So, being a big Carol fan, I have rewatched the Daryl/Carol episode many times. After watching the episode about five times, I realized that I misunderstood one important part of the episode.

Maybe the best scene of the episode is after Daryl stops Carol from shooting the boy. Carol gets angry and is talking to Daryl, who sets down his bag so that he can open a door. Carol goes on and on about how she just wants to stay alive as long as she can, and then she picks up the bag and a book drops - Treating Survivors of Childhood Abuse. There is then an awkward exchange of glances.

The first few times I saw the episode I thought that it was Carol's book, and it was used to show that even though she tries to appear really strong, she still has some weaknesses. The awkward exchange was her being embarrassed that she still has some vulnerabilities. However, this time I realized, it's Daryl's bag. He is the one who thought it was important to bring that book along and read. Does this mean he was abused as a child? Do you think future episodes will touch more on this?

Daryl and Carol are alike in many ways, and I think this book shows that they have a lot to learn from each other. I think Daryl bringing this book means one of two things.

A, he was abused as a child. This means he can better sympathize with Carol, who is also a victim of abuse. He brought the book so he can learn how to deal with his own pain that he suffered as a child.

B, he brought the book because he wants to learn how to better help Carol. The book is about helping those who have been abused, so maybe, because he really cares about Carol, he wants to help her through her pain. But being Daryl, he knows nothing about helping others through psychological pain. So maybe he hopes he can read the book and better help Carol, who is a victim of abuse.

Sorry for the long post, just something to think about So what do you all think? Is it A or B?