I really didn't think that kiss was romantic, but I definitely didn't think it was "maternal". I think it was straight up nurture and comfort. Love, care, fondness, understanding. Perfect for the situation.
For me, a forehead kiss can be the best kind. It's not superficial, it's not limited in meaning. It implies real familiarity and care with someone. I think to reduce forehead kisses to "maternal" is actually really sad.
If I'm sad, tired, sick, grumpy...my partner will kiss me on the forehead. Or, if he feels a moment of pure love for me, it's a forehead kiss. Cuz it's all about me. It demands or expects nothing from me, but gives presence and understanding and love from the other person. My relationship incorporates love, lust, nurture, respect and understanding and then some, because I am an adult in an adult relationship.
The idea that forehead kisses are reduced to unequal relationships or exclusively for platonic relationships makes me question what relationships people are actually having. Do people not nurture their partners? What girl hasn't melted at her boyfriend kissing her forehead or sweeping her hair away from her face? What person hasn't been soothed by a partner's forehead kiss? Is this gender role bullshit? Only guys can kiss their partners forehead and sweep a girl's hair outta her face? Otherwise it's clearly just "maternal"? Seriously?
I think a kiss on the forehead *can* be maternal, obviously, or paternal, but even regardless of context of whomever involved, I don't think I can view such an action between people of a similar age bracket or life experience as "maternal" (or paternal) ever. Nurturing, sure, but not maternal. If Carol had kissed Rick's forehead, I would not view it as maternal. I'd view it as deep friendship and care. Rick has kissed the side of Carol's head mid-hugs. I certainly never thought it "parental". I viewed it as fondness and friendship.
I like the night, I'm more comfortable at night and naturally am more awake at night. I've always been like that. My partner is so not. So if I am staying up later than him, the last thing I have to do before leaving the bed to stay up, by request (well, by demand really; he will demand it), is kiss his forehead. Because it's an action of deep love. Because he is my partner and I share my life with him and I want to kiss his forehead.
It's affection and if someone needs affection and care, it's Daryl Dixon. I especially think it specifically works well just now because I don't think Carol is currently in a mindset to receive affection. And while yes, a lot of her giving affection is linked with her being a mother, about being comfortable in those tones of care and identifying in that role helps her in turn, it doesn't mean that all she is and I definitely do not think "maternal" is any kind of appropriate or worthy description of that kiss.
It's also just simply a lot to do with the parallels of season 2, which I fucking loved. We've been here before, I know how you reacted last time, I know you need to react this time but you've changed and can deal better and can handle this, but I understand it and I've seen it... A friggin' barn...The lack of flinch, the visual of progression and their shared journey and plain acknowledgement. And the parallels with early Season 5, switching the caring role, one's there when the other needs.
The first time she kissed his forehead she did it when comparing him to her husband, to her child's father, and to the alpha men of the camp... She was deliberately recognising him as a man, a good man. The fact that nurture comes naturally to her (or that she has a vagina) doesn't negate the point or dynamic.
I don't get people sometimes.
Again, totally get why people wouldn't view that scene as "romantic" - I certainly didn't and I personally really, really don't think it was supposed to come off as such at all and that's cool cuz I don't think their relationship is as simple or as boring as 'romantic: yes or no', but maternal and motherly? Ridiculous. She addressed him as an adult she cares for. She compared herself to him. It was loving care for an equal.
*Rolls eyes* Folks be trippin'!
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