Warning: spoilers ahead for The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 2’s finale.
Sophia’s poignant cameo inThe Walking Dead: Daryl Dixonseason 2 settles unfinished business from the past, but also perfectly sets up Carol’s future. One of the biggest deaths inThe Walking Dead’s second season, Sophia died after wandering off alone and falling foul of the undead, leading to the harrowing visual of Carol watching on as her zombified daughter staggered out of the Greene family’s barn. Naturally, Sophia’s death impacted Carol across the subsequent nine seasons, but due to the demands ofThe Walking Dead’s ensemble cast, the main show never tackled Carol’s grief with any great depth.
With Melissa McBride now co-starring alongside Norman Reedus in their own solo venture,Daryl Dixonseason 2 has seized the opportunity to change that. The peaceful resolution ofThe Walking Dead’s series finalegave Carol more time to dwell on the past, and her deferred grief has finally caught up. Carol mistakenly sighted Sophia at various points duringDaryl Dixonseason 2, while also experiencing flashbacks at the mere sight of a barn door. Sophia finally makes an appearance inDaryl Dixonseason 2’s ending, and her return allows Carol to lay lingering trauma to rest.
Sophia’s Return In Daryl Dixon Season 2 Explained & What It Means For Carol
Sophia Returns In Carol’s Mind
Sophia’s return toThe Walking Deadis made possible by bat droppings. The excrement Daryl and his allies encounter as they move through the Channel Tunnel from France to England has a hallucinogenic effect upon the group, with each character reacting differently to the invisible gas. With Sophia already at the forefront of her mind,Carol predictably has a vision of her daughter, and even if the reunion isn’t real in the technical sense, it’s real enough that it allows the grieving mother some semblance of closure.
Sophia was originally portrayed by Madison Lintz, who is now in her mid-20s.
Carol had previously admitted that, after more than a decade apart, she could no longer remember Sophia’s face as it was - only the decaying, biting version that emerged from the barn. The hallucinogen in the tunnel seemingly unlocks Carol’s memories and allows her to visualize Sophia as she looked during life, which visibly brings Melissa McBride’s character the wave of peace that has been eluding her for most ofThe Walking Dead’s timeline.The vision banishes Carol’s mental image of Sophia as a zombieand replaces it with a lighter, happier memory.
BecauseThe Walking Deadwas a large-scale narrative with many moving parts and characters to accommodate, major deaths did not always have the long-lasting impact one would expect. Sophia is a prime example. While her death and memory were still mentioned throughout later seasons, Carol actually came to terms with the loss within a matter of episodes - at least on the outside.The Walking Deadonly scratched the surface of Carol’s emotions, and it comes as no great surprise to see those repressed feelings bubbling up inDaryl Dixonseason 2.
The Walking Dead Finally Remembers Season 2’s Saddest Character Death
The Walking Dead lost some major characters during its second season, and the franchise is finally addressing one big death through Daryl Dixon.
Carol’s vision ofSophia inDaryl Dixonseason 2’s finale essentially does what the main show never had room for. The first five episodes ofThe Walking Dead’s “The Book of Carol” arc displayed Carol’s grief in very visceral and raw ways - the flashbacks, the panic, and even the use of Sophia’s memory to deceive Ash.The scene where Sophia returns in episode 6 then affords Carol an emotional outlet, releasing over 10 years of pain and maternal anguish in a single embrace, even if said embrace is only happening in Carol’s mind.
Sophia is still alive whenThe Walking Dead’s comic story ends, settling down with Carl Grimes.
Real or not, the story of Sophia’s death finally feels complete. The fallen youngster will remain a foundational brick in Carol’s character, of course, and will continue to influence her mother’s future in the zombie apocalypse. Nevertheless, the fallout from Sophia’s death inThe Walking Deadhas now been dug up, examined, and laid to rest.
How Sophia’s Return Sets Up Carol’s Journey In Daryl Dixon Season 3
Closing One Chapter In The Book Of Carol Opens Up Another
Arguably the most important moment in Sophia and Carol’s reunion is when Carol asks, “Can I come with you?” While the imaginary Sophia does not respond with words, she gives her answer by letting go of her mother’s hands. The message here is thatCarol - part of her, at least - doesn’t want to carry onafter years of struggling with the weight of her daughter’s death. By letting go, “Sophia” is telling her mother that she still has work to do - now is not the time for Carol to join the ranks ofThe Walking Dead’s deceased heroes.
She might thrive in the heat of battle, but Carol has typically struggled to adjust during times of peace.
Because this entire reunion is a figment of Carol’s imagination, it could be argued thatCarol is actually telling herself to continue livingin this scene. The fact that the message is coming through a vision of Sophia, however, might allow Carol to feel like she has permission to move forward. Whatever way it comes about, this realization is vital forDaryl Dixonseason 3, as Carol will now have both the motivation to push through future obstacles and a raison d’etre.
Additionally, the “feeling” Carol has carried throughoutThe Walking Deadmight finally be quashed. She might thrive in the heat of battle, but Carol has typically struggled to adjust during times of peace, feeling a sense of unease as the relative quiet of existing within a happy community allows her old “ghosts” to creep back. Following her poo-induced reunion with Sophia,Carol might finally be able to settle downand enjoy life in the Commonwealth afterThe Walking Dead: Daryl Dixonends - assuming she and Daryl can get back there, of course.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon
In a post-apocalyptic France, the series follows Daryl Dixon as he navigates the complexities of a new landscape. Separated from his familiar world, Daryl faces unexpected challenges and forges new alliances while confronting the lingering threats of a walker-infested reality.
