Carol Peletier

Carol Peletier
The Walking Dead character
Carol Peletier, as portrayed by Melissa McBride in the television series.
First appearance	Comic: "Issue #3" (2003) Television: "Tell It to the Frogs" (2010)
Last appearance	Comic: "Issue #42" (2007)
Created by	Robert Kirkman Tony Moore
Portrayed by	Melissa McBride
Information
Occupation	Housewife (in both mediums) Television: Prison Council Member (formerly) Cook and caregiver in Alexandria
Family	Sophia Peletier (daughter) Lizzie Samuels (adopted daughter; TV series) Mika Samuels (adopted daughter; TV series)
Significant other(s)	Ed Peletier (TV series) Tyreese (comics) Billy Greene (comics)

Carol Peletier, or simply Carol, is a fictional character from the comic book series The Walking Dead and is portrayed by Melissa McBride in the American television series of the same name. Carol is introduced in the comics in the third issue of the first volume, "Days Gone Bye", in 2003, and the third episode of the first season of the television series in 2010, as a meek housewife and mother of Sophia at the survival camp in Atlanta, Georgia. Initially a recurring cast member, McBride was upgraded to a series regular position at the onset of the second season, and the character's role has predominantly increased since the fourth season. The character's arc has been described as a "hero's journey" by executive producer Scott M. Gimple, having made many difficult decisions in order to survive.^[1]

The direction of her character is contrasted between the two mediums. In the comic series, Carol exhibits a neurotic, self-centered, and naive demeanor. Throughout her time in the comics, she grows increasingly unstable, to the extent of self-destruction and ultimately commits suicide. The television show differs in these regards, as she is shown to be a stern, pragmatic, and compassionate individual who has been gradually building inner strength. She is shown to be much more capable and emotionally stable than her comic book counterpart. In addition, the abuse she faced by her husband was explicitly shown in the show whereas it was merely hinted at in the comics.

In the television series, Carol evacuated her home with her abusive husband Ed and her daughter Sophia in hopes of a safe haven in Atlanta. Nearing their destination, she came into the company of Lori Grimes and Shane Walsh, who had evacuated the city. The Peletiers then joined a camp of survivors. Following the deaths of her husband and daughter, Carol formed a close bond with fellow Atlanta camp survivors Lori Grimes and Daryl Dixon, and she became the surrogate mother to Lizzie and Mika Samuels after the death of their father, Ryan.

As of the end of the show's third season, she is the last remaining female survivor from the original Atlanta group, and one of the last original survivors overall, preceded by Rick, Carl, Glenn, and followed by Daryl in order of appearance. Carol is also the series' longest-living female character as of season five, and the only female character to have appeared in every season. She has appeared in the most episodes of any female character in the series to date. McBride's performance as Carol has received general acclaim from television commentators, and some critics have referred to Carol as the series' best character.^[2][3]

Comic book series

Carol is described in the comics as being a housewife who occasionally helps pay the family's bills by selling kitchen appliances online. She endured a rather unsatisfactory marriage, and it is implied that she only married (and continued to stay with) her husband because of her frequent need for attention and comfort. During the initial stages of the outbreak, her husband commits suicide after losing his parents to walkers, leaving Carol and their daughter Sophia to fend for themselves. Carol is in the process of moving herself and Sophia to her sister's in Atlanta when they meet and eventually join Shane's settlement of survivors on the outskirts of the city.

While in the camp, she usually assists the other mothers in domestic duties such as washing clothes and looking after the children. She and Lori quickly become best friends, the two of them often conversing about the current happenings around them.^[4] Carol is often Lori's shoulder to cry on, as well as the one person to whom she can vent about her various frustrations.

After leaving their first campsite, they meet Tyreese, whom Carol grows to like.^[5] Eventually, the two became romantically attached to one another,^[6]and they stay close throughout their stay at Hershel's farm and their arrival at the abandoned prison. Tension begins between them, however, when Michonne is introduced,^[7] and Carol later witnesses Michonne performing oral sex on Tyrese inside of the prison gymnasium.^[8] This initially leads her to try and compete, albeit degradingly, for his affection but she ultimately breaks off the relationship and tries avoiding further confrontations.^[9]

Soon after the break-up, her mental health comes into question, and, after nights of crying, results in an attempt to commit suicide. Soon after cutting herself, Carol becomes desperate for companionship and wants to have a polyamorous relationship with Rick and Lori, only to be shot down.^[10][11]

As she plans to commit suicide, she makes sure Lori promises to take care of Sophia.^[12] She then initiates sex with Hershel's son, Billy.^[13] After wandering through the prison courtyard and talking to a zombie, she allows it to tear at her jugular. She refuses for anyone to try and help her, saying that they should let her die in peace. She is killed by a merciful Andrea during her reanimation process before she can bite a saddened Tyreese.^[14]

Carol's death leaves a significant mark on the group in the days leading up to the ultimate assault on the prison.^[13] Many look down upon her manner of death and are disgusted by the fact that she abandoned her only living family. Sophia is left in a catatonic state as the news reaches her,^[15] and has since attempted to repress all memories of Carol by pretending that Maggie and Glenn are her biological parents.^[16] Maggie is relieved when Sophia begins to speak openly about recognizing Carol's previous existence.^[17] At the Hilltop Colony with Carl Grimes, Sophia reminisces on life at the prison with her mother, reminding him that she remembers everything that has happened to them, especially the death of her mother.^[18]

Television series

Before the apocalypse began, Carol was a meek and battered housewife. She frequently avoided confrontation with her husband Ed in attempt to stifle his anger, though she secretly prayed to God that he be punished for abusing her and having sexual temptations toward their daughter Sophia. The Peletiers first met up with Shane, Lori and her son Carl while traveling toward a supposed 'safe zone' in Atlanta, and they all eventually settled near a quarry on the outskirts of Atlanta with a handful of other survivors. Within her time at the camp, she regularly performed domestic duties such as washing and ironing clothes for her and her fellow survivors, usually with help from some of the other women in the group.

Season 1

Carol debuts in the episode "Tell It to the Frogs", where she is shown washing clothes in the stream with the other women in the group. When Carol's husband, Ed, hears the women talking and laughing, he tells his wife to focus on her work. When Andrea tells him off, Ed quickly becomes threatening as the women confront him about Carol's bruises. Ed then strikes Carol, causing a feud which is ended when Shane furiously beats him as Carol pleads for him to stop. In the episode "Vatos", after Ed's abusive tendencies have been exposed to the camp, Carol begins to stand up for herself regarding Sophia, as she dismisses the idea of Sophia staying with her father in his tent, insisting that she wants to join in with the rest of the camp. Ed is killed during a walker attack as Sophia and Carol are left fearing for their lives. In the episode "Wildfire", as the group cleans up the camp in preparation to leave, Carol destroys Ed's corpse with a pickaxe, venting the inner rage she had toward him and his years of abusive behavior. In the season finale "TS-19", the group takes shelter at the Center for Disease Control (CDC), but they soon discover the facility is set to explode after the power runs out. Carol hands Rick a grenade to blow out one of the front windows in order to escape, and in success, Carol and Sophia run to the vehicles in the street with the others, while Jacqui and Dr. Jenner choose to remain at the CDC to die.

Season 2

In the season premiere "What Lies Ahead", following the CDC explosion, the group is stalled on the highway by abandoned vehicles. A swarm of walkers attacks the group, and Sophia is lost in the woods after being chased by walkers. Carol blames herself for what happened to Sophia but also casts the blame upon Rick. In the episode "Bloodletting", Carol and the group continue to search for Sophia, and when the group is found by Maggie Greene, Carol refuses to leave the highway. In the episode "Save the Last One", as the search for Sophia goes on, Carol's hope begins to diminish, but she refuses to give up and insists that they keep searching. She is seen crying at night over the loss of her daughter and has begun to help with the nighttime look-out shift on top of the RV, and finally agrees to go with the rest of the group to Hershel's farm. In the episode "Cherokee Rose", she seems to be shutting down emotionally, refusing anyone's attempt to console her. Daryl gives her a flower later on, however, and she is visibly moved by his heartfelt speech about hope and keeping strong. In the episode "Chupacabra", Carol is well adjusting to living at the farm, though she still is in the process of recovering from her depression. As a sign of gratitude to Hershel and his group, she and Lori make dinner for them. During the dinner, she brings up a plate to Daryl and kisses him on the cheek, acknowledging how noble and caring he is (compared to her deceased husband). In the mid-season finale "Pretty Much Dead Already", Carol and Daryl begin to form a deeper bond, with her being concerned for his well-being. Glenn reveals to the group that Hershel's barn is full of walkers, and Shane eventually breaks the barn open. The group executes the walkers one by one as they file out of the barn. The last walker to exit the barn is Sophia, revealing that the search for Carol's daughter has been in vain, as Sophia has been one of the undead for some time. Carol cries as Daryl comforts her, watching helplessly as Rick shoots Sophia.

In the mid-season premiere "Nebraska", Carol refuses to attend Sophia's memorial service, saying that her daughter died a long time ago and the corpse at the farm was not Sophia. Carol appears to have sunken into a deep depression, relying on Daryl more than ever. In the episode "Triggerfinger", Carol finds that Daryl himself has become emotionally detached from the group after Sophia's loss, refusing to contribute or help people, as shown when he lets Lori go off alone to find Hershel. Carol tells Daryl not to pull away from everyone, but as she later tries to find him again, Daryl mocks her for losing her entire family and being alone. He insults her for not minding her own business, but she allows him to vent his frustration. Later, Daryl returns to the fold during a group discussion as he smiles at Carol, offering reconciliation, and she smiles back. In the episode "Judge, Jury, Executioner", Carol attempts to cheer Carl up by mentioning that Sophia is in heaven. Carl rudely lashes out, and insults her for believing in heaven. Carol informs Lori and Rick about her son's attitude, to which Lori tells her to calm down. After constantly receiving disrespect, she tells Lori not to say such a thing, as she "lost [her] daughter not [her] mind". During the discussion of what to do with their prisoner, Randall, Carol explains that she does not want to speak out and decide his fate. Dale – the only one to believe he should live – tells her that not speaking out and killing him doesn't make a difference. She is later present when Dale is killed, which shocks and devastates the group. In the season finale "Beside the Dying Fire", after Dale's death, Shane, Rick, Carl and their prisoner Randall are all missing and Carol and Lori are left perplexed and frightened as a large herd of walkers have overrun the farm. Carol is chased by walkers after being separated from the other women. Daryl rescues Carol on his motorcycle, and they eventually meet up with the remaining survivors. The slight blame she has cast upon Rick accumulates into outright questioning of his leadership.

Season 3

In the season premiere "Seed", set eight months after leaving Hershel's farm, Carol has grown increasingly proficient with weapons, as well as having been taught by Hershel how to handle medical situations. She has become much more self-confident and has acquired a playful side as the group settles in to an abandoned prison. Carol has also grown increasingly close to Lori because of the latter's pregnancy. Her trust in Rick has been regained, convincing herself that they would not have survived as long as they have if Shane was in charge. In the episode "Sick", Carol and Lori tend to Hershel after his leg is amputated to prevent the spread of infection from a walker bite. Carol later kills a female walker and uses its corpse to practice performing a C-section in preparation for Lori's pregnancy. In the episode "Killer Within", Carol and T-Dog are cut off from the rest of the group after former inmate Andrew releases walkers into the prison. T-Dog, after being bitten in the shoulder, sacrifices himself to a group of walkers to give Carol time to escape. Her fate is left unknown at the end of the episode, but the group concludes that she was killed. In the episode "Hounded" Daryl rediscovers her in a solitary confinement cell, malnourished and weak but alive. He carries her off in his arms and un the next episode, "When the Dead Come Knocking", the group happily reunites with her; however, things once again take a sad turn when she realizes that Lori has died in childbirth. She and Rick tearfully mourn Lori's loss and Carol is seen taking care of Lori's child, Judith, while Daryl leaves for Woodbury. As Daryl tells Carol to keep safe, she responds saying, "Nine lives, remember?". In the mid-season finale "Made to Suffer", Carol reprimands Axel for flirting with seventeen-year-old Beth Greene. Learning that Carol isn't a lesbian (as he had inferred from Carol's short hairstyle), Axel propositions her, but she flatly turns him down.

In the mid-season premiere "The Suicide King", when Daryl is reunited with his brother Merle, Rick pleads with Daryl to stay with the group, on the grounds that Carol will be crushed by his disappearance; Daryl replies that Carol will understand. When Carol finds out Daryl is gone, she is deeply upset at first but quickly comes to terms with it and even agrees with his decision. In the episode "Home", Carol and Axel begin setting up barricades in the prison in preparation for the impending showdown with The Governor; however, the Governor launches a surprise attack as he shoots Axel in the head and Carol is forced to use his body as a shield when incoming gunfire ensues. In the episode "I Ain't a Judas", Daryl returns with Merle to help defend the prison, and after the attack Carol expresses to Daryl that she is glad he came back. When Andrea arrives at the prison to negotiate with the group, she happily reunites with Carol, who explains what has happened to the deceased members of their group since she was separated, and informs her that she needs to kill the Governor to end the conflict. Carol gives Andrea a knife to use to stab him in his sleep after sleeping with him. Andrea, however, is unable to go along with Carol's plan. In the episode "Arrow on the Doorpost", Carol listens as the group has a meeting, and afterwards Hershel mentions to Rick that he and Carol believe that they should leave the prison behind and take their chances out on the road rather than take the risk of losing the prison and being killed by the Governor, but that they would go along with whatever Rick thought would be best for the group. In the episode "This Sorrowful Life", Merle has a brief conversation with Carol wherein he remarks that she has transformed from a "scared little mouse afraid of her own shadow" into a stronger person. She replies that she was not scared of her own shadow but that of her husband and further states that she is no longer afraid of anything. To prove the latter, she sternly admonishes Merle to "pick a side", regarding his previous loyalty to The Governor. In the season finale "Welcome to the Tombs", following Merle's death at the hands of The Governor, Carol praises him for his sacrifice, that he gave them a chance though Daryl remarked that Merle had never performed an altruistic deed in his life. Carol then helps defend the gate against walkers as Rick, Daryl, and Michonne drive out to carry the fight to Woodbury. She is seen beginning to cry upon realizing that Andrea has died at the end of the episode, and watches the remaining Woodbury residents enter their new home in the prison.

Season 4

In the season premiere, "30 Days Without an Accident", six months after the conflict with the Governor has ended, Carol begins secretly teaching the children of the prison how to use knives to defend themselves and not to have any sympathy for the walkers. Carl Grimes discovers the lessons are taking place, and she tells him not to tell his father. In the episode, "Infected", Carol begins caring for two girls, Lizzie and Mika, after their father is bitten by a walker and has to be put down. This makes Carol even more determined to keep those she cares about safe. In the episode, "Isolation", when a new disease starts spreading in the prison, two people who are infected are killed – Karen the Woodbury survivor and girlfriend of Tyreese, and prison newcomer David. Unknown to the other survivors, Carol mercifully killed them in their sleep to stop the infection from spreading. An enraged Tyreese finds the burned bodies and attacks Rick while Carol watches, and later demands that Rick find the killer. Despite the deaths of Karen and David, the infection continues to spread. Carol discovers Lizzie is ill, but reassures her that she will be fine. Tyreese asks Carol to look after his sister, Sasha, who is also ill, believing Carol is a very caring person, which upsets Carol even more. Later, she is shown recklessly pumping up water despite knowing walkers are nearby, and is forced to flee as Rick shoots them down to save her. Rick soon uncovers the truth and confronts Carol over the murders. In the episode, "Indifference", Rick and Carol go on a supply run together to gather medical supplies to help Hershel. Carol talks more about her past, revealing her late husband pushed her down the stairs on at least three occasions and she learned how to fix a dislocated arm because she was too afraid to go to the hospital. They discuss the murders of Karen and David and Carol explains that, at the time, she believed killing them would stop the spread of the infection, therefore saving the lives of everyone else in the prison. During the supply run, Rick sees how different Carol has become and ultimately decides that she cannot return to the prison. He sees her as a threat, but is also concerned that Tyreese will kill her when he finds out that she murdered Karen. Carol is forced to leave on her own, leaving everyone she cares about behind.

In the episode "Inmates", Carol reappears unexpectedly, saving Lizzie, Mika, and Judith from a pair of Walkers in a forest. She returns the children to Tyreese and tells him that she saw the prison fall, and, after losing sight of him and the children, managed to catch up with them. Sensing that Tyreese does not know of her involvement in Karen's death, Carol makes up a story about how she did not return with Rick because she wanted to find more supplies for the group. Later, after taking the advice of a man who had been bitten on the side of the road, she follows Tyreese and the children as they to travel to a sanctuary named "Terminus". In the episode "The Grove" Carol and her group take a break from following the train tracks to Terminus, and find a house in the middle of a pecan grove. Carol is concerned that Mika is too gentle to survive, and that Lizzie is confused about the nature of walkers, thinking that they are still people. She continues to teach Lizzie and Mika lessons of survival, despite the girls remaining adamant to surviving in their own methods. Carol and Tyreese later return from a hunting trip to find that Lizzie has killed Mika and was about to kill Judith, thinking that everyone would understand that Mika was just a changed person after reanimating as a walker. Viewing Lizzie as too dangerous to be around other people, Carol and Tyreese discuss Lizzie's fate, and Carol is forced to execute Lizzie by shooting her in the head. Afterward, Carol confesses to Tyreese her role in killing Karen and David. Tyreese is furious, but he forgives Carol for what she did, although he says he will not forget. After burying the two girls' bodies, Tyreese, Carol, and baby Judith restart their trek toward Terminus. In the season finale "A", Carol is briefly seen in a flashback.

Season 5

In the season premiere "No Sanctuary", while traveling with Tyreese and Judith, Carol tells Tyreese that she will make sure that he and Judith are safe inside Terminus, but that she will not stay there. After hearing gunshots and realizing a herd is nearby, they move east from the compound to find Martin, a resident of Terminus, setting up charges to distract any potential walkers from the sound of the gunshots. Having overheard him mention Michonne and Carl, Carol and Tyreese realize that Rick's group is being held at his base and they are in danger. Carol ties Martin up, leaves Judith with Tyreese, and heads out to the compound to rescue her friends on her own. She smears herself in walker blood to sneak in with the herd that they had encountered, which is approaching the complex. Outside of Terminus, Carol infiltrates the compound by exploding its large propane tank using her military rifle and bottle rocket. She sneaks in with the herd and gives the other survivors an opportunity to escape from the butchers preparing to slaughter them. After killing many residents and destroying the compound, she finds herself in a ritual room for the deceased Terminus residents where she is cornered by Mary, the leader Gareth's mother. Carol manages to fight Mary off, and demands to know where the others are. With no response, she shoots her in the ankle with Daryl's crossbow. Mary then tells Carol that Terminus was a sanctuary at one point, but changed into a complex where they lured people in to take their possessions and be used as a food source. Carol is disgusted by Mary's immoral delusions, and opens the door to the outside, allowing several walkers in to devour the crippled woman. As the facility is overrun, Carol makes it back to the woods and encounters the group. Daryl, Rick, and the rest of the survivors are stunned and have an emotional reunion with her. Upon realizing that Carol set the events at Terminus in motion, Rick is overwhelmed with gratitude. Rick, Carl, and Sasha are further overjoyed when she leads the group back to the cabin where Tyreese is with Judith. Tyreese tells Carol that he had been forced to kill Martin, after Martin had threatened to kill Judith. In the episode "Strangers", Tyreese tells Carol that the others accept Carol's killing of Karen and David. Both remained scarred over the deaths of Mika and Lizzie. Rick expresses his gratitude towards her over saving the group at Terminus, and says that he owes her everything. He is apologetic about banishing her and Carol tells him, "You said I could survive. You were right." Daryl respects Carol's wishes not to speak about what happened to her in the events of her exile and the prison downfall. A priest named Gabriel is later found and saved by the group the next morning and brings them back to his church. Daryl tries to reassure Carol that they can start over. During Abraham Ford's speech at the church about going to Washington DC, where a supposed cure is situated, Carol disappears and is found by Daryl. They then see another car pass by in the dark, and Daryl recognizes it immediately as the same car that had taken Beth. He smashes the tail lights out on the car they had found and tells Carol to get in. The two drive off in pursuit of the car. In the episode "Slabtown," Carol is brought to Grady Memorial Hospital, unconscious on a stretcher. The episode "Consumed" takes place after the episode "Strangers", and explains how Carol entered Grady Memorial Hospital. Carol and Daryl pursue the mysterious car to Atlanta until their vehicle runs out of gas, causing them to spend the night in an abandoned women's shelter, a place where she had stayed in with Sophia temporarily (due to Ed's abuse). They find a reanimated mother and daughter, and Carol moves to kill them but Daryl insists it is unnecessary. In the morning, Carol wakes up to find Daryl outside cremating the mother and child, and she goes out to thank him. They leave and scout the area, but are soon ambushed by Noah, who steals their weapons and flees. Carol tries to shoot him in the leg, but Daryl stops her, much to her anger. They move on to investigate a white cargo van hanging off the side of a highway – marked with the same white crosses that were on the other vehicles Daryl encountered, finding nothing but a stretcher from Grady, which gives them their first solid lead. They are quickly surrounded by walkers, forcing them to escape by riding the van over the edge and onto the ground below. They survive and head up another office building to scope out the hospital. Carol and Daryl reflect on their journeys and survival with one another as they soon re-encounter Noah fighting off walkers helplessly. Carol orders Daryl to free Noah, who is trapped beneath a book shelf. Noah reveals that he knows Beth and explains about their escape plan. A car marked with a white cross approaches them and as they flee, Carol is hit by one, knocking her unconscious. She is lifted in a stretcher by two officers. Noah promises Carol will receive medical treatment and that she and Beth can be rescued. In the episode, flashbacks show Carol after her banishment, the deaths of Lizzie and Mika, Karen and David, as well as the aftermath of the Terminus breakout. In the episode "Crossed", Carol remains unconscious as Beth completes her plan to give Carol epinephrine after the officers agree to turn the machines off, declaring that the resources would be wasted. Rick continues on with a rescue mission, saying he owes Carol everything. In "Coda", after receiving medication, Carol is seen starting to wake up as Beth and Dawn are talking. Later, when the hostage exchange is about to take place, Carol is seen being wheeled by Beth and they hold hands as they see their group. After the exchange takes place, Beth is shot in the head by Dawn. Carol tries to comfort a distraught Daryl, telling him to put his gun down as they cry, and is helped by Tyreese to walk as they leave the hospital.

In the mid-season premiere "What Happened and What's Going On", set 17 days after Beth's death, Carol leads the other group members as Rick, Noah, Glenn, Tyreese and Michonne investigate Noah's neighorhood for a safe haven in Richmond, Virginia. The neighborhood is overrun, and Tyreese is bitten and killed. Carol is also seen in a flashback, shooting Lizzie and is later present for Tyreese's funeral. In the episode "Them", several days after Tyreese's burial, the group continue to journey to Washington, DC, despite the news of the cure being false, in hopes for a safe haven. Carol tries to comfort a severely depressed Daryl and reassures Maggie of never giving up. In the episode "The Distance", a mysterious stranger named Aaron arrives to the barn the group stay at to recruit them for his community, but Carol and the others remain suspicious. Aaron leads them to Alexandria and, in the episode "Remember", Carol enters the Alexandria Safe-Zone with the rest of her group and is individually interviewed by Deanna Monroe. During the interview, Carol pretends to be weak, stating that she was a housewife who only did the laundry and gardening before the apocalypse and always prepared dinner for her "stupid, wonderful" husband. She purposefully leaves out details of the events she endured and her transformation into a strong survivor. She expresses that she is a people person and wants to join a junior league to help others. After everyone is interviewed, she is the last to hand over her weapons to Olivia, struggling to remove her rifle and placing it in the bin, further displaying her "weakness". The next day, Carol receives her assignment as a caretaker to cook for senior citizens and busy mothers. The night after the confrontation at the town gates, Carol emerges from the house onto the porch and speaks with Daryl and Rick on the porch, discussing that they can get comfortable but not weak. In the episode "Forget", Carol is seen outside the walls, plotting with Rick and Daryl to steal guns. When a walker comes along, she empties her clip into it to give the illusion they had gone shooting. She later steals three guns before Jessie's son Sam spots her. She threatens to abduct him and leave him for walkers if he tells what she had been doing. The next day she gives a gun to Rick, but Daryl refuses to take one. In the episode "Spend", Carol is visited several times by Jessie's son Sam, who keeps asking for more cookies. To get rid of him, Carol tells him she will only make cookies if he steals two bars of chocolate from the town's food storage. When Sam returns with the chocolate, he asks Carol why she stole the guns, and Carol replies that she needs them in case she needs to protect herself. Sam asks for one of her guns and admits he broke Jessie's statue, but runs off when Carol asks him why. Carol goes to the Anderson home to try and talk to Sam or Jessie, but is coldly turned away by Pete, arousing her suspicion. When Rick returns home, Carol tells him she believes that Pete is abusing Jessie and maybe Sam, and that the only way to stop it is to kill Pete. In the episode "Try", Deanna and her family mourn Aiden's death when Carol leaves a tuna pasta bake and a note of condolences on Deanna's doorstep. Deanna ditches the tuna pasta and burns the note. In the season finale "Conquer", Carol pays a visit to Pete with a tuna pasta bake and asks him to check on Tara, who is still wounded. When he refuses, Carol pulls a knife on him and threatens him, saying that she can get away with claiming self defense. Later at the town meeting, Carol is one of the people who speaks in Rick's defense.

Development

Characterization

In the television series, Carol Peletier has been described as taking on a "hero's journey". Executive Producer Scott Gimple said that "[Carol] was strong all along. The apocalypse didn't make her strong. The apocalypse made her show herself that she's strong". He then said, "When we got to Season 4, she had become pro-active. She becomes the one who's doing things. There was dialogue to that. Now, realizing the cost of that, she's still willing to pay the price and she's rewarded by gaining those skills and that strength to save the people she loves."^[1]

Created by Robert Kirkman, the writer and creator of The Walking Dead comic book series and franchise, Carol first appeared in the third issue of the comic book series, in December 2003. Despite initially appearing to have similar personality qualities such as being dependent and dominated by others, as well as coming from a background of domestic abuse, Carol in the television series is shown to be more stern and pragmatic, making questionable and difficult decisions other characters could not deal with. Over the course of the series, Carol gradually builds inner strength and turns from a meek and battered housewife to a resourceful and hardened warrior.^[19][20] Robert Kirkman explained in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that "Carol is her own unique character; it would be a disservice to Melissa McBride to say she's evolved into the Carol from comics. The Carol in the TV show is a wholly original creation that we'll continue to explore on the show to great effect. Everyone in the writers' room loves that character, and we're thrilled with what Melissa has brought to the table. She has definitely become a character that is one to watch, and there's some really exciting stuff ahead for her."^[21]

Casting and portrayal

Carol is portrayed by Melissa McBride, who was announced as part of the ensemble cast of the show in late 2010.^[22] McBride did not audition for the role of Carol and was simply given the part, believing it was a short-term gig.^[23] On an interview with Conan O'Brien, she said that she believed she would be dead "within a few episodes, if not, by the end of the week".^[24] McBride has stated that, after receiving the part, she read the comic book up until the point where Carol dies, but was unsure if the producers would go in the direction of her comic series counterpart. She then asserted that she was glad they did not.^[25] Carol had a minimal role in the first season, as McBride was hired on the show as a co-star. She was then upgraded to a series regular position starting with the second season^[26] and became a part of the main cast in season 4, taking on a more predominant role in later seasons. Andrew Lincoln, who plays Rick Grimes, said of Carol's development: "Melissa McBride (Carol) said maybe five sentences in the first season and now look at what she's done. It's wonderful when you see talent, pure talent, being recognized in this way, and even more thrilling when critically it's recognized as well. The fans knew it quite some time ago, I think, but it's wonderful that she had the opportunity and had that incredible episode to show what she is more than capable of doing. She's a rare talent."^[27]

Alongside Laurie Holden, Jeffrey DeMunn and Juan Gabriel Pareja, McBride was among the cast members of Frank Darabont's production of The Mist to be hired for the television series.

Originally, Carol was supposed to be killed in the episode "Killer Within," but the producers eventually decided against it.^[28] Melissa McBride explained in an interview with Rolling Stone: "[Producer] Glen Mazzara called to tell me that he was planning on killing Carol last season. I said, 'It's really a shame, because there's a lot to her.' He had the writers all on speakerphone. He was interested in knowing what I thought. I went into saying, 'Carol is probably this woman that's got the Avon starter kits and Tupperware starter kits in that back bedroom. She took that course with Tony Robbins. She knows she's capable of so much more, but she's just in that cycle. So, it's a shame, but you've got to do what you've got to do. I understand'."^[29] Likewise, former showrunner Glen Mazzara said, "I told her that and then we came up with a better plan that was that if T-Dog had saved her, if T-Dog sacrificed his life we felt that that sacrifice was only worthwhile if Carol lived. But we didn’t want to reveal that Carol was alive at the end of that episode because we were really going with the devastation of Lori’s death. And we were just embracing the mournful aspect of that last scene where Rick breaks down and we did not want to undercut it with the positive of 'oh, here is Carol'." He then expressed praise over Carol's survival saying, "I will say that I think [McBride] has done a great job with Carol this season, the character has become a fan favorite, the character has really come along, she takes a lot of risks and Carol’s work when she sees the baby and then realizes that Lori hasn’t made it is one of the best scenes we have done all year and I give credit for that to Melissa and she is just a fantastic actress."^[30]

Reception

Critical response

McBride has received critical acclaim for her performance as Carol and won generally favorable reviews from critics during the third, fourth and fifth seasons.^[31] Many critics praised McBride's performance in her character's centered episode "The Grove" of the fourth season.^[32][33][34] In March 2014, McBride's performance in "The Grove" made her TVLine's Performer of the Week, as it concluded, saying, "Now it’s our turn to do what we must — applaud McBride for a performance that could stand as a master class in the merits of restraint."^[35] Others singled out the actions of Carol in the season 5 premiere "No Sanctuary", which earned critical praise and extremely positive fan reception. In 2014, McBride was a promising contender for an Emmy Award in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series category,^{[36][37][38][39]} though she did not receive a nomination.^[40]

Writing for Vox, Todd VanDerWerff lauded Melissa McBride's performance in the season five premiere "No Sanctuary", saying:

Say what you will about The Walking Dead's slapdash approach to character development, but McBride's ferocious, frequently Emmy-nomination-worthy performance has made sense of a woman whom the show seemed to actively be avoiding understanding for a good long while. It began in the first half of season two, when Carol's daughter, Sophia, disappeared and was eventually revealed to have become a zombie. In the wake of that loss, Carol began to harden herself, and McBride started giving a flinty, unapproachable performance that gained strength from moments when the old, vulnerable Carol peeked through. In "No Sanctuary," Carol strides around in a poncho that makes one wonder if Hollywood shouldn't remake Clint Eastwood's "Man with No Name" trilogy of Westerns starring McBride instead. She discerns that her friends are in danger thanks to some gunshots and quickly reads the situation in a remote cabin. She decides to turn a herd of zombies toward Terminus, then blows up a propane tank with a couple of well-placed shots and some fireworks. She is completely and totally dominant – not just over her enemies (and the undead monsters who surround her) but over every other character as well. It's impossible to watch her and not think, "Hey, let's have some more of that."^[3]

IndieWire singled out McBride's performance in the entire explosive premiere, saying, "But the stand-out was McBride, whose Carol became the most interesting character on the show, simply because she was willing and able to do things other characters wouldn't." ^[41]

Writing about the episode "Consumed", AV Club's Zack Handlen praised McBride's performance and characterisation as Carol, saying, "McBride is especially great; while her character’s evolution came in fits and starts, the actress manages to pull all of that together into a consistent, and endlessly fascinating, persona."^[42] Similarly, Rebecca Hawkes of The Daily Telegraph praised Melissa McBride, saying she was "...in a league of her own, capable of quietly dominating every scene she’s in."^[43]

Many critics praised the character in the episodes "Remember" and "Forget" where Carol stages herself as a meek housewife in the community of Alexandria in order to be assured that they are trustworthy, which includes stealing back the group's guns in the process for safety precaution and protection. Tim Surette of TV.com said that "[Carol] continues to be the absolute best". He noted that "[Her] reaction was the most interesting one, as she seemingly went all-in on participating in the Junior League, downplaying the kind of badass she became in the woods, and fondly remembering her abusive husband (yeah right) to Alexandria leader Deanna, while also warning Rick in private that the longer the group stayed in Alexandria, the weaker they would become. I love you, Carol, and I love your huge-ass guns."^[44] Surette, Mark Perigald of the The Boston Herald, and Amanda Michelle Steiner for People found Carol to be humorous in her lies in the episode "Remember".^[45][46]

Rebecca Hawkes of The Daily Telegraph praised the character in her review for "Forget", saying, "Carol is proving to be one of the most complex, interesting female characters on TV right now."^[43]

Accolades

For her performance in season 4, McBride won the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television,^[47][48] and a nomination for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.^[49] She and her fellow cast members of The Walking Dead won the Satellite Award for Best Cast - Television Series in 2012.

In 2015, for her performance in the fifth season of the series, she was nominated for another Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television.^[50] She was also nominated for a Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Leading Actress in a Television Series.^[51]

References

External links

• Carol at AMC
• Carol at the Internet Movie Database

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