With the Season 9 premiere of The Walking Dead fast approaching on October 7, fans have a lot of questions: How is Rick going to die? What will his absence mean for the survivors? What’s the deal with Negan? But most importantly, are Carol and Daryl somehow going to finally end up together?
Caryl is by far the best ship on The Walking Dead, canon or otherwise. From the very beginning, Carol and Daryl‘s characters had instant and undeniable chemistry. And for nine seasons, fans have been dying to know whether their friendship will ever cross over into romantic territory. We chatted with actors Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride about where the pair’s relationship is heading this season, and here’s everything we learned.
Yes, There’s Hope That Caryl Will Finally Happen
According to Reedus, “there’s always hope” when it comes to Caryl. The actor wasn’t even familiar with the term “shipping” before his time on The Walking Dead — but he knows how much fans want to see Carol and Daryl together. “You have no idea, it’s nuts,” he laughed. “The shipping just went bananas. Trust me, I know [it’s huge]. And people get mad at me! They’re like, ‘You don’t deserve her.’ I don’t write this, man, stop getting mad at me. She’s one of my best friends.”
We’re Going to See Much More of Carol and Daryl Together This Season
McBride said, “There’s going to be a lot more interaction between the two of them [this season].” Hopefully, that means Carol and Daryl will get to just hang out and happily kill zombies together. But this is The Walking Dead, and Reedus knows better. “On this show, when things look like they’re going really well — they don’t let you be happy for longer than a little while.” So chances are that more time together means more danger and, possibly, death and heartbreak.
Daryl and Carol Are Together “for the Long Haul”
“You’ll never not see us together in some form,” Reedus said. “She and I are probably in it for the long haul. More than anything, those two characters want what’s best for the other.” McBride compared the two characters’ dynamic to Batman and Robin and said, “They’re so cool, I love them together. However you define their relationship, it doesn’t matter to me. Whatever it is, it’s awesome. What are [Carol and Daryl]? They’re awesome.”
Basically, keep the Caryl hope alive, but don’t expect a happy ending; this is The Walking Dead, after all.