#twd ghosts

[my-mt-heart]

I pick the gym scene in "Ghosts." Everything from the broken, bloody window to Carol standing over a pile of bodies. Give me your analysis, please.

There are a few episodes in S10 intended to show us what's really going on in Carol's head and "Ghosts" is definitely one of them. It's actually one of my favorite episodes of the entire series for that reason. I love the psychological horror and of course getting the chance to understand Carol on a deeper level.

The gym scene is interesting because by this point, Carol's been established as an unreliable narrator. Since she already hallucinated Daryl, we don't know if what she's seeing this time is real either, or if maybe some elements are real, like the walkers, and others aren't, like the whisperer. Regardless, she's in more danger than she normally would be without the medically-induced insomnia and far more likely to get hurt. That's our perspective as viewers.

For Carol, it's her fear of being trapped by her grief coming to life. Grief is a dark place. Painful, like stepping on broken glass. Disorienting too, like hanging upside down from the ceiling. She tries to call for the one person who can get her out of it, but when he doesn't come right away, she's left to face it alone and by the time he finally reaches her, she's lost so much time, numb to what she had to do to survive. After she leaves that gym, I think that's when she first starts to wonder if there could be anything left of her once her grief has taken her and if asking for Daryl's help just means dragging him down with her. Those thoughts only get louder as the season progresses.

Though not the cheeriest way to kick off Sunday Funday, I was excited to get to this one. Thanks for submitting!

I'll post more analyses throughout the day. I hope everyone gets the chance to unwind today whether they're watching the current "iteration" or not.

[boltsandashes]

Daryl, I’m not a meth-snorting truck driver like your–

Carol, “Ghosts”

[my-mt-heart]

I think if the dream had been Daryl's and Connie or Leah or any other female aside from Carol were in that dream, it would be plenty clear what the interpretation was. 🙄 Good grief.

I think you're right D= Insert a different character and suddenly it wouldn't be so open-ended, would it?

[my-mt-heart]

I honestly do not remember Angela Kang ever saying that about the dream. I really thought the only time in interviews or anytime was during Talking Dead after the episode and nothing about romantic/platonic was discussed I don’t think. Just that it was up for interpretation, etc.

Yes, Talking Dead is the only thing I remember too. Someone asked if the dream meant Carol secretly wanted to be with Daryl and Kang deflected a bit (as she was bound to do) saying something about the dream not being literal. Meaning, her ten year plan isn't to marry Daryl and raise a kid with him. The domesticity is just her brain's way of expressing a longing for normalcy. But, that's not the same as shutting down the possibility that Carol views Daryl romantically. She wasn't saying, "Wait, you fools thought that was romantic? Pfft, nah, that was meant to be platonic af." If there is another interview out there where she does use that exact sentiment, I'd find that pretty surprising. She absolutely has specific intentions with that the scene (with Carol wearing the wedding ring, you have to wonder). However, it's highly unlikely she'd confirm or deny it because she wants to keep everyone guessing about the relationship.

For what it's worth, in MMB's more recent interview where she talked about the dream, she basically parroted what AK said in the TD interview in the sense that it just doesn't match up with her reality currently, not excluding the potential for a shift eventually.

[my-mt-heart]

I dunno. If you can't remember the source where Kang says "she was surprised" and that it was "strictly platonic" then, maybe your own conjecture is premature by way of misremembering?

Yeah, that specific language just seems unlikely to come from a showrunner who's job it is to keep us speculating. That's why I always like to refer to the source before weighing in on what this or that person said because it's very easy to misquote.

[my-mt-heart]

why do you think angela said the 10x03 dream sequence was strictly platonic

I don't remember her saying it was strictly platonic? I do remember her saying it was meant to convey Carol's desire for normalcy.

[my-mt-heart]

How about doing one where Carol is taking the pills to stay awake and her and Daryl get into a fight about it. It can be dark or some angst whatever your heart desires. Or even like she takes to many and Daryl can't wake her up.

Daryl knocks on Carol’s door.

Daryl: Carol?

Carol: Come in.

He enters to find her wrapping a new pink bandage around her arm. She looks up at him, clearly hurting from their conversation on the porch.

Daryl: Just wanted to see if you needed anythin’.

Carol: I’m good.

Daryl stands there, sensing the tension. He lands on the bottle of pills sitting on her nightstand.

Daryl: Thought you ran out of those.

Carol: I found more in the infirmary.

The tension only thickens in the silence that follows. Both of them cast their eyes from each other to the pills, anticipating each other’s next move.

They both lunge for the pills. Daryl is faster. While he stuffs them in his pocket, Carol is all over him trying to steal them back. She’s fuming.

Carol: Give them back!

Daryl: Nah!

She starts pounding on his chest and shoulders, her injury be damned.

Carol: I said give them back! Give them back! They’re my pills, Daryl!

Daryl: Stop it. Gonna rip your stitches.

He takes hold of her wrists. Her anger melts into sadness. She bursts into tears, collapsing against him.

Carol: Please, I need them. I need them.

Daryl: No you don’t. You gotta let yourself sleep.

Carol: I can’t.

Daryl: You gotta. I can’t watch you get hurt again.

Off Carol sobbing...

Daryl: Do you wanna talk about them? The nightmares?

A beat.

Carol: I can’t.

Daryl sighs, a little disappointed.

Daryl: Alright. Want me to keep you company at least? ‘Til you’re ready to go to sleep?

Carol raises her head, tears trailing down her cheeks. She nods slowly.

Daryl: Alright.

He releases her wrists, keeping his guard up in case she tries something. She doesn’t. Just plops down on her bed, admitting defeat.

Daryl plops down a few feet away from her. They sit there in silence, hyperaware of each other's presence.

[boltsandashes]

No no no, open that up. Tell me why the love of my life had to die.

Aaron, “Ghosts”