Warning: Spoilers for The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon episode 5

Summary

• A surprise scene in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon episode 5 teases Rick Grimes' possible return and hints at a reunion with his friends.
• Carol's mysterious behavior suggests something significant has happened in Alexandria that she is reluctant to share with Daryl.
• Rick's motivations for returning to Alexandria may include reuniting with loved ones and protecting them from the threat posed by the CRM. A potential timeline plot hole may arise with his return.

A surprise scene in Rick Grimes to re-enter the picture. Of course, it’s no secret that the original Walking Dead hero is on his way back to the franchise. But details of his return for The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live – and if he’ll ever reunite with his friends – remain shrouded in mystery.

Due to plans for The Ones Who Live, Rick meeting with at least one Walking Dead character (Michonne) is assured at this point. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for everyone else. However, it’s always made sense that the franchise would want to work its way toward Rick crossing paths with his children, and perhaps old allies like Daryl and Carol as well. Thus far, Daryl has been on a fruitless mission to find Rick, but whether or not it would ever amount to anything was unclear. An unexpected development in this storyline appears to have finally presented itself in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon episode 5.

Rick's Walking Dead Return? Carol's Line & Possible Meaning Explained

The message was distorted by static, but Carol could be heard telling Daryl that someone “came back.” Purposely, the show ensured that the name was inaudible and ended their conservation, preventing Daryl from getting an answer when he asked, “who came back?” The episode never provided any possible explanations to the tease, but it’s obvious who viewers are meant to suspect. Of the characters absent from Alexandria, none stand out more than Rick Grimes. After all, Daryl spent much of his time looking for him after the explosion on the bridge and promised Judith he’d bring her father back.

Interestingly, Rick isn’t the only candidate for this tease. Alternatively, Carol could mean Michonne, who left to find him in season 10. It’s not impossible that Michonne paid a visit to Alexandria before the events of their shared spinoff, The One Who Live. She’s already been away a while, and could decide to check in on her kids before heading back out to complete her mission to find Rick.

A third option would be Heath, a confirmed victim of the CRM and a character who disappeared in season 7. Heath was never around long enough for his return to matter that much to Daryl, but his connection to the CRM – and by extension, Rick Grimes – would make his arrival in Alexandria something worth bringing up to Daryl. Lastly, there’s Fear the Walking Dead's Morgan, who may very well be going back to Alexandria now that he’s looking for Rick. However, he doesn’t have that deep of a history with Daryl, which is why a reference to him would seem insignificant.

Carol Is Clearly Hiding Something In Daryl Dixon Episode 5

Further reinforcing the idea that Rick’s return may have happened off-screen is Carol’s odd behavior during her talk with Daryl. Carol’s evasiveness made it clear that something was going on back at Alexandria that she felt reluctant to mention. If she didn’t want to talk about it, that could be a sign that it involves news that would alarm or distract Daryl. Rick suddenly coming back after being gone for more than a decade would certainly qualify. The same would be true if it’s Michonne that returned, as that too would connect with Rick’s Walking Dead story in some way. Either way, chances are things aren’t as “quiet” in Alexandria as Carol suggests.

Why Rick Grimes Would Have Returned To Alexandria

A big part of what made Daryl Dixon episode 5’s big tease such a shocking moment is the idea that Rick Grimes is expected to be busy dealing with the CRM in The Ones Who Live. In spite of that, The Walking Dead is hinting that Rick will come home regardless. Rick wanting to reach Alexandria does make sense, considering that he has family and friends there. Getting back there may have been his goal all along, but the CRM has been standing in the way. That was made evident when he was shown failing to escape from their clutches in The Walking Dead series finale.

While seeing his loved ones may be the main point of going back, it’s not the only motivation he might have. A more pressing reason may be the threat posed by the CRM. It would be out of character for Rick to bring them into his fight and put them in harm’s way, but that’s a risk Rick might take if Alexandria is already on their radar. The CRM has potential Lance Hornsby connections, so there’s at least a chance the CRM has targeted them over what happened to Lance in season 11. If so, Rick could be trying to warn them of the danger that’s about to arrive on their doorstep.

Rick's Return Risks A Walking Dead Timeline Plot Hole

As exciting as it would be for Rick to reunite with so many of his friends from The Walking Dead, doing so would further muddle the Walking Dead timeline. Firstly, The Walking Dead: Dead City takes place after the events of Daryl Dixon, meaning that any monumental developments should have been addressed in Maggie and Negan’s spinoff. Naturally, Rick coming back would be too big of an event to ignore; it’s hard to imagine the former leader of the core group coming back into the fold not being referenced by either Negan or Maggie. This also applies to whatever problem Carol was hinting at in episode 5.

How Daryl Dixon's "Who Came Back?" Mystery Sets Up The Walking Dead's Future

Clearly, Daryl Dixon’s “who came back?” exchange with Carol is instrumental to what comes next for The Walking Dead franchise, whether it specifically refers to Rick Grimes or not. Presumably, the Daryl Dixon season finale will hinge on Daryl’s ongoing struggles in , hence why it’s probably not going to offer any explanation as to who Carol meant. With this in mind, there’s little doubt that the purpose of this scene was to build a new mystery for the franchise to solve sometime after season 1. And since it pertains directly to the people of Alexandria, it implies the return of more familiar faces.

This prospect s mounting theories of a massive Walking Dead crossover. Morgan’s search for Rick and Daryl’s own intention to find him both build evidence for the idea that The Walking Dead plans to unite its characters once more. A new mystery unfolding in place that isn’t the current setting of a spinoff only strengthens that possibility. It could be that after The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, The Ones Who Live, and Dead City, they’ll all come together to fight the CRM in an epic war to end the franchise.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon releases new episodes on Sundays on AMC.