Carol (full name in the television series: Carol Peletier) () is a fictional character from the comic book series The Walking Dead, and the television series of the same name, where she is portrayed by Melissa McBride. Carol is introduced in the third issue of the comic's first volume, "Days Gone Bye", and the third episode of the first season of the television series, as a meek housewife and mother of Sophia at the survival camp in Atlanta, Georgia. Her arc in the television series was described as a "hero's journey" by executive producer Scott M. Gimple, having made many difficult decisions in order to survive.
The direction of her character is contrasted between the two mediums. In the comic series, Carol is a 25-year-old housewife who exhibits a neurotic, self-centered, and naive demeanor. Throughout her arc, she grows increasingly unstable, to the extent of self-destruction, and ultimately commits suicide. In the television show, she is shown to be a stern, pragmatic and compassionate individual who has been gradually building inner strength, becoming much more capable and emotionally stable than her comic book counterpart. The abuse she suffered from her husband was explicitly shown in the television series, whereas it was hinted at in the comics. In addition, Carol and Tyreese have a brief romantic relationship in the comics before they break up and Carol commits suicide.
In the television series, Carol evacuates her home with her abusive husband Ed and her daughter Sophia in hopes of a safe haven in Atlanta, where they join a camp of survivors. Following the deaths of her husband and daughter, Carol forms a close bond with camp survivor Daryl Dixon. After the prison falls, she becomes the adoptive mother to Lizzie and Mika Samuels. The trio meet up with Tyreese and find safety together, when the mentally unwell child Lizzie murders her sister in a psychotic delusion, forcing Carol to make another challenging decision. Carol saves the rest of Rick's group from the cannibals at Terminus. After arriving at the Alexandria Safe-Zone, Carol becomes one of its key defenders and attempts a relationship with a resident named Tobin, but quickly realizes Tobin is only a bandaid on her pain. She begins to feel the guilt of those she has killed and becomes suicidal, until saved by Morgan and brought to the Kingdom led by King Ezekiel. She eventually marries Ezekiel and adopts a young Kingdom resident named Henry.
Initially a recurring cast member, McBride was upgraded to a series regular at the onset of the second season, and the character's role predominantly increased since the fourth season. McBride became second-billed as of the final three episodes of the tenth season. Carol is one of the last original survivors, along with Rick and Daryl. She is also the series' longest-living female character, and the only female character to have appeared in every season. Carol and Daryl are the only characters that have been in the series since the first season.
McBride's performance as Carol has received critical acclaim from television commentators, and some critics have referred to Carol as the series' best character. In September 2020, it was announced that McBride and Norman Reedus (Daryl) would headline their own spin-off series, scheduled to premiere in 2023. However, McBride exited the project prior to filming. In October 2023, McBride reprised her role as Carol in the first season finale of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, and that she would return as a series regular in the second season, subtitled The Book of Carol, which premiered in September 2024.
Appearances Comic book series
Early storylines (2003–2004) Carol is described in the comics as being a housewife who occasionally helps pay the family's bills by selling Tupperware out of catalogues to friends and neighbors. 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. 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. Eventually, the two became romantically attached to one another, and they stay close throughout their stay at Hershel's farm and their arrival at the abandoned prison.
Prison arc (2005–2007) Tension begins between Tyreese and Carol, however, when Michonne is introduced, and Carol later witnesses Michonne performing oral sex on Tyreese inside of the prison gymnasium. This initially leads her to try to compete, albeit degradingly, for his affection but she ultimately breaks off the relationship and tries avoiding further confrontations.
Soon after the break-up, her mental health comes into question, and, after nights of crying, results in a suicide attempt. Soon after cutting herself, Carol becomes desperate for companionship and wants to have a polyamorous relationship with Rick and Lori, only to be turned down.
As she plans to commit suicide, she makes sure Lori promises to take care of Sophia. She then initiates sex with Hershel's son, Billy.The Walking Dead #42 (September 2007) 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 to 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.
Carol's death leaves a significant mark on the group in the days leading up to the ultimate assault on the prison. 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, and has since attempted to repress all memories of Carol by pretending that Maggie and Glenn are her biological parents. Maggie is relieved when Sophia begins to speak openly about recognizing Carol's previous existence. 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.
Television series
Before the apocalypse began, Carol was a meek and abused 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 for his sexual interest in their young daughter Sophia (Madison Lintz). The Peletiers first met up with Shane (Jon Bernthal), Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) and her son Carl (Chandler Riggs) 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 (Laurie Holden) tells him off, Ed quickly becomes threatening as the women confront him about Carol's bruises. Ed then strikes Carol, causing a feud, which ends when Shane furiously beats him as Carol pleads for him to stop. In the episode "Vatos", after Ed's violent abuse has been exposed to the camp, Carol begins to stand up for herself regarding Sophia; 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 and Sophia and Carol are left fearing for their lives. In the episode "Wildfire", while 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 violent abuse. In the season finale "TS-19", the group takes shelter at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), but they soon discover the facility is set to explode after the power runs out. Carol hands Rick a grenade (which Rick had picked up in the tank he was trapped in) to blow out one of the front windows so they can escape. and 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", walkers swarm the highway and Sophia is lost in the woods after being chased by them. Carol casts the blame upon Rick for not staying with her, but ultimately blames herself. In the episode "Cherokee Rose" Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) gives Carol a flower, which inspires hope in her to stay strong and believe in Sophia's survival. In the episode "Chupacabra", while staying at the farm owned by Hershel Greene (Scott Wilson), she decides to cook with Lori for Hershel and the rest of the group as a token of gratitude. During the dinner, she brings 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, and she shows concern for his well-being. Glenn reveals to the group that Hershel's barn is full of walkers and they discover, to their horror, that Sophia is one of them. 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. In the episode "Triggerfinger", Carol shows a conscious concern for Daryl's detachment from the group. She later lets him vent his frustration at her; at first he mocks her for losing her family but soon apologizes and returns to the fold. Over time, Carol's gains self-confidence. She grows tired of the arguments of the group, and refuses to choose the fate of their prisoner, Randall, in the episode "Judge, Jury, Executioner." In the season finale "Beside the Dying Fire", the group are chased off the farm by walkers. Carol convinces the women to evacuate the farmhouse but is herself abandoned by Lori. Daryl rescues Carol on his motorcycle, and they eventually meet up with the remaining survivors. The slight blame she has cast upon Rick develops into outright questioning of his leadership.
Season 3