The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 2 episode 2 recap and review: “Moulin Rouge”

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 2 episode 2 recap and review: "Moulin Rouge"

As a long-time fan of The Walking Dead, I must say that this latest episode was quite the rollercoaster ride! At first, I was skeptical about the inclusion of Ash and Carol, fearing they would just be another pair of side characters who don’t contribute much to the plot. But boy, was I wrong!

In the premiere episode of “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon The Book of Carol” (season 2), Daryl starts developing feelings for Laurent, which could lead to trouble for Losang and the Nest. On the other hand, Carol forms a bond with a pilot, who turns out to be her new companion. They then decide to depart from the United States and journey towards France.

Despite starting off leisurely in “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon The Book of Carol” season 2 episode 2 titled “Moulin Rouge,” the storyline suddenly gains momentum, introducing numerous plot twists, action sequences, and even hints of a budding romance. So, without further ado, let’s delve right into this captivating recap and analysis – it’s certainly a rollercoaster ride!

Welcome to France

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 2 episode 2 recap and review: "Moulin Rouge"

Carol and Ash successfully sail across the Atlantic Ocean, but an unexpected fuel leak forces them to make an emergency landing before reaching their destination. As Ash works on fixing the fuel leak, Carol steps up to handle any approaching zombies.

In the anticipated turn of events, she manages to gain an advantage during her fight against the walkers, thanks to the timely intervention of two women who come to her aid.

As a gamer, if you’ve dabbled in The Walking Dead series or its offshoots, these new faces could be either temporary troublemakers or allies with a short lifespan. If your intuition points to the former, congrats, you nailed it!

As a gamer, I found myself suddenly split from my companions Ash and Carol, leaving me puzzled about what was going on. It seemed these two were off-kilter, maybe because they’ve been isolated for so long without much human interaction.

Inside their small home, Carol is attempting to negotiate her survival while someone threatens Ash with a gun, insisting they must help in the reproduction of humanity. It remains unclear if Ash has been harmed (as the second woman returns, implying she may have done so), but Carol continues her efforts to avoid being killed.

Multiple times, she vows to include her captor in their group, eventually consenting after murdering the friend who persistently urged her to kill Carol. On their return journey, Ash manages to slay the captor using a conspicuously shown flare gun, and they both flee with Carol, moving towards France.

Upon their arrival, Carol successfully persuades Ash to stay on the plane as she moves forward, unbeknownst to him that she’s not just looking for her daughter, but also dealing with Daryl in secrecy.

In Paris, where Carol finds herself entering, she observes a food-laden truck pulling over to collect a homeless individual (an unexpected sight given the city’s abundance of empty buildings and apartments). By following a path of grains leaking from a small hole in a bag she hastily fashioned, she manages to track the truck.

Trucks are indeed loaded with supplies, and it doesn’t take Carol long to blend into the throng of people rushing towards the food. This is all part of Genet’s plan, who attracts hungry survivors in order to recruit participants for secret experiments that remain unknown to the general public.

In simpler terms, Carol is placed in a single truck while others, including a married couple, are transferred to another vehicle. This separation was hoped to be temporary as they believed Genet’s group’s assurances would enhance their lives. However, during the journey, it becomes evident that Genet had malicious intentions all along.

In a different arrangement, we discover that Genet has been brutally mistreating Codron. Despite the open pocket watch bearing the inscription of the Nest’s location, he remains tight-lipped about its whereabouts, which suggests Genet might resort to harsher tactics.

The plot thickens

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 2 episode 2 recap and review: "Moulin Rouge"

Although it might seem like a substantial amount of information, Carol’s tale merely presents half the picture. At The Nest, Laurent, being just a child, is growing less enthused about his future, a feeling that can certainly be empathized with.

He takes delight in being with Daryl, especially learning the ropes of baseball, and prefers living life over immersing himself in endless studies. The previous episode hinted that Losang is concerned about Daryl’s impact on Laurent and Laurent’s overall readiness.

Truth be told, I’ve been sensing a growing unease among my fellow gamers about our quest. If Laurent wants to keep The Nest thriving, he might have to win them over sooner rather than later.

Unfortunately, upon checking on her nephew the next day, he was nowhere to be found. It didn’t take long for them to realize he had been kidnapped, prompting Daryl, Isabelle, and a few others to rally together in an effort to save him.

This involves Fallou, who recently came back after being held captive by Genet and Emile, who seems off (or odd) since his return. Meanwhile, while the group is away, Sylvie observes a nun preparing a meal that Laurent usually consumes.

She accompanies her to a hidden spot, where Laurent and Losang are both studying. By the finale of the episode, Sylvie’s destiny remains unclear.

As Daryl realizes it’s a trap, some members of the Nest try to assassinate him along with Isabelle. Meanwhile, when Emile tries to murder Fallou, it becomes clear that he had endured gruesome experiences during his captivity by Genet.

He has developed an extreme devotion towards Laurent, leading him to make illogical choices. Interestingly, it’s been hinted that Laurent will face a crucial test the following day, where he must demonstrate his loyalty by remaining steadfast even after being bitten by a zombie.

Emile meets his end, which leaves Fallou, Isabelle, and Daryl as the lone individuals still alive following the trap incident. However, their predicament worsens when they spot that the water level has risen around The Nest, forcing them to wait until the following day before they can go back home.

This provides Isabelle and Daryl the perfect opportunity to kiss (finally), as their growing tension and bond has been prevalent since the previous season. Back at the Nest, Losang learns that this trap could cost Daryl, Isabelle, and Fallou their lives, an act he did not agree to.

The episode full of surprises

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 2 episode 2 recap and review: "Moulin Rouge"

Initially, when Ash and Carol encountered the two women at the start of the episode, I had fears that it might turn out to be a dull installment. Over my years of watching The Walking Dead, if new characters don’t contribute to moving the plot forward (regardless of whether they have positive or negative impacts), I prefer they aren’t part of the narrative at all.

Instead of including them, their purpose seemed more about reiterating a well-known trope: the apocalypse corrupts people, making them unstable and ruthless. However, we didn’t discover any fresh insights about Ash or Carol from this scene.

Fortunately, following that deviation, the narrative gains momentum, unveiling the increasingly dire situation of the Nest, as it presses upon Laurent to actualize his destiny. At this juncture, they have grown as twisted and malevolent as Genet, so absorbed in their objective that they disregard the number of lives lost in the process.

Initially, Isabelle was contemplating Daryl’s proposal to depart with Laurent and return to their shared hometown. However, it now appears that this decision might be her sole option.

Is it probable that they’ll halt the test on schedule, or could it turn out that Laurent is resistant to it? The former scenario appears more plausible, but the latter would certainly add a thrilling twist to the storyline.

Regarding Isabelle and Daryl, they shared a kiss for the first time; the question remains, though – will this moment cause them to look back with remorse or will it foster further development in their budding relationship?

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but worry: Will the series opt for an easy resolution by ending Daryl’s story with her demise? Despite my hopeful anticipation of their relationship’s trajectory, “The Walking Dead” has a troubling history when it comes to Daryl and romance.

I’ve always admired Daryl’s character for his independence, never bound to any one person. Yet, when the series hinted at the prospect of a romantic relationship, they seemed to fumble it somehow.

In other words, if you’re going to explore a romantic aspect for Daryl, make it a lasting one, or leave it out completely. I’m fine with him having a relationship with Isabelle.

Indeed, it seems to me that their bond felt genuine and convincing because they actually interacted. What I don’t want is for Daryl to experience another heartbreak. He truly deserves happiness. Let’s avoid making him the recurring protagonist of a romantic tragedy.

Without a doubt, Codron deserves every accolade in the world for maintaining his silence towards Genet following all the suffering and torment he’s been through. I was genuinely amazed by his unwavering dedication to upholding his promise. If, sadly, he passes this season, let it be acknowledged that he is an unheralded hero and a true legend.

On October 13, 2024, catch the third episode of season 2 for Daryl Dixon from “The Walking Dead” on AMC. We’ll be reviewing each episode throughout the season, so don’t go anywhere!

2024-10-08 16:28

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