TPTB could have just reunited Carol and Daryl in a much simpler, straightforward way. It could have just been Daryl checking in on his close friend because he found out where she was staying. That would be the least amount of story required for them at this point. But no. They went overboard. They went so much farther than they had to. And they used the oldest tricks in the book to intensify, zoom in and give weight to it:
Foreshadowing: They had Daryl bring up Carolâs absence in a heated outburst with Morgan, foreshadowing how he would later lie to her in order to ensure that she doesnât do exactly that.
Irony: They created an entire plot line with Richard, containing several scenes, solely to demonstrate how much Carol means to Daryl. They used irony to involve Daryl in a plot that in reality is the last thing he would ever do. Suspense and rage all building up to the lone fact that Daryl will do whatever is humanly possible to protect Carol.Â
Contrast: They reunited Carol and Daryl in probably the most heart-breaking and bittersweet way possible. They used contrast to show the difference between Darylâs growling âdonât fuck with me or Iâll kill youâ persona in one scene, immediately to Darylâs complete vulnerability around Carol, physically being on the brink of tears as he puts himself completely on the line and asks why she left.Â
Tension: They formed a new, unresolved storyline that creates narrative tension between them: Daryl lying to Carol, something that will clearly  come into play later in the story, yet motivated by his completely all-encompassing, selfless desire to do anything in his power to protect her.Â
Mentor figure: In a story, a âmentorâ functions to help another character realize something about themselves. Morgan forces Daryl to become aware of what heâs âholding on toâ, and clarifies for the audience that Daryl just sacrificed the potential golden ticket to winning a literal war against the people who captured and tortured him, all to keep one person safe: Carol.
You know why many of us feel somewhat blue right now? Because the writers just took us through a storyline that is meant to create feelings of unresolved tension, and put us in a precarious position. There is unfinished business to be resolved.
So remember, just because youâre not feeling complete and utter giddy joy over 7x10 doesnât mean youâre not Caryling hard enough. It means youâre reacting to the story exactly as youâre supposed to. But make no mistake! Daryl and Carol have just been deliberately moved to another level of their relationship. You donât dedicate multiple plotlines of an episode with the sole purpose of showing how much one character cares about another, without it being purposeful.
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