13 Happy Moments From ‘The Walking Dead’ & ‘Fear TWD’ (PHOTOS)
Rick reunites with Lori and Carl
Perhaps the most iconic happy moment from TWD, there’s joy all around when Rick pulls his wife and son into his arms after he survives all the awfulness in Atlanta. There’s a whole lot he doesn’t know about, including that she’s sleeping with his best friend, but hey! For a moment, all is well.
Daryl gives Carol a Cherokee rose
The moment that made it clear Daryl Dixon has a heart. The gruff redneck, rather than getting upset with Carol for everything regarding Sophia, decided to give her a Cherokee rose and use it to keep her spirits up and reassure her that her daughter would be okay.
Michonne finds Carl and Rick
“It’s for you,” Rick tells Carl after seeing Michonne standing on their doorstep. At this point the Michonne-Grimes connection was still being formed, but it was clear Carl thought of her as a good friend.
The group finds a new home
After spending months on the road and whittling down the resources in the immediate area, the group was desperate for a new home base. They found one at the prison, and, after a little walker-slaying, they stepped inside and relaxed for the first time in a long time.
Glenn and Maggie are together again
Finally! After several episodes of following messages and trying to track each other down, these two pulled each other in for a loving embrace and a smooch.
Daryl and Carol reunite outside Terminus
Daryl isn’t exactly known for being in touch with his emotions, but when he saw Carol, he couldn’t stop himself from sprinting into her arms. Platonic or romantic, there’s no denying the love there.
Carl and Enid roller-skate
It’s not often that the kids on this show get to act their age, but Carl and Enid got the rare chance to have some fun. Unburdened of their responsibilities, they hold hands and roller skate together outside Alexandria.
Rick and Michonne finally get together
At long last. Jessie was fine, but it was obvious that these two were being set up to be each other’s “endgame” (we won’t talk about Michonne kissing Ezekiel in the Season 10 trailer). After several seasons of bonding with each other and Michonne becoming a mother figure to Carl, it seemed right for these two to take their relationship to the next level, and we’re looking forward to the day they reunite.
Rick and Michonne spend family time with Judith
Whether this moment was tainted by the knowledge of Rick’s impending final episode is debatable, but even with his imminent departure, this was sweet. We’d seen Michonne with Carl plenty, but it was great to see her with Judith, and seeing the Grimes family happy was a treasured rarity.
An Alexandria snowball fight
Although just one episode earlier all hope seemed lost, TWD opted to include a happy scene in Season 9’s final moments. Given everything they’d just been through with Alpha, it’s hard not to smile while watching Daryl, Judith, Michonne, RJ, Carol and the others chuck snowballs at each other inside Alexandria’s gates.
The group has a nice dinner
Everything is terrible, but at least there’s still good food on The Abigail.
Alicia makes time for a hug
She told her brother she hated him in Season 1, but that wasn’t true at all. Even with walkers hot on their heels, Alicia took a moment to give Nick a hug after finding out he survived being overrun on the beach; he, in turn, reassures her that he’s okay.
Madison gets her son back
Granted, this wasn’t the first time Madison lost Nick… but it’s one of their most emotional reunions. Troy’s military compound wasn’t kind to Travis and Nick, but through shrewd problem-solving and a little manipulation, the Clarks made it out alive.
The Walking Dead has a reputation for being a somewhat joyless show.
After all, what kind of program spends an entire episode ruminating on the torture of two beloved characters getting their heads bashed in with a barbed wire baseball bat? What kind of program airs not one, but two episodes where a main character has to kill children in order to protect the people they care about?
Now, all of that said, TWD and its spinoff, Fear The Walking Dead, aren’t utterly absent of cheer. Thankfully there are sparks of light between the dark plot points; loved ones reunite, beloved pairings finally get together, and unlikely friendships form.
Here are 13 happy moments that should put a smile on the face of any Walking Dead fan.
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