It happened in the woods. Obviously. In the world of The Walking Dead, if something important is going down—whether it’s a brutal death or a first spark of romance—it’s usually happening under a canopy of dead leaves and the constant threat of a lurking walker. But the Carl and Enid kiss wasn’t just another "shipping" moment for the fans. It was a weirdly quiet, grounded beat in a show that, by Season 7, was becoming increasingly loud, violent, and honestly, a bit exhausting.
Think back to "Go Getters." Episode five. Negan is looming over everything like a dark cloud. Rick is broken. The Hilltop is a mess. Then you have these two teenagers, Carl Grimes and Enid, just trying to find a version of a normal life while rollerblading down a highway. It’s kind of ridiculous when you think about it. Rollerblading in the apocalypse? But that’s why it worked.
What Really Led Up to the Carl and Enid Kiss
Most people remember the kiss, but they forget the tension that built up for two full seasons. Enid was the ultimate "lone wolf" archetype. She had that "JSS" (Just Survive Somehow) mantra burned into her brain after watching her parents get eaten while they were trying to fix a car. She didn't want to get close to anyone. Carl, on the other hand, was a kid who had been forced to grow up way too fast, losing his mom and his eye in the process.
They were two broken halves.
When Carl decided to sneak out of Alexandria to go to the Hilltop—specifically to kill Negan, which was a suicide mission—Enid followed him. She knew he was being reckless. He knew she was right. But there’s this specific energy between them during that journey. It’s not the polished, CW-style teen romance. It’s awkward. It’s dusty. It’s mostly long silences and judgmental looks.
Then, they find those skates.
That scene is essential for understanding why the Carl and Enid kiss mattered. For a few minutes, they aren't soldiers or survivors. They’re just kids. They’re holding hands to stay balanced. It’s the first time we see Carl look like a human being instead of a child soldier in a sheriff’s hat.
The Moment in the Woods
The actual kiss happens right before Carl heads off to the Sanctuary. He’s about to stow away on a Saviors' truck. He knows he might not come back. Enid knows it too. She asks him not to go, or at least, she tells him that his plan is stupid.
"Don't go," she says.
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"I have to," he replies.
It’s classic trope territory, but Chandler Riggs and Katelyn Nacon played it with a certain level of hesitation that felt earned. It wasn't some cinematic masterpiece of a lip-lock. It was brief. It was a "goodbye" kiss that carried the weight of everything they hadn't said. Honestly, it was one of the few times the show allowed Carl to have a purely personal motivation that wasn't tied to Rick's legacy or the survival of the group.
Why Fans Are Still Obsessed With This Pairing
You’ve got to remember the context of 2016 television. The Walking Dead was at its peak viewership, but the "Gennifer" (Glenn and Maggie) romance had just been brutally ripped apart by Lucille. Fans were desperate for something—anything—to root for.
The Carl and Enid kiss provided a glimmer of hope. It suggested that even in a world where people get their heads bashed in with baseball bats, there’s room for a first crush. It was a callback to the school dances and mall hangouts they would never have.
But there’s a darker layer to why this moment sticks in the craw of long-term fans.
The tragedy.
In the comics, Carl survives. He grows up. He has a family. In the show, as we all painfully know, Carl’s story ends in Season 8 after a walker bite. This turns his relationship with Enid from a "coming-of-age" story into a "what could have been" tragedy. Every time someone rewatches that kiss in the woods, they're watching a dead man walking. It changes the texture of the scene. It’s no longer about a beginning; it’s about a peak before the fall.
Misconceptions About the Romance
A lot of people think the romance was rushed. I’d argue it was actually one of the slowest burns in the series.
- Season 5: Enid is the mysterious girl climbing over the walls. Carl is intrigued but cautious.
- Season 6: They get trapped in a closet together while Alexandria is under attack. No kissing, just intense teenage angst and shared trauma.
- Season 7: The rollerblading and the kiss.
- Season 8: The goodbye.
If anything, the show spent more time establishing their bond than they did with many of the adult relationships. Look at Rosita and Gabriel, or even Rick and Michonne (which was amazing but came on quite fast in Season 6). Carl and Enid had years of shared history by the time they finally locked lips.
Another common misconception is that Enid was just a "replacement" for Sophia from the comics. While it’s true that Enid takes on some of the narrative space a surviving Sophia would have occupied, her character is fundamentally different. Enid is cynical. She’s nihilistic. Sophia was a symbol of lost innocence; Enid was a symbol of reclaimed strength.
The Legacy of the Scene
So, why does a three-second kiss in a seven-year-old episode still generate search traffic and YouTube tributes?
It’s about the loss of the future. When Carl died, the "New World" he and Enid were supposed to build died with him. Enid’s later death at the hands of Alpha and the Whisperers—her head on a pike—was the final nail in the coffin. It made their romance feel like a beautiful, isolated island in a sea of misery.
There’s also the chemistry. Chandler Riggs grew up on that screen. We saw him go from a kid who "stayed in the house" to a young man. Seeing him engage in a romantic subplot was a milestone for the audience. It was a sign that the show was ready to let its youngest protagonist become a lead.
Expert Take: The Narrative Function
From a screenwriting perspective, the Carl and Enid kiss serves as a "Save the Cat" moment for Carl. Up until that point in Season 7, he’s becoming quite cold. He’s reckless. He’s bloodthirsty for Negan’s head. By showing his vulnerability with Enid, the writers reminded the audience that he was still a "good" person. He still had something to lose. Without that kiss, his eventual sacrifice in Season 8 wouldn't have felt as heavy. We needed to see what he was giving up.
What to Do If You're Revisiting the Series
If you're going back through the "Gimple Era" of the show, keep an eye on the background details during the Carl and Enid scenes.
- Watch the JSS note. The way Enid leaves notes for Carl isn't just about survival; it's her only way of communicating intimacy without saying "I love you."
- Look at the cinematography in the woods. Notice how the lighting shifts from the harsh, grey tones of the Saviors' world to a warmer, golden hue when Carl and Enid are alone. It’s intentional.
- Check the wardrobe. Carl starts wearing a ring on a necklace. It’s a subtle nod to the permanence he hoped for.
The Carl and Enid kiss wasn't just a plot point. It was the last breath of childhood for the two most important young characters in the series. It’s a reminder that even when the world ends, people still find a way to be awkward, hopeful, and incredibly human.
To get the full emotional impact, watch "Go Getters" immediately followed by "Honor" (Season 8, Episode 9). The contrast between their first kiss and their final goodbye is the heart of the show's middle seasons. It’s brutal, but it’s exactly why we watched.