Daryl Dixon Season 3 Episode 2 "La Ofrenda" Recap & Review

This episode felt light and filled with unnecessary scenes. It begins with Daryl finding Carol by a river, watching Roberto and Justina kiss. She calls them ‘perfect’. That line was really about what Carol feels, she’s lost!

Trouble in the Woods

Daryl considers stealing from the young couple, but fate interrupts. Armed men show up, threatening Roberto and Justina. In true Daryl style, he acts, crossbow bolts fly, and only one enemy survives. It reminded me of when Daryl was in France fighting Codron and his men in season 1, episode 1. They fought, one survived (Codron), and Daryl failed to shoot him. For some reason, this moment felt almost the same to me.

Anyways, The couple explains they’re running from a tradition called “La Ofrenda”. Daryl doesn’t care about their love story. What matters is Carol’s health. He pushes them at gunpoint to lead him and Carol to their settlement. That cold practicality is why Daryl survives, but it also makes him harsh!

I really want to see his flashbacks showing more of his early life. I hope this season explores that, and not just the milliseconds we got in episode 1.

Solaz del Mar

The settlement feels both safe and unsettling. Walkers are being herded into cages, which already tells you this place has secrets. The mayor, Fede, welcomes them reluctantly, mostly because Daryl saved his niece and nephew. Carol is treated by Justina’s grandmother. I liked how the town looked alive and functional, yet the undercurrent of fear was impossible to ignore.

The Truth of “La Ofrenda”

Here’s where things turn. El Alcazar arrives — supposedly the last pieces of Spanish royalty, led by Guillermo Torres. They bring gifts, but in return, every year a young woman from each village must be given to them. That’s “La Ofrenda” (The Offering). A lottery decides it. A pig race, of all things, determines who’s taken away forever. This tradition felt sickening — a twisted mix of medieval pageantry and cruelty.

When Alba is chosen, you feel her mother’s heartbreak. Roberto and Justina survive the draw, but their relief feels selfish. Carol sees it too. She criticizes the town openly, calling the tradition unthinkable. Fede defends it as survival. I sided with Carol here, survival without humanity is just another kind of death!

Secrets and Past Lovers

The episode also cracks open hidden ties. Paz sneaks away to meet Elana, Guillermo’s wife and future queen. They clearly share a history, possibly as lovers. It is funny how “La Ofrenda” destroys bonds but also creates strange new ones!

Daryl’s Dark Turn

Later, Daryl spots the gunman who escaped earlier. Now he’s part of El Alcazar. Daryl hunts him down, killing him and his companions near the walker cages. When the last man dangles above the walkers, Daryl lets him fall instead of saving him which I think was the right choice.

As I said earlier, this episode wasn’t heavy on events, but I hope the next one picks up.