Why ‘The Walking Dead’ Sent Carol Back To Sophia Days

The All Out War death toll was significantly increased in Sunday’s episode of The Walking Dead with one loss sending Carol back to a painfully familiar place.

Spoilers for The Walking Dead Episode 8×04, Some Guy, follow!

In order for King Ezekiel, Jerry, and Carol to survive Sunday’s episode, Shiva the tiger had to sacrifice herself in an effort to take out the walkers in the woods. It was a painful moment for King Ezekiel, losing his noble friend, but it also hit Carol in a specifically painful spot: reminding her of losing Sophia.

Carol actress Melissa McBride opened up about the moments while talking to ComicBook.com.

“I think that what she sees in him is something that’s very familiar to her,” McBride said. “When she lost Sophia…”

Not only did the feeling of loss remind McBride of Sophia’s death but the moments which saw Shiva dying took her back, as well.

“It was very interesting when I was watching this episode and not so much when I was shooting it, but I was so frustrated,” McBride said. “I felt his frustration and not being able to go and save Shiva. And I remember Lori, Sarah Wayne Callies‘s character, holding me back under the car when Sophia went over the edge. It was the most frustrating, horrible, agonizing feeling to be held back, and to see something so close in your grasp, but you cannot do anything about it.”

The shared feeling of loss might influence Carol and Ezekiel to get closer than before. “There are certainly those parallels there that she knows he’s going to understand this loss,” McBride said. “He’s going to go through some stuff when we make it back. If we make it back, he’s going to go through some stuff. A harsh, harsh reality that he is facing, and that was a concern of hers. There was that flashback where they had that talk at the trucks in the Kingdom. ‘How much have you fought? Have you fought before?’ It’s like, ‘Where does the optimism come from?’ ‘Okay, well, if that’s what gets you another step, have that optimism.’ But she’s prepared that he may have to face a different reality.”

The bottom line: Carol feels King Ezekiel’s pain. “She’s heartbroken for him, and she understands,” McBride said. “She understands what he must be feeling at this point. So, that’s good that she’s there, I think. At the same time, there’s a war going on. There’s still a war going on.”

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