The Walking Dead Season 11 Review - 3 Downs & 5 Ups From "A New Deal"

8. Down - Daryl Stabbing Lance's Hand

At the end of last week's episode, Daryl and co. were finally cornered by Lance, and the soldiers who accompanied him that saw the villain proudly smiling at his victory.

Unfortunately for Daryl, Pamela, Mercer and Carol arrived just in the nick of time to save him from receiving a bullet to the head. Frustrated with being chased for so long by the deputy governor, Daryl drives a knife through his hand before walking away and dropping the bloody weapon onto the floor.

Those who hated the antagonist will undoubtedly feel satisfaction for seeing him scream in pain, but it doesn't serve a big purpose apart from showing a quick, gory sequence. There's no mention of the action throughout the episode and, despite having his hand wrapped in a bandage, Lance seems surprisingly calm about the whole thing once they leave the sewers.

This is also a move from Daryl that is unlike him, as he usually finishes a job or has a purpose for his actions, no matter what it may be. Here though, it just comes off as a move to show his brutality, and while understandable, it's not quite like him to act in such a way.