The Walking Dead: Carl’s Goodbye

First Aired February 25th, 2018

Flashbacks show Carl (played by Chandler Riggs) writing letters to his loved ones in the wake of his bite and savoring what will be his last day alive. That night an emotional Rick (played by Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne (played by Danai Gurira) comfort him in the storm drain with the other Alexandria survivors as the Saviors continue to destroy Alexandria.

Shown throughout the episode are visions of the future where an elderly Rick leaves happily with everyone juxtaposed with him and Michonne burying Carl. Carol (played by Melissa McBride) leads survivors from the Kingdom to her cottage to hide and meets with Morgan (played by Lennie James) to save Ezekiel (played by Khary Payton). They also spot Henry (played by Macsen Lintz) a young boy Carol refused to let come along and rush to get him before he’s found. Siddiq (played by Avi Nash) offers Carl fever pills and reveals he was a doctor, showing obvious guilt that Carl was bitten to save him.

The group makes a plan to head for the Hilltop but Dwight (played by Austin Amelio) convinces them to wait until the Saviors leave the area. Carol and Morgan stealthy fight their way through Saviors but she gets unnerved by how he goes out of his way to confront them and the joy he seems to take in killing them. While the others prepare to leave to Hilltop, Rick and Michonne stay with Carl who’s too weak to make the trip.

These futuristic scenes always happen during major character deaths, but given how trouble always finds these people for now it’ll only be a dream. Going into this episode the big story was obviously Carl but there were so many layers added to it. Unlike most people who are bitten he had time to write letters, take pictures and enjoy the little things; it became a celebration of his character. It’s safe to say Carl dying will have the biggest impact of any other character death so far, but he may not be the only person who dies this season. The other major story is Morgan spiraling further out of control to the point where he’s recklessly engaging Saviors to savor killing them. But it’s too obvious that his behavior will lead to his own death, I think it’s being set up that someone else will die because of his actions. I think that would be the only thing that could snap him back to his senses

Before they leave Carl is given the chance to say goodbye to baby Judith and Daryl (played by Norman Reedus) makes sure to commend him for saving everyone. Siddiq assures Carl that he’ll prove to everyone that he did the right thing by saving him and that he will honor his sacrifice. At the Kingdom, Gavin (played by Jayson Warner Smith) realizes they have intruders and has Ezekiel locked in his theater where Carol and Morgan ambush them, killing them all except for Gavin who escapes. Morgan hunts him down but ignores Carol and Ezekiel’s pleas not to kill him; before Morgan can act however Henry appears and kills Gavin. Carl pleads with Michonne and Rick not to remain strong after his death, they take him above ground and hide in the burned out church in Alexandria and Carl thanks Rick for helping him become the man he is. How easy it got for him to kill until Rick showed him it wasn’t always the answer and Carl begs Rick to become that man again.

On first watch I was annoyed that Carol and Ezekiel were trying to save Gavin but I realized they were really trying to stop Morgan’s rampage. The way he taunted and stalked Gavin it was like a scene from a slasher movie and ironically what stopped it was a little kid killing Gavin. After Carl has his emotional goodbyes Siddiq promises to honor him and moving forward Siddiq will have to do that. As the series goes on we’ll see Siddiq as the man Carl gave his life for to join the group so if he doesn’t go on to become an important character it will seem like a waste. Either way Carl’s death wouldn’t have less impact on the story but if the man he saved didn’t go on to have some importance to the story that would be a letdown. Ultimately Carl’s passing will be the catalyst for Rick either completely losing it or finding a way to honor his last request.

Carl shares with Rick what he believes their future can be (the same scenes shown earlier in the episode), although a surprise member of the community is none other than Negan (played by Jeffery Dean Morgan). With the last of his strength Carl decides to shoot himself in the head to spare Rick or Michonne having to do it. After a round of tearful goodbyes they stand outside until it’s done and bury Carl in the cemetery. Negan becoming a member of the group sounds like the fever talking but really I wouldn’t rule anything out on this show. Overall this was a solid sendoff for Carl especially since many characters aren’t given such an elaborate and even heroic death. But it’s clear that Carl’s death will drive the remainder of the season especially in terms of Rick’s story.

Quotes/Thoughts

“Before mom died, she told me that I was gonna beat this world. I didn’t.”

There’s been so many violent deaths I didn’t think the show could shock me anymore, then Morgan ripped a man’s intestines out through a gunshot wound. Wow.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you. A father’s job is to protect his son.” “It’s just to love.”

Rick is now the only original main character left on the show, but he wouldn’t get killed off….right?

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