Daryl's Cycle Of Feelings: An Analysis
On my most recent rewatch of The Walking Dead flagship show, I've come to notice a pattern when it comes to Daryl, in particular when it comes to his feelings towards Carol. I like to call this theory Daryl's Cycle Of Feelings and I will henceforth explain what this means in my analysis down below.
In my opinion, Daryl has been fascinated and intrigued by Carol since the beginning of the show. I think his romantic feelings for her developed quite early on, at least by the end of season 2. However, due to his past experiences and insecurities, it took him a while to realise what these feelings were and what they meant, let alone be able to build the courage and confidence to be able to act on them.
During season 3, there is a period of time when Daryl and the rest of the group believe Carol to be dead. Until he finds her in season 3 episode 6, Hounded, two episodes later, Daryl is heartbroken and full of grief, shown by how he leaves a Cherokee Rose on her makeshift grave and bravely prepares himself to put her walker down. I feel like he has a lot of regrets with regards to not telling her how he feels during this period of time. Then it turns out Carol is alive and Daryl realises he hasn't lost her after all but I think from this happening, he began to learn just how short life is, especially in the zombie apocalypse. He realises he needs to tell Carol how he feels before anything else happens and it's too late, so he begins to build up the courage to do so...
But then Carol gets banished from the group by Rick in Season 4 Episode 4, Indifference, and when Daryl finds out from Rick in season 4 episode 8, Too Far Gone, he's devastated because not only does he think he's lost her forever, he also realises he's lost his chance to tell her how he feels, again. I believe Daryl was all but ready to head out to go and find her but then the Governor attacked the prison and it was too late. When he reunites with Carol at Terminus, he believes he's been given another chance and the cycle starts over again. He's reminded how short life is (especially in the apocalypse) reminds himself he needs to tell her before it's too late and builds up the courage to do so...
But then he realises that something really bad happened whilst Carol was out on the road with Tyreese, Lizzie, Mika and Judith and just as he's considering whether now is the right time to tell Carol his feelings or not, the decision is made for him when she gets hit by a car and taken by the people of Grady Hospital in Season 5 episode 6, Consumed. When Carol is rescued from Grady, Daryl's cycle begins again. He reminds himself how short life is (especially in the apocalypse), reminds himself he needs to tell her and builds up the courage to do so...
But then they arrive at Alexandria and Carol, so caught up in her grief and trauma over what happened whilst she was out on the road with Tyreese and the girls, begins a fling with Tobin and begins to separate herself from Daryl and the rest of the group. She believes that she's not worthy of them and their love anymore and doesn't want to kill anymore, so she leaves and then not long after, the Saviour war happens. When the Saviour war is over, Daryl's cycle begins again. He reminds himself how short life is (especially in the apocalypse), he reminds himself he needs to tell her how he feels and builds up the courage to do so...
But then Carol becomes close to Ezekiel and Henry and gets into a romantic relationship with Ezekeil, eventually agreeing to marry him and Daryl being Daryl who is always going to put Carol first, puts his feelings to the side and selflessly gives Carol his blessing for her to marry Ezekiel. After Henry's death and the breakdown of Carol's marriage to Ezekiel, Daryl begins to think that maybe he has another chance and his cycle of feelings begins again. He remembers how short life is (especially in the apocalypse), he reminds himself he needs to tell Carol how he feels and he builds up the courage to do so...
But then the Whisperer War begins and Carol is overcome with grief over Henry's death, wanting to protect the people she loves and wanting revenge on Alpha and justice for Henry's death. Daryl realises that even though he is now at a stage where he's more than ready to tell Carol how he feels, it's not the right time for her to hear it. When the Whisperer War ends, Daryl's cycle begins again. He's reminded how short life is (especially in the apocalypse and after he's come the closest he's ever been to losing Carol in this war), he reminds himself he needs to tell Carol how he feels and he builds up the courage to do so...
But then the war with the Commonwealth begins and Daryl worries he's going to lose Carol again, this time to the hands of Lance Hornsby. But Carol survives and Daryl couldn't be more relieved. However, Maggie tells Daryl it's now time to start leaving the community and finding what else is out there and when Carol confirms she's opting to stay behind, Daryl's cycle begins all over again. He realises how short life is (especially in the apocalypse), he reminds himself he needs to tell her how he feels and this time, he realises, that with him going away and not knowing when he'll be coming back, that it's now or never and so he builds up the courage to do so and finally, at the last moment, he tells her he loves her and of course, she reciprocates.
