The Walking Dead: The other reason why Carol wanted to put a ring on it

Carol still hasn’t said yes to Ezekiel’s proposal, but she took the ring to “try it on” in The Walking Dead “The Bridge.” There might be a good reason for that.

The Walking Dead has a dramatically different feel to it and we’re only two episodes into the new season. During the season premiere King Ezekiel popped the big question to Carol, presenting her with a ring and asking her to marry him. She didn’t give him an answer, and that didn’t change in episode 902 even though she did ask for the ring so that she could “try it on.” What might have changed in “The Bridge?”

Carol asked Ezekiel for the ring while the couple was sitting by a fire, off on their own while their friends and adopted family sat around them. It was one of those rare moments where the extended cast was able to come together after a long day’s work on the bridge to laugh and enjoy each other’s company.

Carol chose that moment to ask for the ring but she insisted that she wasn’t saying yes to his proposal while also waving off the speech that he drafted for the occasion. While the joyful atmosphere might have contributed to her request, there might be more to it than the desire to try on the ring.

When fans were first introduced to Carol in season 1 she was in an abusive relationship with a horrible man. After her husband died, and after the loss of her daughter, Carol became someone entirely different. She’s stronger than ever before, and she takes no poop from anyone. More than anything, though, Carol is calculating. She is always steps ahead of everyone else. Maybe that’s part of why she asked for the ring at that particular moment.

Of course she might have asked for the ring because she wanted it, and that’s totally fine. Carol deserves happiness and while she’s a total badass she also values Ezekiel and all that he does for her. Perhaps accepting the ring was a small concession on her part to show him that she’s thinking of him.

It’s also possible that Carol took the ring ahead of taking charge at the Sanctuary. It’s crystal clear that she’s “with” the King, but with his ring on her finger it sends a message that she’s tied to the Kingdom and the man who leads it. That links the Sanctuary to the Kingdom in a show of solidarity. (It’s kind of like the marriage of Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile in 1469, a union that united the kingdoms of Spain and made their respective regions stronger than ever)

By putting a ring on it, Carol is sending a message about who she is. She has never met Negan and she doesn’t have direct experience with the Sanctuary. She’s stepping in to help Daryl get away from the place where he’d been held captive, but she also intends to bring order to what appears to be an increasingly lawless place, if the Savior workers are any indication.

Carol doesn’t do things without a reason, and so it’s possible that she’s trying on Ezekiel’s ring for a larger purpose. That’s probably why she’s shelving his speech for later. Only time will tell what her true motivation is.

The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9pm on AMC.