‘The Walking Dead’ Had A Heartbreaking Carol Easter Egg

When Carol tried to dismiss Henry in the woods on The Walking Dead Episode 8×06, the story she told to scare him from joining a fight was more than just a tale to deter a kid from following her.

With Henry eager to seek revenge for his brother Benjamin who was killed by the Saviors in The Walking Dead‘s seventh season, Carol wanted him to stay safely at the Kingdom community. “Do you know what happens to kids when they go wandering around in the woods?” Carol said. “They never get seen again, and if they do, they’re monsters.”

A lot of viewers’ minds went to the more recent and unforgettable exchanges between Lizzie and Mika. The two characters journeyed through the woods with Carol and Tyreese, only to have one kill the other and ultimately be executed by Carol to prevent further murders.

However, the line was more likely in reference to the heartbreaking loss Carol experienced in The Walking Dead‘s second season. Back in the real world’s 2011, the Melissa McBride character watched her daughter Sophia wander off into the woods as a herd of walkers approached. After she was missing for weeks, Sophia would walk out of Hershel’s barn as a walker. She had died in the woods, never to be seen again. When she came back, she was a monster.

Ultimately, Carol may have realized that a kid who is properly armed will have a better chance at survival, which might be why she gave Henry a gun and allowed him to join her fight.

Furthermore, the little boy Henry is played by Macsen Lintz. Macsen Lintz, in real life, is the little brother of Sophia actress Madison Lintz.

“I can’t do a scene with him and not see her,” McBride said on Talking Dead.

Madison Lintz opened up about the scene, as well. “I was just really touched that they’re still tying back to my character who was all the way back in Season 2,” Madison Lintz told HuffingtonPost. “I thought it was really, really cool that Macsen, my brother, got to be in that scene and be a part of it. I think it’s so weird, and I love hearing about everything he’s doing on set. I’m super proud of him.”

The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9 pm ET on AMC. For complete coverage and insider info all season long, follow @BrandonDavisBD on Twitter.