yeahhhh.... just rewatching him yelling at Carol and it sounds like he's yelling at her for all the things he might be feeling for himself. And Carol kind of proved she has a set not just standing up to him but taking all the harsh things he said to her and still going into the kitchen with everyone while they tried to figure out who was going after Rick.

 

I agree, I think he's really hurt by what happened to Sophia, and his care for her, only to find her to have been a walker. He makes a mention of his father, something Carol never even brought up, so I think he's facing those past demons on top of that. Like the grief bringing everything out in him all at once and it's overwhelming. It's like he feels when he starts to care about anyone, something bad happens to them.

 

I have a strange feeling that Carol would have Daryl under her thumb anytime now.

 

After Rick, Darryl is the best man in the group. He's reacting badly because that's his default facade. Carol will bring him around.

 

Don't forget, Carol is used to being beaten down. She was married to an abuser.

 

I actually began to dislike Daryl in this episdoe. I realize he's lead a hard life but, I don't like him mistreating Carol. He was cruel and a jerk, and even if he's hurting I just wasn't impressed. I hope he gets over his self pity and gets back on his feet. I find his current character arc, tedious.

 

Consider that Daryl believed if he could find Sophia (a 9-10 year old girl) alive, then there was a good chance that Merle is still alive.

 

I think Daryl is coming to a major crossroads in his life and will be confronted with a situation that has him doing the unthinkable.

 

Daryl is wrestling with his emotions. And how it hit him finding and seeing Sophia that way. Then he starts shutting down not wanting to care because as if it was his fault that he could have done more. But he did more than anyone else did and is also pissed maybe that no one else did.

 

I don't think Daryl is necessarily suffering from guilt, though it's obvious that the Sophia situation caused major hardship for Daryl, but I think it's for a different reason. Ever since he found out that Merle was left handcuffed to the roof, the group has been on the move, looking for Sophia and for shelter. Daryl really hadn't had a chance to realize that his brother may be gone (dead or alive, asshole or not, still his brother). I think Daryl was substituting the loss of his brother for Sophia in some way, and when the search ended in finding Sophia as a walker, maybe he feels that Merle inevitably suffered the same fate, and now he's just doing what any human would do, taking it out on the closest person. I think he'll come around eventually, Daryl seems to be a very strong-willed character on the show.

 

That's probably exactly what he's facing, Fresh meat. omg wow nice pick up! I didn't notice that.

 

Good point. I hadn't even thought of that. While he had hope of finding Sophia he could still hope his brother might be alive.

 

Fresh meat's observations seem to me spot on.

Daryl is one of the most nuanced characters (possibly because less is more, comparatively speaking). The show is clumsy with him- having him stand around a fire at night whittling sticks- but his attributes are clear.

Due to his obvious hard edge and being unencumbered by relationships and subsequent emotions he might be utilized to do some things that the others cannot.

He has, on several occasions, witnessed Lori's slothfulness. While he's busy combing the woods for Sophia she's back on the farm sitting on the porch. She's refused to take a weapon and so leaves the responsibility for protecting her life and her son's to others. A man such as Daryl would find these things particularly bothersome. And now she's made a very personal and barbed attack on him at his most vulnerable. Yes, Daryl would harbor some very strong negative feelings toward Lori at this point.

Daryl is chastising Carol for not keeping an eye on Sophia. So what does he think of Lori, who just wandered out alone and left her son behind?

Daryl was also with them at the quarry and, being the type of fellow he is, possibly took note of the time she spent in the woods with Shane and their interaction at the camp site. His Olive Oyl jab may have been his way of letting her know he know's what's up- for Olive Oyl was, like Lori, not just very skinny but constantly being pulled between two men.

So, Daryl might, if forced, do what needed doing if he oberved a rift in the group due to Lori. If Daryl thought they might lose Rick but continue to be saddled with Lori, he might act preemptively.

 

I'm not convinced Daryl is all that deep. I think he's not accustomed to working with others, and is anti-social and is having difficulty ajusting to being in a tribal sitatuion. for goodness sake, the man collects zombie ears.... =-)

 

Are you saying that you don't have a sweet zombie ear dreamcatcher?

 

But to your point, while I do agree with you that he is borderline anti-social, he still has shown some signs of having human emotion. Why else would he risk his life time after time looking for a little girl who he had no attachment to? If he was truly heartless, well, he'd be like Shane wanting to scrap the whole search and move on! (Which I'm not saying was the wrong thing to do )

 

Fresh meat, what say you to this.
Daryl is the outsider who lost his brother very early. He has to hold Rick responsible for that. On top of that, if the group had listened to Shane and called the search off much earlier, Daryl wouldnt have gotten his hopes up so high only to be torn down by finding Sophia as a walker. This makes me think that when the show down between Shane and Rick happens, Daryl might side with Shane and Daryl would be a extremely powerful ally for Shane as he is the only other true protector of the group. (plus Rick already has Glen on his side)

 

Daryl wanted to save the girl, and he is a hunter. Hunting is what he does. I agree it was kind of him to try to rescue sophie, but his attitude towards Carol almost completely obliterates his kindness. He is cruel and demeaning and abusive to someone who already was abused much worse. To me that is petty and I just wasn't impressed. I get that he may be upset, I just didn't think his cruelty was neccessary and made me like the character a lot less.

 

So that means you like him more for being cruel to Carol???