Carl Grimes

Spoilers. Serious spoilers.

(In case you didn’t know) Walkers: Zombies

Carl Grimes, also known as ‘Carl Poppa’ (a Bad Lip Reading video based off of Carl that I memorized for no reason at all), has had probably one of the most meaningful deaths on The Walking Dead, and such a wonderful character arch.

Carl was around seventeen, I think, when he was bit by a ‘Walker’ while saving another human, one that he wasn’t familiar with and yet was okay with the risk of having to possibly put his own life on the line. At the beginning of The Walking Dead, Carl was no more then twelve years old, and we grew up with him in the show, episode by episode. Carl, no doubt, didn’t deserve to die. Neither did Shiva. Or Dale. Or Amy. Or Beth. Or Herschel. Or Glenn, and so, so much more (Shane, Lori, and Andrea are not a part of this group). And although this is probably the demise that hit me the hardest, at least he died being selfless and making a change on the people around him, and in a world filled with the dead and violently ruthless humans, even more monstrous-like then ‘Walkers,’ what else can you ask? What more can you do?

Not only did Carl die in the midst of rescuing another person, but he went out changing the perspective of his Dad. Rick Grimes will, undoubtedly take Carl’s expiration the hardest, and Rick saying his last ‘I love you’s’ to his son had to be the most heart-breaking scene of all in season 8, episode 9 of TWD, and there were WAY too many tear-jerking scenes to my liking. And although Carl’s Dad will have a mark, and maybe even blame himself for not ‘protecting’ Carl for a little (even though Carl made it clear that Rick should not put this on himself in the slightest), I also know that Rick will be at least a little at peace with it, because Carl was able to say meaningful goodbyes, both to his four year old sister, best friends, and Father.

Anyone who watches The Walking Dead will know that Carl and Rick Grimes have most definitely had their ups and downs, as all families do, and living in a post-apocalyptic-zombie-filled world is no different, especially when it comes to their Father-Son relationship. And this is exactly what made their last words to each other feel so sentimental.

“I love you, Dad.”

“I love you so, so much Carl.”

All while said through streaming tears, with fires burning in the background. It doesn’t help that, although it took me a long time to come to this conclusion after feeling so annoyed by Carl when he was a young, immature teenager (a little like me), Carl is one of my favorite characters, and there were moments where I felt certain connections to him, and wanted to give him a hug. It felt like, after eight seasons of watching Carl grow, it was almost a rip-off feeling that they would just kill Carl off. Of course it meant something, and that was clear to me, and I felt that and that it was really meaningful, but it didn’t make me any less angry.

I don’t know whether it’s because he’s still basically a kid, or if I’d just watched him from twelve to seventeen years old and now they decided just to ‘get rid’ of him?! It seemed so ridicules to me, but I also understand that this will change Rick’s battle plan when it comes to going to war with Negan, their mortal enemy who also murdered Glenn. (RIP my sweet Glennie). I think that, after Carl’s beautiful, inspirational speech to Rick, that now the leader of what once was Alexandria will rise to the occasion with more maturity than we’ve seen in a while. Now I can’t say if this exactly happens, because I haven’t seen past the episode where Carl passed away, but this is just what I’m thinking, or at least, hoping.

I know that, after a whole episode dedicated to Carl, Rick’s feelings will definitely change, and because Carl was able to give a love-filled goodbye that seemed almost satisfying (although devastating), there also must be at least a little bit of a positive change to Carl’s group, if not Rick, as well, otherwise everything would have been for nothing, and that’s exactly what they all promised Carl wouldn’t happen. Carl’s death wasn’t for nothing, we know that, they know that, he knows that, and now Rick needs to make that real.

Carl’s death was not for nothing, and although tragic and a little uncalled for, it held depth and genuineness.

Carl grew up to be mature and a leader, much like his Dad, and he died a hero as well. Of course he had his faults, we all have them, no one is perfect, and he certainly did dumb things too, but something that I do know, is that Carl was a force to be reckoned with…

and he did beat this world.