Warning: spoilers ahead for Daryl Dixon episode 6.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon's finale highlighted how its new variants behave and why they attack each other. Daryl Dixon season 1's finale opens with Daryl (Norman Reedus) defeating a zombie with enhanced abilities thanks to a dart shot into it by one of Genet's men. After defeating the variant, Daryl is forced to fight alongside Quinn (Adam Nagaitis) against four variants in a confined space. One dart causes a zombie's head to explode, leaving three remaining, but this quickly becomes two as one walker kills another. Having two zombies fight is a fresh addition to The Walking Dead, leaving a big question mark over why it happened.

Variant zombies have become a focus for the franchise in recent years. While past spinoffs teased them, The Walking Dead season 11's ending properly introduced these unique types of zombie, despite their initial appearance back in season 1. The rules of walkers have changed throughout The Walking Dead, but it seems that distinct zombie types are finally being categorized. The burner walker variants shown in Daryl Dixon episode 1 were an indicator the show would put focus on variant zombies. It might have taken until the finale to see their full potential, but the spinoff's latest variants certainly bring new action to the franchise - as well as new questions.

Daryl Dixon's New Variant Zombies Are Mindlessly Savage

The mindlessly savage nature of Daryl Dixon's new variants is why they fight each other. Genet's experimentation is clearly the reason these zombies became variants in the first place. Once her darts are injected, the zombies become unhinged and far more aggressive, making them attack anything in sight. The scientists have still not perfected their modifications, and while the effects of these darts are unpredictable - as demonstrated by the exploding heads - their erratic behavior is expected. These walkers act on a more aggressive instinct compared to previous zombie types, which actively seek out flesh, meaning they operate very differently and will attack their own kind.

While both normal zombies and variant zombies share a mindless nature, the new types seem more focused on violence than food. In episode 6's fight, one zombie rips off the other's jaw before immediately turning its attention to Daryl and Quinn. This proves the injection changes how zombie brains operate and unlocks extra potential. Rather than simply walking and biting, they are capable of using their strength and attacking in different ways. How the darts themselves work and how they were developed are questions yet to be answered, but the serum clearly modifies the zombies' behavior, hence why they attack anything that moves.

Walking Dead's Variants Make The Zombie Guts Trick Impossible

The iconic Walking Dead guts trick now becomes impossible due to these variant zombies, and this is not the first time Daryl Dixon's variants have proved problematic for this survival tactic. The burner zombies already made the guts trick impossible, as a survivor cannot cover themselves in zombie guts if said guts burn the skin like acid. Daryl Dixon's newer, more aggressive, variants make it even more unlikely this trick could be pulled off in France, which looks to be the home of variants. With the erratic zombies attacking anything, regardless of whether it's human, animal, or undead, it is no longer possible to simply blend in with a horde.

Modified variants wouldn't think twice about attacking, and are not a threat that can be dealt with through stealth. It seems the only feasible way of overcoming them is to fight. If a character were to run into one of these variants while trying to sneak their way through a crowd of zombies, it would inevitably end in their demise. New dangers like these add extra jeopardy to the Walking Dead franchise and while, so far, these uber-zombies only appear to exist in France, that could change in the future. Survivors will need to learn some new tricks to overcome these savage zombies.

Why Genet Wants Zombies Attacking Other Zombies

Creating even more dangerous zombies seems counterproductive for any survivor, meaning there must be a reason Genet wants to create zombies that attack each other. The most obvious explanation is how useful their chaotic nature could be when controlled. If there are hordes of regular zombies attacking Genet's outpost, or in the way of where her group wants to travel, a single variant could be used to clear the way. Letting one of these loose on a large group of zombies would likely take many of them out. This would make dealing with hordes and large groups of zombies much easier, and save a great deal of ammunition.

Genet's reason for wanting these variant zombies could also be about control and intimidation. She has already used them to try and kill Daryl, forcing him and Quinn to fight for their lives before a crowd. Showing prisoners or potential enemies what her variants are capable of, perhaps even letting two zombies fight each other, would make enemies think twice about crossing Pouvoir. These variants will likely play an even greater role in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 2, and potentially the greater universe going forward. Genet's zombies may just make walkers terrifying again in the world of The Walking Dead.