Now that we have established the characters and location, it's time for the big plots to arrive this season. In The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3 episode 3, Daryl and Carol disagree on whether to help or abandon Fede.
While they spend time with Roberto, Roberto's father, and Justina, a minor hiccup interrupts their means of returning home.
What happens in Daryl Dixon season 3 episode 3
Not surprisingly, the villain of the season, his Majesty, El Alcazar, is not only angry about Carol's unpopular opinion from the night before, but also because four of his men are missing. He suspects Fede is somehow behind it, and threatens to leave early, cutting all ties with them, if something isn't done about it.
While the search begins for the missing men, Daryl and Carol disagree about their next move. Carol wants to stay and try to help Fede and his people, whereas Daryl wants to go home.
They split up, with Daryl and Roberto leaving to see if the boat can be fixed, while Carol stays behind, unexpectedly spending the entire day with Roberto's father. It's clear Roberto's father has taken a liking to Carol, as they enjoy meals together and an old black and white film.
Roberto slowly unveils pieces of his past, including the tragedy behind his wife's passing that Justina still blames herself for. Justina, meanwhile, sews with her grandmother, holding onto hope that Roberto's promise to find a solution before the next offering will work.
After accidentally pricking her finger with a needle, Justina searches her uncle's cabinet for a bandage and hidden chocolate when she makes a heartbreaking discovery. There, in a secret compartment, are the five ribbons with her name, meaning her name was never tied to a pig for the past five Offrendas.
Devastated, she seeks Roberto, who had not returned with Daryl yet. Justina resorts to confiding in Carol, as she experiences immense guilt over Alba getting chosen.
Although Carol actually provides solid advice about the situation, it's clear Justina will disregard all of it.
Meanwhile, Daryl and Roberto travel to a lighthouse to meet an older woman, who isn't shy about how many men she seems to be romantically involved with, who could help them with the boat. Not surprisingly, Roberto has an ulterior motive for why he's helping Daryl.
He wants Daryl and Carol to take him and Justina with them to America. Naturally, the boat is unfixable, but if they can provide the lighthouse keeper with ethanol and promise to take Roberto and Justina to America, she will help.
Daryl and Roberto search an old shipyard where they appear to find at least one boat that could work. After a quick scuffle with walkers, both in the water and on land, they head back home when Daryl decides to make a quick pitstop.
He leaves behind Laurent's Rubik's Cube at a statue where many left offerings for peace. Unfortunately for both of them, they do not arrive back home in time as Carol and Roberto's father discovers that Justina has taken Alba's place.
His majesty and his wife (who is secretly romantically involved with Paz) leave, disregarding the search for the four men with Justina in tow.
As is with past seasons of The Walking Dead, the third episode of a new season is where things pick up. We now have the catalyst for why Daryl and Carol will not be returning home: rescuing Justina.
This season has made it very clear that it is relying heavily on themes of romance. We have Roberto and Justina's forbidden romance, the secret love between Paz and the majesty's wife, and we see times arguably where Daryl is reflecting upon his past romances (Isabelle and Leah, as these were two women he was officially romantically involved with for however short a time).
Romances, however, as evidenced by Isabelle and Leah, for instance, are often death sentences in TWDU. Very few are lucky enough to find it.
Even fewer are lucky enough to keep it. Will Roberto and Justina have a happy ending by the end of the series?
What of Paz and his majesty's wife? One thing that looked promising was Paz's visible disdain and anger at seeing her love leaving with a man who is most likely abusing her.
Will she aid Daryl in the hopes of rescuing her love as well?
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3 episode 4 airs on Sept. 28 at 9 p.m. on AMC and AMC+.