sadness is reflected in a new piece of art depicting Carol and Dog, with Daryl himself nowhere in sight.
Created by Instagrammer artsietal, the piece shows Carol sharing a campfire with Daryl's canine companion, who was of course left behind in the Walking Dead series finale when Daryl headed off to find Rick and Michonne (a quest that is doomed to be interrupted by his European detour).
It's evident that the original plan for what is now a Daryl solo spinoff was supposed to also involve Carol, in keeping with the other two upcoming TWD spinoffs and their team-up concepts. As of now it doesn't appear that there's a clear path to Carol ultimately joining Daryl in his spinoff, but it remains to be seen how things develop down the road. Daryl may be in Europe when his spinoff commences, but that doesn't mean he will wind up staying over there.
Chances of a Daryl-Carol reunion would of course increase if TWD: Daryl Dixon were to get a second season. While there has been no announcement of Daryl's spinoff getting a season 2, it's perhaps worth noting that the Maggie-and-Negan series The Walking Dead: Dead City has already seemingly received a second season renewal from AMC, which only improves Daryl Dixon's prospects for also getting a second season. For his part, Reedus has said for a long time that he expects Carol and Daryl to get back together in the future, telling Iron & Air last summer that the duo will "definitely" reunite one day.
Much obviously depends on McBride's willingness to jump aboard the spinoff down the road, but it does seem that the door is open for Carol, Daryl and perhaps even Dog to once again be reunited in The Walking Dead universe. Daryl Dixon meanwhile is set to hit AMC sometime in 2023.
