Yes.
Yes.
This hug was everything to me, and it said it all without saying a word. I tried to stay away from theorizing about how the reunion would go down in the show, hoping only that it would include as little dialogue as possible…and the show delivered.
This scene doesn’t start with a bang but with Carol’s slow step into frame in the background. Her expression is apprehensive: how will they react to seeing her again? Those facing Rick likely saw her first: Maggie, Glenn, Sasha. However, we get a shot specifically focused on Daryl as he saw a person in his periphery and then turned and saw her. You can see the shift in his eyes (and all the applause for NR in this whole scene as well as MMB), from ‘is it a walker? Is it a Termite? What NOW?!’ to recognition as he realized that it was Carol.
As soon as that thought dawned, Daryl Dixon sprinted toward her. Not only that, but he shoved himself off of the tree that he was leaning against to get even more momentum. The short run toward her was frantic and slightly uncoordinated, but it didn’t matter because as soon as Carol was within reach, he was throwing his arms around her and pulling her to him. Carol happily reciprocated, holding onto him like he was a drink of water in the middle of the desert that she’d been cast out into.
Daryl was breathing heavily by the time he had her in his arms, despite the run being not taxing in the slightest. Rather, it was the crash of emotion hitting his lungs, and with every overwhelmed exhale, he was taking a deep inhale of her, breathing her in, eyes closed so that the only senses he had were the warmth of her body and the smell of her skin.
Because Daryl is a character of action and not of words, the only outlet he had for all of his emotions in that moment was to hold her. He couldn’t only do that though; that wasn’t enough after all that time apart. So he lifted her up off her feet, set her back down, and stumbled side to side with her until they almost toppled over to the ground. He cradled the back of her head. Daryl was absolutely beside himself with relief and joy that she’d found them.
So much weight left Carol’s shoulders when Daryl hugged her, welcoming her back enthusiastically, and she smiled during all of his excited lifting and swinging of her. We even saw her leg pop out, reminding me of the infamous ‘leg pop kiss’ conversation in Princess Diaries. After Daryl set her down and withdrew enough to look at her, the expression on her face is one of hopeful surprise, as if to say: ‘Really? You’re really happy to see me? It’s okay?’
The tenderness and free-flowing emotion on either of their faces in that moment when their eyes meet leads me to theorize that, if it had only been the two of them, a kiss would have happened. Maybe on the forehead, maybe on the lips, who knows, but the pause right before the withdrawal from the hug was very intimate.
After staring at each other for that moment, Daryl caved and lowered his face to her shoulder. As much as we joke about Daryl and Carol “claiming” each other, this moment showed how much the reverse is true. Daryl has not “claimed” Carol and will never “claim” her. Instead, he dropped his head to her shoulder, a gesture that I interpret as “I’m yours.” Carol is his home, and by offering himself up in this vulnerable way, he expressed that to her. Wherever Carol is, Daryl wants to be, not just to keep her safe, because with her is where he feels the most comfortable and accepted the way he is.
We didn’t see Carol’s expression upon this gesture, but she raised her hands to either side of his neck, responding in a similar, nonverbal way. Daryl was her rock in a storm as much as she was his, and holding onto him helped her to anchor herself in that emotional moment, preparing for whatever was to come from the others. If it all went south from there, at least she would have that moment.
When Rick approached, Daryl stepped aside but immediately stepped back into frame, and into Carol’s line of sight, when Rick asked if Carol was the one behind the attack on Terminus. The last time Rick asked her if she was behind something, she had been judged and exiled, so it was understandable that she was hesitant and fearful to answer. She had braced herself to not be accepted back, but with Daryl’s unequivocal welcome back, she had begun to foster hope. Daryl lingered in the background, if nothing else than to reassure Carol that he was not going to let her be cast out again. This was the moment of truth, and she apprehensively and almost imperceptibly nodded that yes, it was her.
Then it was Rick’s turn to envelope her in a hug, not just one of joy and relief to find her alive, but also of gratitude and unspoken remorse. His quiet “Thank you” brought tears to Carol’s eyes.
Their group was one step closer to becoming whole again, but first, Carol needed to reunite the Grimes family and Tyreese with Sasha.
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