The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon: Why did Codron refrain from killing Daryl?

The epic Walking Dead spinoff The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon recently concluded with our hero, Daryl Dixon, conflicted as to whether he should stay in France or return home. Throughout the season Daryl’s only desire has been to return home to his loved ones at The Commonwealth.

But it seems his mission to safely transport Lauren to the Nest, alongside Isabelle, was enough to change his mind. But that won’t be stopping Carol from trying to find him, as she has found her first potential clue to his whereabouts in Maine.

If we’re being honest, Daryl, Laurent, Isabelle, and Sylvie probably would not have successfully reached the Nest if it weren’t for one moment in particular. Since the beginning of the show, Codron has been seeking revenge for his brother’s death.

Unfortunately for Daryl, he gets blamed for it. Codron’s desire for retribution leads him right to Genet, who already has a distaste for Dixon since the incident on the boat.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon: How Codron spares Daryl’s life?

Therefore, during the season 1 finale, Genet sends Codron with some of her men to find and kill Daryl once and for all. But when they find the group unarmed and unprepared, the orders are to kill everyone, including Laurent.

Codron hesitates but decidedly kills all the soldiers instead. But the real shocker is that he also spares Daryl’s life…for now.

He swipes the pocket watch with the engraved image of Mont Saint-Michel and immediately realizes that is the location of the Nest. For a man who was obsessed with killing Daryl the entire season, what made him suddenly change his mind?

Well, in our opinion, the answer coincides with Codron as a person. If we recall in the very first episode, he and his men knew Daryl was hiding at the convent.

They could have easily broken in and murdered all the nuns without asking questions. But Codron didn’t.

He and his men didn’t open fire until Daryl fired the first shot. In fact, Codron seemed to have some respect for the women of faith.

Fast forward to the season finale, just when Codron has Daryl in his grasp, Genet’s men are ordered to kill everyone, including Laurent. Codron is not the kind of man who will kill a child.

So, once he kills all the soldiers instead and has the opportunity to do the same to Daryl, he refuses to. Why?

Because do you really think he’s going to kill Daryl in front of Laurent? Codron knows Laurent has been with Daryl the entire season.

How horrific and monstrous would it be to kill him before a child? His desire to kill Daryl is intense but not enough to do so before Laurent.

When Codron first appears on the show, he does come off like your run-of-the-mill villain. That is until we learn more about him through his actions and reactions.

Some of Codron’s strongest moments are when he doesn’t speak. His eyes and mannerisms do all the talking for him.

Keep in mind we do not know anything about his past. We do not know how this became his present.

But what is evident is that he does have some morals or at least a code that he follows. The fact that a television show can develop him that well, without jamming key information about him down our throats, is nothing short of impressive and admirable.

Why do you think Codron decided to spare Daryl’s life? Share your answers in the comments below!

You can watch The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 1 on AMC.