Carol Peletier is one of the pillars of The Walking Dead, but how has this badass warrior evolved over the course of ten seasons on the series?

Taking place amidst the horrors of the zombie apocalypse ridden United States, many characters of The Walking Dead have gone through incredible physical and emotional development, the least of which is certainly not Carol Peletier. Played to perfection by the lovely and talented Melissa McBride, Carol began her story as an anxious and abused housewife and slowly transformed into a hardened yet compassionate warrior.

Over the past ten seasons, Carol has gone through worlds of change – and not just when it comes to the length of her hair. Undoubtedly, there will be more to come in The Walking Dead’s eleventh and final season, as well as the upcoming Daryl and Carol spin-off.

Season 1

Carol is introduced in season 1 as a timid housewife, regularly forced to take the brunt of her abusive and volatile husband’s anger and unnecessary demands. Her hair is cropped short – which she later reveals is to keep Ed from tugging her around by it – she wears simple, feminine clothing, and often helps with much of the group’s washing.

Terrified of the consequences and unwilling to allow her husband to take out his emotions on their young daughter, she is generally quiet and submissive, but clearly traumatized by his behavior, yet unsure how to escape it.

Season 2

Carol is released from the weight of her invisible chains after Ed’s death in season 1, but she still has a long way to go to find herself again. Her independence seems to creep back to the surface without the fear of Ed’s reprisal hanging over her.

The loss (and eventual death) of Sophia takes a toll on Carol throughout the season as they search for the lost, little girl. The loss allows her friendship with Daryl Dixon to slowly take seed, and would one day blossom into a deep bond with the lone archer.

Season 3

It is in season 3 that Carol sees a significant change. Once scared, unsure, and grieving, Carol is now ready for a fight. Her once close-cropped hair is growing out a bit wildly, and her character grows with it as the Survivors find the prison and struggle to make it into a home.

Tasked with watching over Lori as her due date grows closer and closer, she calmly and fearlessly employs Glenn to help her lure and kill a Walker so that she can teach herself to do a C-Section on its body.

Season 4

Season 4 is a rollercoaster for Carol. She truly begins to take charge and make her own decisions, even if they have tragic consequences. Determined to protect the safety of their group, she makes the executive decision to kill a seriously ill Karen and David and burn their bodies. This results in Rick deciding that it would be safer for her and for the group if she was not in it.

Carol later rejoins them and bonds with two girls named Lizzie and Mika, only to be forced to kill Lizzie after the girl murders her younger sister and tries to kill baby Judith.

Season 5

Carol proves herself once again to Rick and the other Survivors when she singlehandedly saves them from imminent death at Terminus, but then she decides to slow things down a little bit when they get to Alexandria.

Her hair continues to grow out longer. She trades out the dirty, Walker-guts poncho for button-ups and sweaters, and her guns for a plate of cookies. Carol hasn’t lost her edge (which she proves with her threats to Sam), but she does seem to be searching for a middle ground and sense of normalcy.

Season 6

Carol dabbles in a new relationship with Tobin and continues to flaunt her polished, “Suzy Homemaker” look, but amidst the calm, there is always an approaching storm, and it hits hard in season 6.

Though Carol proves that she is still a total badass willing to do what she has to in order to survive, that there is much left to heal. She loses little Sam and other friends when a herd overruns Alexandria. When she is kidnapped in “The Same Boat”, she has a full-blown panic attack and struggles to cling to her tattered faith.

Season 7

Fed up with the violence and loss, season 7 marks a new chapter for Carol. Determined to live a quieter life with less strife, she holes up in a cabin outside of The Kingdom and despite her best efforts to be left alone, King Ezekiel and Jerry break through her tough exterior with kind words and cobbler.

Her hair continues to grow, and initially, her wardrobe seems to be a mix between the business-casual choices that she wore in Alexandria and something more relaxed.

Season 8

Carol quickly trades the casual clothing and her peaceful cabin life for armor and weaponry when she hears about the Saviors, and gears up to help her friends.

Reinvigorated and ready to fight despite disliking the violence, she strategizes and goes to battle alongside the Kingdom to fight against the new threat of the Saviors. Meanwhile, romance seems to potentially brew between Carol and Ezekiel.

Season 9

Season 9 not only sees romance bloom between Carol and Ezekiel and the progressive bond between them and their adoptive son, Henry, but it also sees a massive time jump that comes with a big change in Carol’s physical appearance.

Once determined to keep her hair short for fear of her husband’s rage, no longer afraid (and perfectly able to take care of herself) Carol’s hair now flows in gentle waves past her shoulders. She sports a necklace and casual clothing as she lives as quiet and domestic a life that the constant wars and Walkers will allow.

Season 10

Any semblance of peace never lasts long in The Walking Dead. Season 10 brings another earth-shattering loss for Carol when Henry is murdered at the hands of the Whisperers. Carol’s clothing and hairstyle seems to match her mood. Still grieving and emotionally closed off in many ways, Carol often has her hair all the way pulled back, out of her face, and ready for a fight.

Henry’s death also heavily affects her personal life. It puts the nail in the coffin of her relationship with Ezekiel. It also prompts her to make the precarious decision of releasing Negan from his jail cell in exchange for his help deceiving the Whisperers and murdering Alpha.