‘The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon’ Season 3 Episode 4 review: “La Justicia Fronteriza”

I was really hoping that the western genre would return to this season of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Season 3 Episode 4 after we got a taste a few episodes back. This week I not only got my wish; I got a fantastic episode of television along with it. There were multiple large action sequences, some great character moments, and mystery and impending doom. And of course, another new and fun way to use zombies!

The episode, titled “La Justicia Fronteriza,” starts off with the aftermath of Justina’s decision to volunteer herself to go with the royals. Carol (Melissa McBride) feels guilty, Daryl (Norman Reedus) is done fighting other people’s battles for them, Roberto is furious at everyone, and Justina’s uncle is attempting to hide his sadness. Daryl and Carol decide it’s time to go finish repairs on the boat and finally start their journey home. They meet up with Valentina and her men and are able to get the boat back in sailing shape.

During the repair process, Carol continues to feel guilty for letting Justina go and for leaving the village in such disarray. Suddenly, the same group of mysterious masked men that were checking out the boat back in the first episode appear and attack. They kill one of Valentina’s men in the process (the one that was volunteered to help sail the boat to America) but are all taken out.

In the distance, the bells are going off at the village as even more of these masked men are arriving at the gates ready to fight. Daryl and Carol rush back to the village and end up in a fierce battle between the villagers and this brutal enemy force.

The villagers are using everything they have to defend themselves and are facing a much more difficult threat than they expected. After a while, the enemy retreats and Daryl, Carol and the remaining villagers are able to take inventory of what they’ve lost.

As night begins to fall and they think they have dispatched the last of the remaining enemy forces, a catapult in the distance shoots off a giant ball of fire directly into the middle of the town square. As it hits, they realize it’s not a fireball, it’s a ball of flaming walkers who get up and begin attacking (badass). This leads to the final stand of the villagers and all their biggest weapons against these flaming walkers and the second wave of masked fighters.

After the dust settles, Daryl is able to find one surviving member of the enemy force. When he’s being interrogated by the villagers, it is revealed that this group refers to themselves as “primitives” whose only goal is to burn everything to the ground. As this is happening, Roberto decides to take one of the abandoned cars and set off on his own to find Justina and rescue her. Antonio decides to go after his son with Daryl and Carol accompanying him. But they soon find the crashed remains of his car.

This episode embraces old western films. A small village in trouble against an overwhelming enemy, a reluctant hero deciding to come back just in time to help the villagers stand together, and some wild gun play. All of these are the perfect aspects of what make westerns so enjoyable to watch.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Season 3 Episode 4 episode blended in so beautifully, with sprawling and epic action sequences and well choreographed fight sequences shot so well. And with the small characters moments interlaced perfectly. Once again, the picturesque backdrop of Spain added to the beauty of each shot and enhanced the emotions in both the massive battles and the quiet personal moments alike.

With the story really beginning to go full steam ahead, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Season 3 Episode 4 brought us one of the most solid and well-crafted episodes of the series to date. With the main cast giving top-notch performances, the action sequences being grand and unexpected (I’m looking at you fireball full of walkers) and the stakes finally feeling elevated, this episode will hopefully be just the start of an exciting back half of the season. And judging by the preview of the next episode, things are about to go even more western!

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon airs new episodes every Sunday on AMC

Tyler Carlsen

From a young age, Tyler has been amazed by filmmaking and writing. When he’s not watching movies in theaters, he also enjoys playing video games and binging one of the numerous shows he’s watching at any given moment. Working with The Young Folks was a highlight of his writing career and he is looking forward to this new adventure with In Between Drafts!