3 things we want to see from Carol in The Walking Dead 1016

What could Carol bring to The Walking Dead season 10 finale?

It’s been a tough season for Carol on The Walking Dead (though when hasn’t it?) as she’s pushed and pulled herself away from her closest relationships, tussled with revenge, self-hatred and secrets. All driven by her need to bring Alpha’s reign of terror to an end.

Now that Alpha is dead – thanks to Carol using Negan as a blunt weapon to do the deed – Carol’s driving desire has dissipated leaving her somewhat rudderless. However, her overriding instinct to protect those she loves, and the wider community, is still prevalent as long as Beta and the horde exist.

So she finds herself in the finale with a lot of baggage from her recent actions, and questions about her place in the family and her own future.

Opening up to Daryl

It seems from Carol’s hallucinatory conversations with Alpha in “Look at the Flowers”, the most pressing issue in Carol’s mind is fixing her broken relationship with Daryl.

By repeatedly taking flight, acting alone and on impulse, and risking her own life without caution over and over again, Carol’s relationship with Daryl has been pushed to breaking point.

Over the season – and for the past 5 seasons – Daryl has begged Carol to talk to him about what she’s going through. He wants them to be a team, to make these plans together and for the risks they take to be considered. Yet, Carol is unable to open up about whatever it is that is eating her up, and so is keeping herself locked inside and acting alone.

This has finally come to a head when Carol attempted to destroy the herd by blowing up the cave, but caught Magna and Connie in the blast. Carol’s guilt over this is destroying her, and Daryl’s reassurance he will never hate her didn’t seem to assuage it any.

The only way for his to be resolved is for Carol to totally and completely open up to Daryl about everything she’s gone through emotionally, what she’s fighting internally and why she has been trying to push him away.

Their relationship is one of the most pivotal in the show, and having them being anything other than a well-oiled machine is like wearing odd shoes. We need the last 2 OGs to be back in sync, working together and being there for each other as they always have been.

Hopefully in the midst of the battles they face there will be space and time for the conversation that needs to happen between them to occur.

Reconnecting with Lydia

Angela Kang talked about the fact that the finale would see Carol making a quest for redemption, and while obviously Daryl is a big part of that, so too is Lydia.

Not only was Carol the architect of Lydia’s mother’s death, she also made Lydia part of the plan without letting her in on the details, causing Lydia to run off, hurt and distrustful.

It is obvious that Carol and Lydia have a connection through Henry, and now through Daryl and Negan. Carol clearly wants Lydia to be part of the family as much as the others do, but for it to happen she has a lot to work through with the youngster.

Carol has to earn Lydia’s trust again, and, again just like with Daryl, the way for her to do that is to open up to Lydia about her losses and pain.

No one knows better than Lydia what evil Alpha inflicted on them, and surely she would understand as much as anyone what Carol lost when Alpha killed Henry.

It’s clear Lydia already sees more than Carol bargained for, with her comment that Carol hates herself more than she ever could. It’s a trait the two women share, and hopefully in the finale we’ll see them reconnect and move past their own issues.

Seeing the two fighting Beta side-by-side would be an incredible way to help them put the past behind them in the most epic of ways.

“That thing only you can do”.

Possibly the most pivotal scene for Carol in 10b was the scene in episode 15 where she apologizes to Kelly for what happened in the cave with Connie. It’s not only a hugely moving scene, it’s also incredibly important for Carol moving forward.

Since the cave explosion Carol has been crippled with guilt over the events, and that guilt is paralyzing. Just as they are about to go into a battle for their lives, she’s laden down with doubt, second-guessing her every move.

Thankfully Kelly set things back on the right course, and reminded Carol that this is who she is. The things that Carol has done have saved them all time and time again. Just because it went wrong this once doesn’t mean Carol should stop being herself, and acting on instinct as she always has.

Of course, she can do things differently in future to mitigate the dangers – making sure she lets others in on her plans when she can, and most importantly not taking careless risks with her own life – but she can do that and still create the mega take-downs she’s known for.

With the horde of walkers and Whisperers led by Beta outside, it’s an ideal time for Carol to come up with some incredible move that no one sees coming, that will give them the winning edge they desperately need.

The finale is a perfect time for Carol to right all the wrongs that are troubling her heart and mind. With everyone together and multiple threats pressing in on them, it’s a time for cards to be put on the table, and issues to be resolved. Because as Daryl says in the trailer, “we’re not all gonna make it through.”