The following contains major spoilers for The Walking Dead, Season 11, Episode 24, "Rest In Peace," which debuted Sunday, Nov. 20 on AMC.

After 11 seasons and 12 years on the air, The Walking Dead has finally come to an end. In the aptly named final episode, "Rest in Peace," fans witnessed the survivors put an end to Pamela Milton's corrupt rule of the Commonwealth while fending off the overwhelming walker horde comprised of the new zombie variants. AMC's decision to announce a multitude of spinoffs took some punch out of the finale, with the stakes significantly lowered for Maggie, Negan, Carol and Daryl.

Carol and Daryl's storylines, in particular, felt somewhat neglected throughout Season 11. Of course, the Carol/Daryl spinoff could have made up for this; however, Melissa McBride dropped out of the spinoff due to creative decisions. With Carol and Daryl being the only two original characters from Season 1, the news was devastating for many Walking Dead fans. Still, it's possible that not all may be lost, with the finale seeming to hint that Carol could reunite with Daryl in his spinoff down the line.

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The Walking Dead Finale Teased a Future Reunion for Carol and Daryl

Carol watches as Daryl rides off on a motorcycle on The Walking Dead

After resolving the drama with the Commonwealth, The Walking Dead took a moment to set up Daryl's spinoff, explaining everyone's favorite crossbow wielder was setting off to find Rick and Michonne. During a heartfelt goodbye with Carol, Daryl confessed he wished she was coming with him. With Carol saddened by his departure plans, Daryl followed it up by saying, "It's not like we are never going to see each other again." While this dialogue could be an effort to make the spinoff feel connected to TWD, it could also be a subtle tease that Carol will appear in the spinoff in some capacity. Although she may not have a reoccurring role right off the bat, Daryl's words make a cameo very likely.

McBride left the spinoff due to a conflict with the filming location. Despite Season 10 of The Walking Dead seeming to hint at a New Mexico setting, the spinoff will bring Daryl to Europe. While McBride may not be able to commit to filming overseas, it doesn't mean a cameo is entirely out of the question or that a future setting change could make her involvement a possibility. Thus, while Daryl is initially departing on a new journey without his best friend, he may not be without her for long. Based on their exchange in the finale, The Walking Dead certainly seems to be keeping the door for Carol's return open.

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The Walking Dead Has Unfinished Business With Carol and Daryl

At one point, Daryl was one of The Walking Dead's most interesting characters as fans watched the once-rebellious outsider grapple with trusting others and becoming more vulnerable. Carol was a major part of his growth, and together, the duo learned to navigate their respective traumas and realized asking for help -- especially from each other -- wasn't a bad thing. Season 11 saw Daryl's arc come full circle. His newfound emotional openness turned him into a heroic do-gooder and surrogate father to Judith. It's in stark contrast to the wild card Daryl of earlier seasons, and while TWD fans want nothing but the best for him, it also makes him less interesting of a character -- at least on his own.

Season 10 did a much better job than Season 11 of highlighting the potential of a Carol/Daryl spinoff. Henry's death and the cave-in that almost killed Connie had Carol experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions with Daryl at her side. The season spotlighted the ups and downs of their relationship as they went from making friendship bracelets to barely speaking. As two underdogs with a penchant for going rogue, Daryl recognized Carol's propensity for self-destructive behavior and remained her rock nonetheless. Even when Daryl chastised Carol for not knowing when to stop, he also promised there was nothing she could ever do to make him hate her.

With so many characters to cover, The Walking Dead sidelined Carol and Daryl for a large part of Season 11. However, their spotlight episode of Season 11, "What's Been Lost," reminded viewers of what made them such a powerful and compelling duo. They aren't perfect, but they love each other anyway, and they never have to guess if the other one has their back. Carol has always been a major part of Daryl's life and vice versa. And as Season 10 and the few moments of Season 11 proved, Daryl and Carol work better as a team than they do on their own. With both being restless spirits, it makes sense why Daryl would set off to locate Rick and Michonne. However, The Walking Dead doesn't make quite as convincing of an argument as to why Carol would stay behind, especially after exchanging a round of "I love yous" with Daryl.