Sumith Prasad
Carol Austin is an integral part of surgeon AJ Austin’s life in FOX’s medical series ‘The Resident.’ As her adoptive son, AJ has always cared for Carol, especially when she is diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. AJ even decides against leaving for Nigeria with his former partner Mina Okafor to look after Carol.
In the eighteenth episode of season 5, AJ learns that Carol’s condition has significantly worsened. He conducts certain tests to monitor the cancer growth in her body, only to get startled to see the results. As AJ worries over Carol’s life, the viewers must be wondering whether she will succumb to her death soon. Let’s find out! SPOILERS AHEAD.
Will Carol Austin Die?
When AJ finds out that Carol is suffering from cancer, he gets emotionally shattered. After a while, hope returns to him when Pravesh starts a clinical trial at Chastain to conduct experiments on cancer patients to improve treatment procedures in the field of oncology. AJ believes that Carol can tremendously benefit from the trial, only for her to not get selected for the same. Pravesh explains to AJ that Carol’s health cannot sustain the severity of the trial and her participation will only make her suffer more pain. Carol, without any other medical practices to consider, gets forced to await death.
In the eighteenth episode of season 5, AJ discovers that Carol’s cancer has spread to other body parts, including her brain. Since cancer is conquering her slowly but alarmingly, death is not an improbability for Carol. The latest test results indicate that she may live only for another two months, which is nothing but an appalling revelation for AJ. Realizing that there isn’t anything Carol can do to survive her disease, AJ proposes hospice care, which she eventually accepts. Considering her latest condition, one cannot rule out death.
In the rest of the episodes of season 5, we can expect to see AJ taking care of Carol while dealing with the pain of seeing her suffer. Since a miraculous recovery isn’t at all a possibility, AJ and the viewers may need to accept that Carol will most likely die sooner than later. So, does Carol’s impending death indicate Summer Selby’s exit from the show? Let’s see!
Is Summer Selby Leaving The Resident?
Even though neither Summer Selby nor FOX has announced the actress’ departure from ‘The Resident’ yet, the possibility of Carol dying soon indicates that Selby may leave the show in the near future. If Carol dies, the character’s arc will get completed for the actress to bid adieu to the show. Even if the character appears in flashback scenes or AJ’s dreams after her possible death, Selby’s performance is likely to get limited to a few guest appearances. Considering these factors and possibilities, we can expect the network to announce the departure of the actress in due time.
Selby’s portrayal of Carol has enhanced the character’s pleasantness and made Carol highly admirable. Ever since her introduction in the fourth season of the show, Carols’ heartwarming relationship with AJ has succeeded in moving the viewers in several instances. If Selby leaves the show, her performance is guaranteed to be missed by the ardent admirers of ‘The Resident.’
Read More: Will Conrad Hawkins Die? Is Matt Czuchry Leaving The Resident?
