Daryl's love pursuits have only recently come into focus, despite the fact that both characters have been fighting zombies since the first episode of The Walking Dead aired in 2010. During Season 9's time gap, Daryl met a mysterious woman (well, her dog, technically) while hunting for Rick in the "pandemic" episodes of The Walking Dead. Daryl and Leah had a romantic post-apocalyptic tryst in the forest after discovering her name, but the search for Rick took precedence, and their love ended before it fully began. The star-crossed lovers reconnect in Season 11 of The Walking Dead, though not in ideal circumstances. It's always unpleasant to introduce friends to new partners, but Leah is revealed to be one of the Reapers who devastated Maggie's Meridian town and slaughtered the majority of the residents.
Leah's storey may soon cross over into Daryl and Carol's potential spinoff, according to The Walking Dead season 11, episode 9 ("No Other Way"). Maggie realises that diplomacy is no longer an option as the war between Alexandria and the Reapers grows, and she takes it upon herself to slaughter the last of Pope's people. Leah escapes with with minor injuries, and Daryl is the one who eventually catches up with her. Rather than dragging the last Reaper back to Maggie, Daryl lets his former flame loose, advising her to keep out of trouble and bemoaning how terribly things went. Because The Walking Dead goes to such lengths to keep Leah alive, the show's creators must have big plans for Lynn Collins' character.
However, those intentions aren't necessary for Season 11 of The Walking Dead. As "No Other Way" comes to a close, the storey jumps forward 6 months, and the focus shifts to Commonwealth issues. Pamela Milton, Mercer's military, and Lance Hornsby's political manoeuvring will occupy The Walking Dead's immediate future (i.e., the only future it has), and it's tough to see how Leah could fit into that equation, especially with The Walking Dead's remaining episode count now frighteningly low. Leah may not find a place in Season 11 of The Walking Dead, but she'd be ideal for the next Daryl & Carol series.
With only two main characters instead of a complete ensemble, logic would imply that The Walking Dead's Daryl & Carol project will be more introspective and personal, delving deeper into these two zombie apocalypse stalwarts. Even though we've been following the characters for almost a decade, there's still a lot to discover because neither of them is very excellent at revealing their emotions. Bringing back Lynn Collins' Leah is an excellent approach to learn more about Daryl Dixon. Both their first romance in the woods and now because Daryl's folks killed her family, the exes clearly have unfinished business. The Walking Dead season 11 keeps Leah alive, but there is no feeling of closure or resolution to their journey.
Daryl and Leah must either bury the hatchet and pick up where they left off in The Walking Dead's post-Rick time leap, or she must return vengeful and unredeemable. In its final season, The Walking Dead has more pressing issues to deal with than Leah... but isn't that what spinoffs are for?