Daryl Dixon finds himself a stranger in a new land far away from home.
Blatant Lies: Maribelle claims to Codron that Daryl tried to rob her and that Codron’s men tried to save them. Codron appears to already know it’s not the truth, though.
The Comically Serious: A man as stoic as Daryl reacts as blankly to Maribelle’s "what’s cracking, noob" as you’d expect.
Conscience Makes You Go Back: Despite leaving the abbey, Daryl realizes he has to go back to help upon seeing Codron’s troops advancing on it.
Daryl was last seen at the end of The Walking Dead setting out on a solo journey that he promised Judith Grimes he’d bring her parents Rick and Michonne Grimes home if he found them.
Daryl says he’s from a place called the Commonwealth. In the series finale of the main show, the Coalition had been rebuilt by the reformed Commonwealth which had come under the leadership of Governor Ezekiel Sutton, Lieutenant Governor Michael Mercer, and Director of Operations Carol Peletier. It’s unknown if Daryl is just calling home the Commonwealth due to it not making any difference, or because the Coalition had accepted being under the reformed Commonwealth’s banner and name.
Daryl scoffs at the sign saying "God loves you". In Season 2’s "What Lies Ahead", he snarked at a statue of Jesus to show how little he thought of him, and he discusses his lack of faith with Isabelle.
Daryl’s scars inflicted by his abusive father, first shown back in Season 3's "Home", are seen and commented on - as well as his scar inflicted by Jocelyn’s cult in the flashbacks of Season 9’s "Scars".
Daryl references his late brother Merle, who was killed by The Governor in Season 3's "This Sorrowful Life".
Daryl takes a morning star from the church’s armory, recalling his use of one during the Battle of Hilltop in Season 10's "Morning Star".
Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Codron is a cold-hearted thug, but he genuinely loved his brother Michel and is devastated to find him a walker.
Even Evil Has Standards: Phillipe is extremely reluctant to comply with Codron’s order to put down Père Jean due to having known him in life and presumably sharing much of the convent’s beliefs.
Hope Spot: Daryl seemingly finds his first allies in the form of Maribelle and her grandfather, but after he helps kill their attackers, they turn on him. It’s subverted when he ends up with Isabelle’s convent who seem to mean him no true harm.
In Medias Res: The series opens with Daryl washing up in France, as completely in the dark as the audience about how he got there.
Karmic Death: Maribelle’s grandfather is killed by Codron with the same weapon he used to strike down Daryl.
Mythology Gag: Isabelle’s convent believes the Fall is a test for humanity that they will be delivered from. In the epilogue of The Walking Dead, wherein it had been decades since walkers were a major threat with society having largely recovered from the Fall, the early years that spanned the main timeline of the comic’s story were known as "the Trials".
Not Using the "Z" Word: Isabelle says her convent calls the walkers "Les affamés", the hungry ones.
Oh, Crap!: Already in a state of bewilderment, Daryl is visibly startled to see signs in French as he begins to realize just where he is. He then has another subtle one when he finally confirms he’s in France, and understandably reacts in pain and shock when the burner grabs his arm.
Precision F-Strike: Daryl tells Isabelle that she’s been fucking with him after she reveals the radio is broken.
Pyrrhic Victory: Codron was warded off and Laurent’s life was saved, but much of the convent were killed in the attack despite mounting a defense.
The Remnant: Isabelle says the convent naturally has dwindled in numbers over the twelve years since the Fall. Laurent also believes that it would take six or seven generations for France to return to its pre-Fall population of 67 million people.
Screw This, I'm Outta Here: When he learns that the convent has their Père Jean’s walker caged up, Daryl decides immediately it’s time to leave.
Shout-Out: Daryl jokes that the combat-capable convent are "killer nuns", alluding to The Nun. Coincidentally, the episode aired days after the release of The Nun II.
Sole Survivor: Codron is the only one of his men who survived the attack on the convent.
Wake-Up Call Boss: Daryl discovers the burner walker variant the hard way when it grabs him and burns his arm just by touching him, establishing the variant as more dangerous than even the Virginia countryside variants that served as the Final Boss of the original show, and how out of his depth even a hardened survivor like Daryl is in this new place.
Wounded Gazelle Gambit: Maribelle’s grandfather pretends to be blind and handicapped, but once Daryl is injured and at their mercy, he reveals he isn’t blind and leads in attacking him.
