The reviews of the episode say that there are 3 separate timelines in the ep. We know one is “Old Rick” timeline, 8 years in the future, and from the trailer and other news, I have concluded the other 2 timelines are:

1) setting up the herd to direct it towards the Sanctuary

2) Attacking the sanctuary

I suspect we’ll see the scenes of them attacking the sanctuary (with Gabriel trapped with Negan) mixed in with scenes of Daryl, Carol, Morgan and Tara timing the herd over several days, and then getting ready to set off the explosions and attack the outposts.

Now adding this to Ninja’s spoiler on TSDF that the episode ends with Carol going to join the Kingdom group (who are about to go off and attack an outpost) and then the grenade/explosion happens, leads me to believe Carol and Daryl’s hug is close to the end of the episode.

I think what happens is we see them tracking the herd and setting up the explosions, then they are splitting up into their groups in order to attack the outposts and that is when Carol and Daryl hug goodbye.

With that in mind, that to me adds weight to this hug. The placing of it in the episode, the fact it’s very likely shortly followed by the kingdom army being bombed, and that it comes before Carol and Dryl are likely separated for some episodes (I don’t believe it’s as many as filming suggests, but at least until the attack on Sanctuary happens in real time in the episodes) - leads me to believe this hug is the FOUNDATION of something.

Remember back to season 4, when Gimple said the Pookie scenes were important to establish Daryl and Carol’s relationship before Carol was banished, setting up the story that would “end” in the No Sanctuary reunion? I think a similar thing is being done here.

Carol and Daryl share a hug and talk, possibly Daryl worrying about Carol’s mental state, or worrying that they are about to be separated again, Carol possibly worrying about Daryl’s revenge state of mind. They say another “Stay safe” exchange - both a call back to earlier episodes but also it’s about to be ironic. The scene shows they have unfinished conversation in some way, perhaps Daryl says something indicating Carol better not run off again and leave him, SOMETHING that indicates they want to be reunited - and then BOOM it seems like Carol has been blown up and is dead.

Whether Daryl knows about the explosion or not, I don’t know - if he does, as it adds to the drama. BUT I believe the explosion, the hug before it, the brief conversation they have is leading us up to ANOTHER reunion.

We know Gimple bloody loves the reunions, he knows the audience loves them - No Sanctuary hug was massive, and New Best Friends scenes of Caryl were universally praised as some of the best of the season - so he’s going to chuck one in again. BUT if we are very lucky, if the gods are on our side, the purpose of THIS one is to finally (FOR THE LOVE OF GOD) change their relationship.

Anyway TL:DR, the hug is the foundation for a story about Carol and Daryl’s relationship, about them no longer wanting to be apart, and a reunion that could make them go romantic.

And JUSt to be super super delusional, we know Norman was filmed with a red arm tie in his back pocket. Perhaps while they are apart Daryl is seen looking at a red die, considering Carol and where HE belongs.