"Consumed" is the sixth episode of the fifth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead which aired on AMC on November 16, 2014. The episode was written by Matthew Negrete and Corey Reed, and directed by Seith Mann. The episode primarily focuses on Carol Peletier (Melissa McBride) as she accompanies Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) in searching for Beth Greene (Emily Kinney). Several flashbacks in the episode explore the different stages in Carol's life, such as her rescue mission to save the group and several tragedies she is attempting to rebound from, including the deaths of her surrogate daughters, Lizzie Samuels and her sister, Mika, as well as the lasting effect of her banishment. The title of the episode refers to Carol's explaining to Daryl about the events in her life and how she has changed, saying that "everything now just... consumes you".
Such themes as domestic abuse, death, change, and hope are prevalent throughout "Consumed". The episode prominently conveys the background abuse that both characters share, which past episodes indicated was the basis of their intimate bonding. It also sheds light on their transformations in the apocalypse and how they adapted as a result. Through this, fire is also prevalent within the episode and used precisely 10 times in various ways of showing Carol, in particular, changing as a result of various events. The episode provides an explanation to several cliffhangers in preceding episodes with the heavily utilized nonlinear narrative. This includes the revelation of how Carol ended up in Grady Memorial Hospital from the cliffhanger in "Slabtown", and the mysterious person in the woods with Daryl at the end of "Four Walls and a Roof" is revealed to be Noah.
"Consumed" has garnered critical praise from television commentators, who lauded the exploration of the characters' compelling histories and subtext, the return to cityscape in Atlanta, a prominent location used in the first season, and the performances by Melissa McBride and Norman Reedus. Others noted the slow pacing as a highlight, allowing a more contemplative narrative and better character focus.
Plot
A flashback shows Carol and her life after she was exiled by Rick. One morning at her shelter, she notices smoke rising in the distance and goes to investigate, only to find the prison in flames in the aftermath of The Governor's attack.
After the feast at the church, Carol and Daryl have been following the car with the white cross. Carol suggests running the car off the road as they are low on gas, but Daryl vetoes the plan, hoping the car will lead them to its occupants' base. They track the car deep into the ruins of Atlanta and learn that it is occupied by policemen. However, their car runs out of gas, and the engine noise attracts walkers. Carol and Daryl abandon the car and spend the night in an abused women's shelter.
The next morning, Carol and Daryl look for a suitable building from which to scout the area. They find a tall office building connected to a parking garage via a sky bridge and decide to enter from there. As they move through the garage, they are unaware that someone is following them. Upon entering the bridge, the two come across the remains of a survivor camp, with numerous walkers trapped in sleeping bags and tents. After killing the walkers in the sleeping bags, they enter an office, and Daryl spots a van with white crosses hanging over the edge of an overpass. The pair decides to investigate but is ambushed by Noah when they attempt to leave. With no choice, Carol and Daryl let him take their assault rifle and crossbow. Noah apologizes and cuts open the tents to release the trapped walkers, in order to distract the pair as he escapes. They kill the walkers and Carol aims her revolver at the fleeing Noah, but Daryl stops her.
The pair reach the van but attract a large group of walkers. They search the van for clues, find a stretcher from Grady Memorial Hospital, and deduce that Beth has been taken there. Now trapped by walkers, they go to the front of the van and use their weight to push it over the edge of the overpass and onto the ground below. Seatbelts and airbags allow them to survive the fall, though Carol suffers a shoulder injury.