"Paris Sera Toujours Paris" is the third episode of the first season of AMC's The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon. It is the third episode of the series overall. It premiered on September 24, 2023. It was written by Coline Abert and directed by Tim Southam.
Plot[]
The group arrives in Paris, where Isabelle confronts her past while growing closer to Daryl. Codron seeks help from the leader of a growing nationalist movement called Pouvoir, putting the Union of Hope and Laurent under dangerous scrutiny.
Synopsis[]
Daryl's group arrives in Angers where Isabelle tells Daryl they can radio for directions on where they should head next. Stopping in front of a theater, Daryl leaves the reins with Laurent and a rifle with Sylvie to protect the horse.
Inside, Isabelle explains that her contact in Angers is a musician who has been living in this theater for years. The Conductor joins them, revealing that he speaks English, and leads them to his radio which has some parts missing. The Conductor explains that he used some parts for amplification. The Conductor puts on a record, and he leads Daryl and Isabelle into the main part of the theater where he excitedly conducts an orchestra made out of mutilated walkers tied up to various instruments, having clearly gone insane.
Outside, Laurent, and Sylvie listen to the music with confusion as a walker, dragging a corpse that's been manacled to it, approaches. A frustrated Daryl states that they should've stuck to the plan, calling it a stupid detour, but Isabelle believes that it was worth a try. As Isabelle struggles to shoot the walker, Daryl and Isabelle emerge from the theater, arguing about going to Paris which Isabelle believes to be too dangerous. "It's too dangerous everywhere. We did it your way. Now we're gonna do it mine. We're going to Paris," Daryl proclaims, taking the rifle from Sylvie and shooting the walker in the head. The group rides off in their cart as a herd approaches, drawn by the music and the gunshot.
Walking alongside the cart, Laurent asks Daryl if there will be walkers in Paris which Daryl confirms is likely to be the case. Laurent notes that Daryl is good at fighting them, but Daryl dismissively tells him that everyone is good at something. Daryl brings the cart to a stop as Laurent looks out over Paris from a nearby vantage point and Daryl welcomes the two women home. The group makes their way through the walker-infested streets of Paris with Isabelle and Sylvie pointing out various landmarks to Laurent, including the Panthéon and the ruins of Notre-Dame. Daryl notices the word "Pouvoir" and a crest written on a car and Isabelle explains that it's a movement that started after the start of the Trials. Most of Paris is under the control of Genet and her guerriers which Daryl recognizes as the guys who had attacked the Abbey of Saint Bernadette. In desperate times, people turn to order or to God.
As the group makes their way through the Père Lachaise Cemetery, Laurent tells Daryl about the famous people buried there and about a fable that one of them had written about a weary woodsman who wanted to die, but had a change of heart when death came, instead asking for help carrying his burden so that he can keep going on. Daryl stops to pay his respects to the grave of Jim Morrison, an American rock star who had died in Paris. Noticing Daryl's worried look, Laurent reassures Daryl that he won't die in Paris too. A little further on, the group spots three bodies in the process of being buried and are confronted by the survivors burying them. Isabelle tells Fallou Boukar, the man in charge, that truth is hope and that Père Jean had sent them. Fallou realizes who Laurent is and asks after Père Jean, but Isabelle admits that he isn't with them. Noticing Fallou's suspicious look at Daryl, Isabelle identifies Daryl as a friend who had helped them to get there and who only speaks English. Fallou introduces himself and his companions, telling Laurent that they've been waiting a long time to meet him.
Fallou leads the group to his community living on a greenhouse roof where Daryl asks for a radio that he can use. Fallou explains that they take turns at the daily tasks and had welcomed their 64th member a few months before who is a baby girl that was born. As Fallou shows them around, Emile asks Sylvie if she had always wanted to be a nun, and she admits that she's never imagined anything else. Emile comments that Sylvie has never been to Paris before and it's a good place to imagine. In the garden, the group observes the Eiffel Tower in the distance with Laurent telling Daryl how many rivets were used to build it and Daryl noticing that the famous landmark got the tip knocked off of it. Fallou explains that a military helicopter had crashed into it at the start of the outbreak and Laurent muses that "it must be magical, to stand under it and look up at the sky."
At Daryl's prompting, Fallou leads Daryl and Isabelle to Antoine who is in charge of the community's homing pigeon method of communication, leaving Daryl incredulous. Antoine sends a message written by Isabelle out, but admits that it could be anywhere from a few days to a month to get a response factoring in bad weather. After confirming with Isabelle that the Nest will take her the rest of the way for the last part of the trip, Daryl declares that his part of the job is done as a pigeon can't help him and without a radio, they can't help him. Fallou tells Daryl that there are people trading all kinds of things in Paris and he can take Daryl to them. However, they will need currency as even information is a commodity. Daryl is willing to steal something if that's what it takes, but Isabelle thinks that she knows where to find something, and they'll go there in the morning. The three observe people presenting Laurent with gifts and Daryl is worried that it's a lot to put on a kid, but Isabelle feels that God chooses our burdens. Laurent approaches Sonia whose husband had died a few days before and has refused any food or comfort since. While Sonia has been inconsolable to everyone else, she accepts a hug from the boy, causing Fallou to declare that Père Jean was right about him.
Stéphane, having apparently recovered from the wounds that he had sustained fighting Daryl, arrives at the Power of the Living base at Maison Mère, pausing briefly to observe experiments being performed on one of the test subjects from the ship. Stéphane meets with Genet, introducing himself and revealing that he's from Marseille. Stéphane explains that a few years before, a traveler had come through the village and spoken of a movement in Paris that would make the world right again. The man gave Stéphane the tattoo and told him that he was now a warrior for Genet. Stéphane tells Genet that she can thank him later for getting her what she wants, the American, which she has already been told about. Stéphane plays Daryl's recorded message that he had recovered from the abbey for Genet. Stéphane promises to find Daryl for her and to prove his usefulness to her here at Maison Mère. Stéphane swears to not stop, having promised his parents when they died to look after his brother, only to have Daryl make him a liar. Genet officially hires Stéphane and leads him to the Doctor's lab to observe his progress after two other scientists injected the test subject with something. The Doctor starts a timer and the group watches as the test subject - who is a cohort variant with pure black eyes - rips its chains out of the concrete walls that they are anchored to, charges the glass, and suddenly has blood explode out of its head and chest before collapsing. Once the walker stops growling, the Doctor reports to Genet that it took 18 seconds, and she orders the Doctor to continue his experiments.
Daryl and Isabelle make their way through Isabelle's old apartment building which is filled with its zombified residents. The two find Isabelle's old apartment wrecked, but clear of any walkers. Daryl notes the "noisy neighbors" and Isabelle identifies them as the Garniers who had lived next door. Mrs. Garnier had always been trying to set Isabelle up with her son. Daryl finds a photo booth strip of Isabelle and Quinn in one of the books and Isabelle identifies Quinn, stating that she was young and very stupid, and Daryl suggests that she upgraded with God. Isabelle retrieves a picture of her sister Lily standing near the Eiffel Tower that was taken on Lily's 16th birthday and Laurent has never seen his mother's face. Stating that they're here so that she can keep her part of the bargain, Isabelle retrieves the box full of her stolen merchandise from the fireplace, including drugs and a gold watch, which they can use as trade to get them information on a boat. Seeing how surprised Daryl is by her loot, Isabelle quips that she wasn't always a nun.
Isabelle changes into some of her old clothes while Daryl enjoys the view from her apartment which beats the view from his old house. Isabelle recalls how there was a bar at the end of the street where only the regulars, which included artists, musicians and students, were allowed to stay when the owner pulled the curtains. They thought that they were reinventing the world while never imagining how it would get. Daryl points out that Isabelle at least thought about while Daryl himself didn't do much thinking back then. While Daryl seems like someone who is always thinking to Isabelle, he admits that he's not, things happen, and things change. "Maybe we're the same that way. Broken until the world ended," suggests Isabelle which Daryl agrees is a possibility. Isabelle is glad that their paths crossed and Daryl, seeing a walker in an apartment across the way, decides that they should get going.
However, the two find the stairwell to be filled with walkers and Isabelle leads Daryl out through a service entrance in the back which is overgrown with vines. Outside, the two find a zombified young girl tangled in vines and missing her nose. While Daryl draws his knife to put her down, Isabelle stops him, recognizing the young girl as her former neighbor Aimée. The two skirt around Aimée, but the girl's attempts to reach out to Isabelle knock over some flowerpots, drawing attention to them. Zombified residents crash through their windows to get at Daryl and Isabelle as Daryl desperately tries to open a door which is blocked by more vines. As Isabelle is caught between a burner and a small herd of at least five walkers, Daryl suddenly impales the burner in the back with a makeshift spear and holds it up against the vines, using the burner to melt through them. Once the door is open, Daryl stabs the burner in the head, recovers his dropped knife, and he and Isabelle make their escape just as the small herd closes in on them. Isabelle stops to take one last look at the still trapped Aimée, remembering driving away from the little girl on Monument Day along with Quinn and Lily.
Waiting for the others to join them, Daryl expresses his condolences to Isabelle about Aimée and Isabelle sadly admits that she had left Aimée behind when the outbreak started. Sylvie, Laurent, Fallou and Emile join them, and Isabelle gives her nephew the picture of his mother which Laurent shares with Daryl. Fallou leads the group to the Paris Catacombs where the guard lets them in in exchange for the group putting their weapons in the freezer. Fallou explains to Daryl that the catacombs are where the 6 million people who died in the Black Death are buried. "America is an infant. But here, we survived many apocalypses. We will survive this one too," states Fallou.
The group reaches the Demimonde nightclub where Fallou tells Daryl that people find all sorts of things there and since Daryl helped the Union of Hope, they will help him in return. Fallou goes looking for some friends who might be able to tell something, while Isabelle explains to Laurent that it's a nightclub and that they used to have a lot of them. Coco welcomes to the stage Anna Valery and Laurent, Sylvie, and Emile enjoy her performance while Daryl and Isabelle admire a painting hanging on the wall that was saved from a museum. Sylvie and Emile dance together and Emile explains that his grandmother was an Argentinian refugee who had taught him two things: to dance and to fight for freedom.
Fallou calls Daryl and Isabelle over to Bernard where they explain that Daryl wants to go to America and, since Daryl came by sea, there must be ships sailing. Bernard acknowledges that they hear things and Rodo has Isabelle show them what's in her bag as someone watches them from a nearby balcony. Bernard is impressed with Isabelle's stash, and tells Daryl through Isabelle that he knows people that can help him. Once Daryl pays him, Bernard promises to take Daryl to a connection who can hook him up. Daryl refuses after seeing the looks that Bernard and Rodo are exchanging with a man across the room, suggesting that they're about to double cross him, and a fight breaks out between Daryl and Bernard after the latter pulls a knife on Daryl. Daryl quickly subdues Bernard before they are interrupted by Quinn, much to the shock of Isabelle. Reminding Bernard of the rules against weapons, Quinn slices the man's face in punishment before giving the knife to Coco.
Quinn greets Isabelle, admitting that it's strange to see her again after so many years and she tells him that her life took some turns. Isabelle identifies Daryl as her friend that she's traveling with, and Daryl explains that he's looking for a way back to America. Quinn reveals that it's not impossible to do and that he's heard things, while Anna finishes her performance and is complimented by Laurent on her singing. Laurent shares the picture of his mom with Anna and admits that he wants to see the Eiffel Tower in person himself some day like Lily did on her birthday. Anna gives the boy her Eiffel Tower necklace to remember his mother by.
Quinn agrees to ask around and see what he can find out for his old friend and rejects Isabelle's offer of bartering with him. Laurent shows them the necklace that Anna had given to him, drawing Quinn's attention when Isabelle reveals that he's Lily's son. Quickly pulling her friend aside, Isabelle orders Sylvie to take Laurent back to the rooftop with the others, promising to explain later. Daryl asks if his friend is alright, but she just tells him that they made a deal and she'll keep up her end of the deal since Daryl kept up his end of it. Daryl was right: it turns out that Isabelle does have connections in Paris.
Quinn brushes off Anna's romantic advances and leads Daryl and Isabelle to his office, explaining that the nightclub was originally a bunker in World War II that was occupied by both sides of the conflict. Isabelle refuses a glass of champagne and reveals to her former boyfriend that she became a nun, much to his surprise. Isabelle admits that Lily had died giving birth to her baby which Quinn appears to be genuinely upset by. Much to Daryl and Isabelle's shock, Quinn reveals that he's actually Laurent's father and he's angry that his son was kept from him. Isabelle admits that Lily had never told her and accuses Quinn of being responsible for her sister's death. Becoming aggressive while Isabelle becomes more nervous and submissive, Quinn reminds Isabelle that he'd saved her life after Isabelle had slit her wrists in the bathtub. Quinn makes it clear that he'll only help Daryl if Isabelle and Laurent stay with him, but Daryl refuses to abandon the two to Quinn for a boat.
Leaving, Daryl tries to reassure Isabelle that they all have bad things in their past that they're trying to run from, but Isabelle angrily tells him that she was wrong earlier about them being the same. However, Daryl knows that he's not the one that she's really angry at. Isabelle reminds Daryl that they're in Paris because Daryl had wanted to come and she's only trying to help Daryl keep his promise, accusing Daryl of only caring about that. Isabelle asked for his help because she needed it, but she doesn't and never did need a hero.
That night, lying in his bunk at Fallou's community, Laurent asks Sylvie what it will be like at the Nest, and she reassures him that it will be safe like it used to be at the abbey and there will be more people like them who believe the same thing. Laurent tells Sylvie that Sonia had told him that he had made her feel loved, and he doesn't know why. Sylvie explains that it's because Laurent gives people hope and leaves while Laurent studies the picture of his mother.
Stéphane arrives at Demimonde with two armed guerriers and Quinn reminds Stéphane of his arrangement with Genet that leaves the nightclub off limits to her people. Stéphane reveals that they are looking for an American named Daryl Dixon who has been there.
Daryl packs up his belongings and Isabelle apologizes for her earlier behavior, telling Daryl that she doesn't believe in coincidences and Isabelle believes that she had to come back to Paris to see Quinn again and find out the truth. Daryl brushes off Isabelle, telling her that she's got Fallou's people looking after her now and she doesn't need him anymore. Isabelle tells Daryl that Laurent will be sad to see him go, but Daryl just tells her to make something up since she's really good at that. Isabelle explains that she had never told Laurent the truth about his birth because everything about it was horrible such as the way that Lily died and the way that Laurent was born. Daryl asks what Isabelle will tell Laurent about Quinn because she needs to stop lying to him. Laurent deserves to know who he is, and he can then make up his own mind about what he wants to do. Isabelle accuses Daryl of not accepting how special he is, but Daryl tells her "he's a gift from God, right? Maybe that's something you need to believe, 'cause the world's so fucked up. Or maybe, he's just a regular kid. A regular kid that got lucky and lived. Maybe that's your miracle." Having overheard their argument, a furious Laurent tells Daryl and Isabelle that he hates them both and storms off.
Guerriers led by Stéphane burst in, demanding to know where the American is. Laurent escapes down some scaffolding while Stéphane spots Daryl and chases after him and Daryl orders Isabelle to get Laurent and meet him back at her apartment. Daryl reaches the edge of the roof and pauses after spotting a herd below before jumping across to the next building. As Daryl makes his way across the adjacent rooftop, Stéphane orders his men to track Daryl and follows Daryl across. Daryl ambushes Stéphane, knocking the man's feet out from under him with his morning star and then trying to stab him. The two men engage in a vicious fight that ends with Daryl strangling Stéphane from behind. However, before Daryl can kill the man, the guerriers open fire on him, forcing Daryl to grab his weapons and flee. Isabelle runs through the building, calling for Laurent. As Daryl hides, the roof beneath him suddenly gives way and Daryl falls into the building below.
Other Cast[]
Co-Stars[]
- Tristan Zanchi as Emile Thibault
- Paloma as Coco
- Sabine Pakora as Sonia
- Eric Frey as The Conductor
- Naïa Pichler as Aimée
- Chrystal Boursin as Nadine
- Elie Haddad as Bastien
- Michaël Erpelding as Bernard
- Ike Ortiz as Rodo
- Dylan Louhoungou as Door Guy #1
- Shiraz Tzarfati as Gate Guard
Uncredited[]
- Faustine Koziel as Lily Carriere (Photograph)
- Ekaterina Rusnak as Guerrier
- Tony Augé as Guerrier
- Charly Voodoo as Demimonde Pianist
- Alix Bénézech as Demimonde Cigarette Girl
- Larabie as Demimonde Patron
- MJ Delfour as Demimonde Patron
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Deaths[]
- Jim Morrison (Confirmed Fate, Pre-Apocalypse)
- Sonia's Husband (Confirmed Fate)
- Mr. Codron (Confirmed Fate)
- Mrs. Codron (Confirmed Fate)
- Mrs. Garnier (Alive, Confirmed Fate)
- Garnier (Alive, Confirmed Fate)
- Aimée (Alive, Confirmed Fate)
- Gate Guard
- 3 unnamed rooftop community residents (2 Confirmed Fate)
- 1 unnamed Power of the Living test subject (Zombified)
- Many unnamed apartment building residents (Alive, Confirmed Fate; 2 Zombified)
Trivia[]
- First appearance of Fallou Boukar.
- First appearance of Emile Thibault.
- First appearance of Bastien.
- First appearance of Nadine.
- First appearance of Antoine.
- First appearance of Sonia.
- First appearance of Coco.
- First appearance of Anna Valery.
- First appearance of Bernard.
- First appearance of Rodo.
- First appearance of Zizou.
- Last appearance of Aimée. (Zombified)
- Only appearance of The Conductor.
- The title of the episode, "Paris Sera Toujours Paris", is French and means "Paris will always be Paris".
- "Paris sera toujours Paris" is also a song by Maurice Chevalier from 1939.
- When Daryl and his group pass through Pere-Lachaise Cemetery, they stop by the grave of Jim Morrison, who was the lead singer of American 60s rock band called The Doors. During this scene, a French version of The Doors' song "People Are Strange" plays in the background. Morrison resided in Paris during his final months alive, where he died at his Paris apartment on July 3, 1971 at the age of 27.
Episode Highlights[]
TBA
| Season 1 | "L'âme Perdue" • "Alouette" • "Paris Sera Toujours Paris" • "La Dame de Fer" • "Deux Amours" • "Coming Home" |
|---|---|
| Season 2 | |
| Season 3 | TBA |
| Episode Guide: TV Series • Fear • World Beyond • Tales • Dead City • The Ones Who Live • Webisodes | |