Warning! SPOILERS ahead for The Walking Dead season 11 episode 10.
Judith receives a Motörhead album in the latest Walking Dead season 11 episode, which is a sneaky callback to Daryl’s brother, Merle, from season 3. Following a one month time jump, more of the Alexandria survivors are now living at the Commonwealth. This includes Daryl and his two young charges, Judith and RJ, who have been under his watchful eye ever since Michonne left in search of Rick in The Walking Dead season 10.
Life at the Commonwealth is vastly different. Basic survival is no longer their sole objective, since necessities like food and shelter are provided. However, nothing is given for free, and Daryl has joined the Commonwealth’s military in order to earn their keep. While Rosita and him take part in basic training, Judith continues to enjoy the Halloween fair, eventually stopping to look through the records at the shop where Princess works. She meets another young girl there who urges her to buy an album, but Judith doesn’t have any money. After checking out, the girl gives Judith the album she had recommended as a gift.
The album Judith is given in The Walking Dead season 11 episode 10, “New Haunts”, is Motörhead’s 1987 record, Rock ‘n’ Roll. When she asks Daryl if he’s ever heard of Motörhead, he replies,”That’s good stuff,” clearly familiar with the band. Later in the episode, Daryl gifts Judith with a record player so she can actually listen to her album, and it’s a heartwarming moment between the two as they together enjoy Motörhead’s music. The song from the Rock ‘n’ Roll album that’s played is “Eat the Rich”, which becomes the perfect accompaniment to the very next scene of Rosita discovering evidence of a growing resistance to the Commonwealth’s ruling class. But the use of Motorhead’s music goes beyond a thematically appropriate needle drop, it’s also a callback to Daryl’s brother, Merle.
Merle’s final episode of The Walking Dead came in the season 3 entry, “This Sorrowful Life”, which sees him die at the hands of the Governor. Prior to his death, however, Merle can be seen drinking whiskey and blasting Motörhead’s “Fast and Loose” before he uses a hijacked car to lead some walkers in an attack on the Governor’s men. The scene is a last hurrah for Merle, a complex character who dies in an attempt to do some good. His death is also a turning point for Daryl, who only after his brother’s death really allows himself to become part of a new family of survivors. By including yet another song from Motörhead in this Walking Dead season 11 episode, there’s a direct link being made between Daryl’s old and new life.
While Daryl and Merle’s relationship was complicated, to say the least, there was also a genuine love between the two brothers. It’s not hard to imagine them enjoying the same music, possibly even bonding over it in their younger days. Motörhead might have even been a particular favorite, and hearing the band again probably brought up memories of Merle for Daryl, both the good and bad. Still, Daryl is more than happy to share in Motörhead’s music with Judith in The Walking Dead season 11, further deepening their already close bond. Merle wasn’t an especially good person, and Daryl is better off without his influence, but it’s heartening to see Daryl able to enjoy something that almost certainly reminds him of his late brother. And by enjoying Motörhead’s music with Judith, Daryl is able to create new, better memories.
The Walking Dead season 11 continues Sundays on AMC.
