The Walking Dead Is Saying Goodbye To The Last 2 Characters From Season 1's Original Cast

Published Oct 12, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT Craig began contributing to Screen Rant in 2016 and has been ranting ever since, mostly to himself in a darkened room. After previously writing for various outlets, Craig's focus turned to TV and film, where a steady upbringing of science fiction and comic books finally became useful. Craig has previously been published by sites such as Den of Geek. Craig is an approved critic on Rotten Tomatoes. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-elvy-5b31a3381/ The Walking Dead has long had a reputation as one of the less stable gigs on TV, content to kill off major characters regardless of whether it be a season finale or any random Tuesday. For proof, one need only dig out a cast photo from The Walking Dead season 1, and be greeted by the smiling faces of actors who haven't been in the franchise for years. Laurie Holden's Andrea, Jon Bernthal's Shane, Michael Rooker's Merle... The list of casualties since The Walking Dead began goes on and on. Admittedly, two of those TWD OGs are technically still alive, just no longer actively part of the franchise. Andrew Lincoln's Rick Grimes ducked out in season 9, only to return via The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, which ended with his emotional return home. And the last time viewers saw Lennie James' Morgan, he was working his way back to Alexandria after a stint in Fear the Walking Dead. Nevertheless, the only two characters who have been part of The Walking Dead since episode 1 and remained so throughout its entire history are Daryl Dixon, played by Norman Reedus, and Carol Peletier, portrayed by Melissa McBride. Both began as supporting figures in Rick's original band of survivors. Both became more prominent and popular as The Walking Dead progressed. Both survived until the very end, and both continued their stories in the Daryl Dixon spinoff series, enjoying misadventures aplenty around Europe. But all good things must come to an end, and it appears that The Walking Dead is bidding Daryl and Carol farewell as the marketing campaign for Daryl Dixon season 4 begins in earnest. The Walking Dead Is Heading Into An Uncertain Future Image via MovieStillDB There's an important backdrop of context here: The Walking Dead is heading into its most uncertain era since 2010. Whether because of the original show's immense success on AMC or the deluge of spinoffs it spawned, The Walking Dead has been a television mainstay since it aired. Those days are now rapidly coming to an end. The Walking Dead: Dead City aired its third season in 2026, then Daryl Dixon season 4 is set for February 2027, and that's it. The zombie apocalypse ends in a few months, officially speaking. Fans needn't worry too much right now. The Walking Dead: Dead City may yet get renewed for season 4, and new shows beyond that are absolutely possible. In general, the days of franchises announcing a dozen spinoff shows at once are over, even for the likes of Marvel and Star Trek, so the lack of a clear future for The Walking Dead (as strange as it feels after so many years) isn't a guaranteed death knell. It does, however, leave the futures of The Walking Dead's remaining protagonists unclear, especially Daryl and Carol. Because, for starters, Daryl Dixon is definitely ending with its fourth season, so whatever future its two heroes might have will be in a completely different show. And secondly, Norman Reedus has posted several times on his social media to commemorate the completion of Daryl Dixon season 4, and his words carry a distinct 'end of an era' vibe that at least hints toward the upcoming episodes being his last as everyone's favorite crossbow-wielding, king-killing motorcyclist. Daryl Dixon Season 4's Marketing Is Openly Saying Goodbye To Daryl & Carol And now The Walking Dead's marketing is joining in. A fresh trailer for Daryl Dixon season 4 debuted at New York Comic Con 2026, and the footage heavily plays upon the idea of this being the final chapter for the franchise's last remaining originals. The trailer begins with scenes from The Walking Dead's early years, and the formative steps in Daryl and Carol's unbreakable bond. It's a real 'the journey so far...' vibe, punctuated by the telling caption, "One last journey... One last fight," as footage from AMC's upcoming season kicks in. The trailer concludes by posing one question: will Daryl Dixon get back home and stay there this time? Similar to Norman Reedus' social media posts, it's difficult to tell whether the trailer is merely celebrating the end of the Daryl Dixon spinoff after four successful seasons, or the end of Daryl and Carol's time in The Walking Dead in general. Perhaps that's the point, and Daryl Dixon's closing act is designed to leave the door open, but function as an overall ending in the event that Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride never return to the zombie apocalypse again. Certainly, it's hard to escape the air of finality hanging ominously over Daryl Dixon season 4 as the premiere approaches, and the marketing is doing absolutely nothing to shy away from the notion of this being the end for two beloved The Walking Dead veterans. What The Walking Dead Still Needs To Do Before Daryl & Carol Say Goodbye Forever Credit: MovieStillsDB It actually wouldn't be a huge surprise if Daryl Dixon season 4 was all she wrote for Carol Peletier. Melissa McBride's character joined her pal's spinoff in season 2 and hit the ground running with a deeply emotional story that revisited the tragic death of her daughter, Sophia, from early in The Walking Dead's main series. Healed by the sunny Spanish climes of Daryl Dixon season 3, Carol found some semblance of peace, even sparking up a romance with the charming Antonio. Rediscovering happiness feels like the best place for Carol's The Walking Dead journey to end, so she's all but ready to ride into the sunset. Daryl, on the other hand, has quite a bit more to do. As the season 4 trailer suggests, Daryl must end his long-running habit of finding comfort uncomfortable, allowing himself the sense of home that has always eluded him, not just in the Commonwealth, but at Alexandria too. Daryl also needs a reunion with Laurent, his adopted son from Daryl Dixon seasons 1 and 2. The prodigious youngster was last seen flying from France to the United States (with directions to the Commonwealth) on a plane that looked about as trustworthy as a Terminus hamburger. Daryl's story cannot be considered truly over until he reunites with a safe-and-well Laurent back on US soil. Another must-have reunion before Daryl's story can end is, of course, Rick Grimes. Daryl never gave up hope of Rick being alive, spending months searching for his missing friend during The Walking Dead season 9's time skip. In a frustrating twist of fate, Daryl departed the Commonwealth before Rick made his grand return in the finale of The Ones Who Live. Even more so than the Daryl/Laurent issue, The Walking Dead won't be complete until Daryl and Rick have shared at least one final scene together. Release Date 2023 - 2027-00-00 Network AMC Showrunner David Zabel Cast Norman Reedus Daryl Dixon Melissa McBride Carol Peletier Directors Daniel Percival, Michael Slovis, Tim Southam Writers Marta Gene Camps Franchise(s) The Walking Dead Creator(s) David Zabel