Warning: Spoilers for season 11, episode 24
One moment in season 11 laid the groundwork for Carol’s ending in the series finale. Given that Melissa McBride was once expected to co-lead Daryl’s spinoff, it can be assumed that the original plan was for Carol to leave Alexandria with Norman Reedus’ character. Instead, saw Carol take over Lance’s position at the Commonwealth in the aftermath of Pamela Milton’s defeat.
Carol’s decision didn’t come without proper setup. In season 11, episode 20, titled “What’s Been Lost,” Lance asked Carol what would happen to the 50,000 people in the Commonwealth if Pamela didn’t survive. When Carol said, “,” Lance reminded her of the children who would suffer without leadership. Again, Carol didn’t seem to care, but this scene teased her eventually having to make a difficult decision about the Commonwealth’s future. In the finale, it was confirmed that in taking as the Director of Operations, Carol decide to help the next generation. In their final scene together, Daryl made a note about “” living in a better world thanks to her.
Carol’s attitude toward the Commonwealth during her talk with Lance reflects the mindset she’s had through most of the series. For years, Carol has been focused on the welfare of her friends. She has a long-held reputation for doing what needs to be done to protect the members of her group – but not people in general. That was made abundantly clear when it was revealed that she killed sick people at the prison to protect the others.
herself has admitted to the lengths she’s willing to go to ensure the safety of the people within their group. In fact, her attitude is primarily what motivated her to go into isolation at the end of season 6. What she chose to do in the wake of Pamela Milton’s downfall represents one of many evolutions her character has made over the course of her 11-season story. Now, Carol is doing her part to improve the lives of everyone, including thousands of strangers outside the show’s core cast of characters. All things considered, it’s a fitting ending to her story in the series.
series finale properly concluded her arc, but that doesn’t mean the door has been closed on her forever. indicate that Carol and Daryl will cross paths once more in The Walking Dead universe. If that’s true, season 2 – or perhaps an additional spinoff – will see the two form another team-up after Daryl gets back from France. It could be that after putting the Commonwealth in a position to thrive, Carol will feel inclined to leave, knowing that she finished what she set out to do.
