The Carol of The Walking Dead comics and the Carol of the TWD TV show are two very different characters. While comics Carol was a meek woman who never really adjusted to the horrors of the zombie apocalypse, the TV version has grown stronger and stronger and is a firm fan favorite. Nevertheless, last night’s episode of the series teased that TV Carol could meet her comic counterpart’s tragic fate.
In episode 12, “Walk With Us,” Magna returned, having managed to escape the cave she and Connie were trapped in back in the season opener. Her former girlfriend Yumiko was glad to have her back, but was furious at Carol for having been responsible for the accident that let her be trapped in the first place. Plus, Connie is still nowhere to be seen, throwing her fate into question.
Yumiko blasts Carol for her negligence. Though clearly remorseful, Carol argues that apologizing to Magna won’t do any good and everyone “has to go through sh*t.” Her callous words cause Yumiko to punch her in the face. The two wordlessly part ways and Carol drifts off into the woods where she sits on a log. Nearby, however, a walker manages to get itself free of a mound of leaves. It’s weak, however, and can only limply try to grab her leg. Carol simply swipes it away.
The walker tries again, but this time Carol hesitates. For a moment, she lets the zombie clutch at her before she comes to her senses and stabs it in the head. This had fans worried for a second there, as it looked like she was going to go the same way as the character in the comics. In issue #41, a broken Carol strolled up to a walker and allowed it to bite into her neck, saying “oh good, you do like me,” as it feasted on her, a sign of her extreme loneliness.
Carol’s spirits were lifted by the end of the episode, though, as Negan delivered Alpha’s decapitated head to her, revealing that the pair had made a secret deal together. And we’ll find out the fallout of this as The Walking Dead continues Sundays on AMC.