WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Walking Dead Season 10, Episode 21, "Diverged," which aired Sunday on AMC.
In The Walking Dead, Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Carol (Melissa McBride) have been staples of the series since the very first season. They've been through thick and thin with Rick, Maggie, Michonne and the alliance, experiencing many ups and downs while rallying to help lead. However, as much as they proclaim they're best friends, Season 10C continues to send mixed signals as to what their relationship really is.
When Henry died at the hands of the Whisperers and Carol split from Ezekiel, things got more intimate between her and Daryl. Although it wasn't anything romantic, she needed someone to lean on, and Daryl continued to be her rock in the post-apocalyptic zombie world. Their bond became even stronger, and they started spending a lot more time together.
The events of Season 10 confirmed how valuable they were to one another, which led to Carol even dreaming about a life with Daryl instead of Ezekiel -- someone she once thought was the true love of her life. And this is where Daryl and Carol's relationship gets confusing. While The Walking Dead wants to paint her and Daryl as platonic, the suggestive dream hints there's a lot more emotion and sentiment involved than being just friends. Apart from them preferring not to be without each other, they're also caught making friendship bracelets, playfully nagging each other and giving doe-eyed stares.
These mixed messages can be traced to previous interactions in Season 9. When Carol gave Daryl a haircut after retrieving him from his isolated camp, she brushed the hair from his face and sort of looked like she was seeing him in a new light. Perhaps revealing a "new" Daryl with a fresh haircut symbolically represented Carol glimpsing another side of her best friend. However, Season 10, Episode 18 had Daryl finding love with Leah before she disappeared. Carol was there as he revisited their abandoned cabin and offered support before their conversation turned into a fight over Carol's reckless behavior -- though shippers might argue it really occurred because of Carol's suppressed envy.
In the following episode, "Diverged," Jerry noticed Carol returned to Alexandria without Daryl and checked up on her in a way someone would if a couple broke up. Not to mention Carol -- in tears -- is particularly distraught about her and Daryl's disagreement and spends the episode questioning whether he's had enough of her, despite Daryl saying, "I'm never gonna hate you." Then there's Negan who loves calling her Daryl's "girlfriend," implying other people think there might be a spark between them.
Ultimately, Season 10 has been all over the place with Carol and Daryl. While the season left their relationship in a rough patch, hopefully, Season 11 will bring cohesion in their arc and decided whether they are enemies, friends or lovers. Whichever direction The Walking Dead chooses to go with the duo, it will help fans understand more where their spin-off series is likely heading.
The Walking Dead stars Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Lauren Cohan, Josh McDermitt, Christian Serratos, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Seth Gilliam, Ross Marquand, Khary Payton and Cooper Andrews. The series airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on AMC and is available to stream early on AMC+.
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