The emotional core of "Rendition" is the reunion between Daryl and , his former love interest first introduced in the Season 10 bonus episode "Find Me".
: The episode explores Leah's motivations; she found a sense of "family" and purpose within this group of former mercenaries after feeling abandoned by Daryl. Introduction to Pope and the Reapers
: Leah is revealed to be a member of the Reapers, complicating Daryl's mission as he must navigate his past feelings for her while attempting to infiltrate the group to save his family at Alexandria.
The episode "unmasks" the Reapers, revealing them not just as killers, but as a tight-knit, religiously-driven mercenary unit.