@sistrgldenhair / sistrgldenhair.tumblr.com
Carol from The Walking Dead has, in the first season, one scene that is the best example of “show no tell” that I've ever seen. Especially because this case of “show no tell” is opening a window to the intricacies of one of the most complex fictional characters I know.
I love character analyses like these, putting into words things I can only feel about my favorite characters.
It just doesn't make sense at all for Daryl and Carol to stay platonic. You're telling me that in 12 whole years, Daryl and Carol just never once thought about each other in a romantic way. Bc if they did, they'd *definitely* want to go there. It's literally laughable to think that two unrelated, sexually compatible adults with that much love, respect, and chemistry just wouldn't go there in their heads.
They didn't grow up together. They met when they were in their 40s. Having a sibling-like relationship would be if they're sexually incompatible or if they knew each other as children.
I get that people want to see more male-female friendships depicted on screen, but keeping this one platonic just isn't realistic. You're essentially trying to deny the sexuality of two allosexual adults who deserve to have sexually fulfilling relationships 🙃. The beautiful thing about them is that they *can* be platonic, but they don't have to be. They'd still love each other just as much if they aren't romantic, but that doesn't mean they don't get to be romantic as well.
And that brings me to the prevalent issues with de-sexualising middle-aged women, in particular.
One day, I will be a middle-aged woman, and I'd like to see what I have to look forward to represented on-screen. Currently, I'm being told by this narrative that it would just be impossible, out of the question, a thing of no existence, for a man of my same age, who I am compatible with in every way and who loves me in every other way, to love me romantically. How nice.
It's a joke because Carol is literally one of the hottest women to exist. And the one man who she loves with her whole heart, and who also loves her, doesn't want to share intimacy with her. Lol, ok.
I am trying to do anything to get my mind off of recent events and am reading through r/TWD. I think the following would be an AMAZING prompt for a fanfic:
"I wish they had kicked Ed out of the group in season 1 for him to come back as one of the lowlife Saviours. Would have LOVED for him to encounter Carol after all that time and her character growth"
Whoo boy - Carol confronting dipshit Ed and then beating the ever loving shit out of him, or just killing him. Him hearing about 'Carol' and her lethal-ness somehow and never realizing until they meet up that it's his former wife.
Amazeballs. I wish I could write but I can't, so giving it this out to universe if anyone else wants it. (or if you know of an existing fic like this LMK!)
Random thoughts about the DD: TBOC S2 finale before I go back and rewatch: 1. NR needs to remember that Daryl is from Georgia and not to let his accent slip so much. I couldn't even concentrate during his scene with Laurent and the guitar. TWD has always been sloppy with this type of continuity but damn...
2. This was NOT the best finale of any TWD show. It wasn't even as good as Ep 4 this season.
3. The only thing that completely shocked me was the Carol walker - I legit screamed. I hope it's not foreshadowing - I'll go nuclear if they ever kill her off.
4. Who tf cares about the man with the white beard whose name I think is Fallou and his new love...I'm so not invested in these French characters. That long scene in the abandoned building as well as the 20 minute walk through the bowels of the Hippodrome bored tf out of me, even though I liked the woman from the demi monde.
5. I find Ash saying 'motherfucker' in front of a kid who was raised in an abbey a little OOO. Like, I feel he'd be more careful around a kid. It seemed a bit over the top.
6. I wish Daryl had given Ash some insight into Carol's losses and/or history, and also there was more resolution / make up between Cash. I like their friendship and I hope we see Ash again. For all the time wasted on characters we'll leave behind in France, they could've spared more time on core characters.
7. I found the ending boring, except Carol's reunion with apparition!Sophia. Maybe I'm just over Daryl unless he's in a scene with Carol.
8. The shoulder scene in the S3 trailer made me feral and furious in equal measures.
Melissa McBride as CAROL & Norman Reedus as DARYL DIXON DARYL DIXON - THE BOOK OF CAROL 2.06 Au Revoir, Les Enfants
Is this original recipe Daryl stepping into the light?
Can't wait to watch!
Fantastic season finale.
I’m in my Caryl feels today.
gif is not mine - google
Reblogging as this is one of the prettiest shots of Carol/Melissa in the whole damn series.
I don't usually buy fandom items but could not resist this tee - long-haired Carol wearing one of my favorite costumes (although I wish it had the leather armor too). I'm so excited - should arrive this weekend.
I think for us, it’s always been important that the women be complex, so not only do they kick ass, but they have full emotional lives.
They can make mistakes.
They can be awesome.
They can be smart.
They can have moments of weakness.
Having fully formed people is what allows you to look at characters as humans and not just this construct of what you want them to be. I do think that there’s this kind of toxic perfectionism that can come with female characters. I don’t want to lean into that, and it’s not always popular when we have the women on our show make mistakes. But I would tell that kind of story for a male protagonist. That’s how they get to have a better story. They’ve got to struggle.
So, if you’re going to have female characters who are heroic, they also have to struggle against themselves, and against external forces.
Of course, we don’t always know our own gaps in understanding, but we’re always trying to evolve the conversation and be truer to who we think these characters might be if they were living, breathing human beings.
Angela Kang, "Permission to Go After What I Love".
Conversations with Women Showrunners - Marygrace O'Shea.
No but how do you not love and appreciate Angela Kang
just carol being cute/smiling 🥹
I want to see this happy version of Carol in TBOC - I miss her
when the universe is conspiring to help you find your soulmate, and deal with your mental health issues, it sends you a sexy pilot/therapist:
Such a beautiful quote from Norman Reedus and such a beautiful and thoughtful take on Daryl. But why does only heartache follow 🥺
I've just been waiting for Melissa to show up . Now that she's here, and we got to shoot this season together, it's all the things I wanted it to be. There's a magic there. I think with the reunion of those two characters, we got to show what it all means to them.
Watching what is a new-ish fandom to me begin to melt down over the past few weeks, my thoughts have been percolating for a while. With Judith and Laurent both saying it, one thing that is clear is that a happy ending is end game for Daryl as well as the overarching theme for the show. But it is also clear that happiness is only going to come at the ending. (And callout to AMC - Carol deserves one too, maybe even more so, after all the shit my girl's gone through).
If the spoilers are true for the final episode...then Isabelle is not his happy ending. And no show is going to give the ending away at the beginning of the second season. So let her give him a big ol kiss and then he'll have something to compare to when he and Carol get it on. Ya gotta kiss some frogs blah blah blah
I feel for those of you that have been watching TWD since the beginning and dealing with season after season of disappointment. I only started watching (binging, repeatedly) since Covid so I don't have over a decade invested in caryl. I get that.
But I've been in various fandoms since the mothership and have been through my fair share of long slogs, and sometimes, fandom and fanfic is a happier place than the shows they're based on. I hope that's not the case as they have to go somewhere in Season 3 - there's room for growth and fulfilment, still. What else will be considered a happy ending for Daryl Dixon? There's not that many good people out there left to find, and none that have been at his side as long as Carol.
Happy ending for Carol, happy ending for Daryl, happy ending for Caryl means happy ending for us. I'm holding out hope, and will continue to support Carol/Caryl's continued presence on my screen.
However, if Season 3 brings a Spanish Isabel, all bets are off and I'm raging with you. Be well, all!
Carol puts it all on the line for her best friend... Only two weeks until the premiere of #TWDCaryl
I wanted to do a lighthearted one (+ all the gifs by the illustrious @mcbride )
Now they were definitely thinking about saving the kids during these scenes. And it obviously never crossed their minds just how well they worked together and how hot it was. It definitely 100% never crossed their minds. All of us just invented the sexual tension in these scenes, right. RIGHT? 👀
~
Carol, internally: I'm close enough to feel his breath on my face. His lips look a bit chapped. Ok, he's really hot right now, and I'm kinda turned on. Maybe... I don't stop him. NO WAIT TORTURE IS WRONG. Daryl, stop that.
Daryl, internally: I wanna punch this asshole, but I can't when she's touchin' me and lookin' at me like that. Did her eyes just flick to my lips? My heart's beating faster because of adrenaline, definitely. Don't look, that's how them impossibly blue eyes getchya.
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Daryl, internally: Did she just womanhandle me? Yeah, she pushed me away. If she thinks I'm gonna let her push me around like that... she's right. Damn straight I am. My wife Carol's such a badass.
Carol, internally: ok, that's the first time I've touched him in a bit. That's ok, that's fine. It's just his pecs, Carol. You've felt them before. On your face when he wraps you in his arms. Damn it, Carol. Focus on the torture.
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Carol, internally: This is weird. I don't know how to be a good cop. Daryl, don't look at me like that it's distracting. I wanna stab his face. Can I stab his face?
Daryl, internally: *sigh* She's so hot when she gets all quiet and stabby. I'm not turned on. But Carol, torture is wrong... Keep going.
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Daryl, internally: Please be safe. I'll find you. But if I die here, I want yours to be the last face I see. 'Cause I love you.
Carol, internally: Then please don't die. Be safe and come back. Please just come back to me. Find me. I'll be waiting. Because I love you.
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Carol, internally: You're safe. You're alive. You're here. I love you. You came back to me. You found me.
Daryl internally: You're safe. You're alive. You're here. You're beautiful. I love you. You waited for me.
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Daryl, internally: I just wanna hold her so badly. But we're not there yet, and we got company. Fuckin' Lance. DARYL, BE COOL. Just do your cool strut so she can't tell how much you wanna hold her and kiss her right now.
Carol, internally: ok he's doing that cool strut again. My heart is beating faster because of the adrenaline, obviously. Would it be weird if I tripped and fell into his arms for a quick second or... hour? REEL IT IN CAROL, you've got an audience. Fuckin' Lance.
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+ Bonus
Daryl, internally: Hey Lance. Get fucked. A'right I needta NOT think about "gettin' fucked" when I'm near her.
Carol, internally: K Lance, party's over. My husband Daryl's home. Time to fuckin' die. Nope. Can't think about "fucking" when I'm near him.
What was I doing
She could fix me, I just know it.
That third gif? She is so. damn. pretty!
^I need more content like this on my dash! Hello all - if you post mostly about TWD Caryl/Carol Peletier/Melissa McBride would you please like this post and I'll check out your blog with the aim to follow like-minded folks? Thank you!
