Carol’s Walking Dead journey has seen her transition from a timid mother to one of the franchise’s most competent survivors, and a subtle scene from season 1 shows exactly when she became a badass. Although she wasn’t always presented as the toughest or craftiest member of the group, Carol’s transition has been nothing short of amazing. Despite suffering plenty of loss and even being exiled from the main group at one stage, she grew into one of The Walking Dead‘s most dangerous characters and is an invaluable survivor who has become a pivotal part of the iconic zombie franchise.
Having started as more of a supporting character, she slowly got more involved in the story and was part of some of the show’s best episodes. While she remains kind-hearted and a good person overall, some of Carol’s darkest Walking Dead moments prove she will do whatever it takes to survive, hence why she has made it so long. Even if not all of her decisions can be justified, Carol’s survival instincts and ability to make tough calls have helped the group on numerous occasions, but her development from harmless to deadly all started in season 1’s finale.
Carol Saved The Entire Group From Certain Death In Season 1’s Finale
The Central Survivors Wouldn’t Have Escaped The CDC Without Carol’s Grenade
The Walking Dead‘s very first season ended in dramatic fashion, as Dr. Jenner trapped the main survivors inside the CDC facility, which was set to self-destruct. With the group desperate to escape, they attempted to shatter the glass that was restraining them by striking it with weapons and shooting it with firearms, but nothing worked. Luckily, Carol was able to come up with a solution, as she gave Rick a grenade that she found back in the camp while washing his clothes, and the explosion was enough for everyone to escape just before the building blew up.
Had it not been for Carol’s quick thinking and instincts to grab the grenade in the first place, the entire group would have died in season 1’s finale. Even qualified police officers like Rick and Shane were out of ideas, showing how dire the situation was before Carol’s intervention. This may seem like a relatively small moment on paper, but it proved she didn’t panic in the face of danger and was willing to step up with a successful idea, even when everyone was full of stress.
Carol’s first Walking Dead appearance came in season 1, episode 3, “Tell It to the Frogs”.
It wasn’t until a few seasons later that Carol really came into her own, but this scene showed she had the heart of a survivor and would be a key member of the group for years to come. Given Carol made it to France in Daryl Dixon season 2 having started her journey completely on her own, it’s clear she has come a long way from being the more reserved woman introduced in the first few episodes, and this one key moment was the catalyst for everything that came afterward.
The Walking Dead’s Central Characters Relied On Carol’s Heroism Several Times
Carol Came In Clutch On Several Occasions Including Terminus & The Wolves’ Attack
While the CDC escape was a big moment for Carol, it wasn’t the only time she rescued the group, as she got her hands dirty in the later seasons. After the main survivors were captured at Terminus in season 4’s finale, things looked bleak for them as they faced almost certain death. However, despite Rick’s inspiring speech and aggressive mindset, it was Carol who saved the day in the season 5 premiere, as she showed up having been exiled earlier in the season to rescue her former allies by causing an explosion inside the community, allowing walkers to infiltrate Terminus.
Carol once again proved she was one of The Walking Dead ‘s best characters as she was pivotal in stopping the Wolves’ infiltration of Alexandria.
The distraction delayed the group’s execution, allowing them to fight back and eventually gain their freedom. Carol once again proved she was one of The Walking Dead‘s best characters as she was pivotal in stopping the Wolves’ infiltration of Alexandria. The hostile faction had managed to breach into the community while many of the main survivors were away, but Carol was there to stop their ambush. She stealthily killed several Wolves members and was instrumental in defending Alexandria, suggesting things would have been a lot bloodier had she not been there to protect her home.
Carol’s Walking Dead Journey Is Easily One Of The Best In The Franchise
Very Few Characters Have Evolved Quite As Much As Carol Throughout The Apocalypse
Although plenty of characters have developed massively over The Walking Dead‘s 14-year run, very few have matched Carol’s transformation. When the apocalypse first started, Carol was a loving mother and a warm individual, but she also suffered abuse from her husband Ed, restricting her from flaunting her survival skills. She began coming out of her shell after Ed’s death, but the loss of her daughter in season 2 looked to be a turning point. Thankfully, her character went in a completely different direction from her comic book counterpart, and she shined as a result.
Not only did she learn how to handle herself, but she became a leader who developed unbreakable relationships with her allies and defeated some powerful enemies. Now, it’s hard to imagine the franchise without her, and she is easily one of the strongest-minded survivors still standing. While most of the original characters have undergone massive transformations, Rick at least came into the apocalypse with experience as a cop, while Daryl had hunting expertise. Carol seemed completely unprepared for the outbreak, yet she has adapted incredibly, and her Walking Dead journey has been among the very best in the entire series.
