After seeing this I too got that feeling of dejavu. We’ve seen this before…a group being led by a megalomaniac. AND as always, Daryl’s nerves of steel demeanor has got him in tight with the group. They may be smaller than the saviors but I’m waiting for Daryl to make his move from within to take this group down. The only difference that I can see is that he has feelings for one of the group….Leah. I don’t think they’ll stray from the formula that has Daryl ultimately rejoining with Alexandria’s remaining citizens. The only difference is that he may have to kill his lady love to do it.

 

The story is similar, but it's also a new take.

1. Going off with Merle - he was pushed into it, by Merle being rejected by the Group. He only just found his brother, there was no way Daryl would have sent him off in his merry way whilst going back to the prison without him. It was an impasse, and he saw no alternative than going if with Merle. He didn't leave TF, he simply went off with his brother who was not welcome by TF. (Damn right too, after what he did to Glenn.) But then Merle reminded him pretty quickly what a colossal asshole he was and that released Daryl from this damaged but unconditional sibling bond so he could return to Team Family. Of course Merle followed him as he had nowhere else to go.

2. Going off with the Claimers - Daryl was at his lowest (of yet). He lost everyone. He might have still hoped to find someone from TF, and he was still looking for Beth, but for all he knew, they might have all been dead. This group found him, and he might as well stuck with them for the time being for protection. He was not thinking straight, he was totally lost. As soon as he saw Rick, there was not even the tiniest shadow of a doubt where his loyalty laid.

3. Captured by Negan. There again was never any doubt that he'd cross over. But this is the only story that has any real resemblance to the current one.
Daryl rejected everything Negan offered him, and feared nothing - in fact he practically begged to be killed as he felt that he deserved to die, blaming himself for Glenn's death. He only survived because Negan couldn't help but respect his stubborn loyal ass.

4. The current situation is the most complicated. It's true, it has some resemblance to being captured by the Saviours, as in he's yet again caught by the enemy who wants to use him as a weapon against his own friends, they want Daryl to betray them. But this time Daryl is desperate to get out of this live. His group needs him, there are kids back at home who depend on him. He needs to play this super smart. But there is an added complication of Leah being there, whom he once cared about, maybe still does to some extent. But again, his choice and integrity is not in question. He is playing a game and we hope he'll play it smart.

 

I wonder if instead of Daryl having to kill Leah, perhaps they’ll change this storyline up a bit by having Leah sacrifice herself somehow to save Daryl. That’ll produce some tear jerking moments to be sure but Daryl will feel free, perhaps in the future, to re-examine his relationship with Connie if that character reappears.

 

Yes please. I'm hoping for something like this too.

 

I've just seen this. Yes, I prefer your latter idea, Leah sacrificing herself rather than Daryl having to kill her.

I think the other big difference between being captured by Negan and by these nutters is that Daryl back then actually wanted to die. This time he is desperate to survive.

 

The most annoying one out of that whole group was # 3, Daryl captured by Negan. That was a terrible storyline. It was as if they sat down and asked: Is there another way we can turn off the fans even more this half season? Yes! Let's have Negan enslave Daryl!

 

It was beyond horrible. Keeping him naked. Feeding him dog food. Dwight being a piece of shit. That goddamn Easy Street. And then a picture of Glenn to top it all. It was pushing things too far again.

If we are thinking about the worst thing they’ve done in the horrific first half of S7, for me it was Negan forcing Rick to cut off his son’s hand. I mean thank god Negan called it off the last second but no one could be sure that he would. I think that would have been a deal breaker for me. It was bad enough how far it went.

 

Same here, got the feeling of "here we go again". I was waiting for them to kill Dog. ugh.

 

Yeah, I agree 100% on the thing with Rick cutting off Carl's had. That episode was already way over the top and when they got to that scene I was just totally disgusted, but not in a good horror film sort of way. I had just had more than enough.