Warning! SPOILERS ahead for The Walking Dead season 9, episode 10!

The Walking Dead season 9's time jump, Carol got a brand new look.

Carol's long hair isn't all that's new in season 9, either. Along with the time jump, Carol and Ezekiel.

Related: The Best Way Maggie Can Return To The Walking Dead In Season 10

The sparks first began between Ezekiel and Carol when she left Alexandria and took up residence just outside the Kingdom's walls. The war with the Saviors brought them closer together, and come Lydia has endured from her mother, Alpha - Henry explains that Carol originally cut her hair so short to prevent her abusive husband from grabbing hold of it whenever she would try to get away.

CAROL EZEKIEL ON THE WALKING DEAD 2

The explanation for Carol's short hair makes perfect sense, and it suits her prudent and tactical nature. It also serves as a reminder that Carol - like Daryl and now Lydia - is a victim of abuse, and having endured such vile behavior has shaped her. Watching how she's overcome her painful past is why Carol is such a compelling character, and she's become one of the toughest, most capable, and respected of all of Walking Dead's survivors.

But even more than being reminder of how far Carol's come, learning the reason why Carol used to keep her hair so short highlights the reason why her hair is now so long - her relationship with Ezekiel is a happy and healthy one, and Carol no longer needs to undertake the same precaution to keep herself safe. Additionally, Carol likely kept her hair so short well after her husband was killed because the same principle of making herself harder to grab worked just as well for the walkers. But living safely behind the Kingdom's walls, the need for short hair isn't nearly as important.

When Carol's long hair was first unveiled, her look inspired a slew of memes poking fun at her dramatically different hairstyle. Now, it's been revealed as a neat detail that helps to deepen Carol's character, giving her new look a significance that not only illustrates how much she's grown, but how much safer she feels with Ezekiel at the Kingdom.

More: Walking Dead's Fair Explained: Who Will The Show Kill Off?

The Walking Dead season 9 airs Sundays on AMC.