Madison dishes out some hard truths, Chris loses his mind, and Travis joins the gang in Fear the Walking Dead’s penultimate episode titled “Date of Death.” With the final stretch ahead of us, the degrees of separation between Travis, Chris, and Nick lessen. And humans, the real threat of this apocalypse, will be the end of our survivors stay in this hotel. Thanks Madison.
Travis’ appearance at the gates was a miracle that had me screaming, “Open the gates! I don’t care if the others get in!” With so much uncertainty at the moment, they can all depend on Travis to help out with the hotel for however long they have there. His reunion with Madison was cold and not as heartfelt as I hoped. He’s left his child and he feels like he’s failed Chris’ mother in protecting him. It’s his job now to decide what direction he wants to go in.
He can fall into a swirling vortex of depression where he sees his strengths as weaknesses that drove his child away. Or he can finally understand that at the end of the day, Chris’ is his own person who needs to make his own mistakes. Mini Shane made his choices based on what he wanted. And Travis of course influenced his son during his lifetime, but it’s on Chris’ shoulders if he chooses to leave. Travis has to forgive himself and live for the people around him.
Special side note for what Travis did for Elias, the man his son killed. Burial and respect for our dead is what separates us from the true monsters of this apocalypse. And no matter how much this world has changed, Travis holds that value to be true. He will survive longer than his son and those who squander their opportunity to live when all else is gone. Whatever path he chooses to go down now, let’s hope he holds this value close and never let’s it go. Never know, it might save him one day.
Madison’s confession to Alicia wasn’t to assuage guilt. She turned on the hotel lights for Nick and got Travis. There’s no regret there. The story of Alicia’s father’s death is about crossing that final bridge between them and admitting that they are the only person the other has left. It’s an opportunity for them to bond and for Madison to get to know the woman that Alicia had to transform herself into.
Even if Nick comes back and joins the gang, Alicia & Madison now have a bond between them that he can’t understand and that isn’t dependent on his drug abuse. They can build something different now, something stronger. Honestly, it’s nice to see a mother/daughter bond when the closest we have to such a relationship is Rick & Carl over on The Walking Dead. I’m ready for what’s to come next for these two.
Chris has finally lost it in “Date of Death” and become this show’s version of Shane. We already knew he had a screw loose when he attacked his father but this is the final straw. Tricking his father and choosing strangers instead of his own blood, shows how little regard he has for Travis and his own life. It’s kill or be killed and his mind sees that as the only avenue for survival. This is his way of dealing with his mother’s death, his father’s distance all his life, and the apocalypse.
There’s no in between and I’m not certain there ever will be for Chris. With the appearance of the Americans at the hotel at the end of the episode, where the rest of our survivors are, we’re left wondering what happened with his new family. Chris is going to disappear into the woodwork and we won’t see him until the following season. Mark my words.
His disappearance will be pushed to the back of our minds as soon as the people from Tijuana arrive. Rumors fly fast and a cleared out hotel is ideal for a stronghold of men who seek power and comfort. Forget Alejandro shabby little paradise. Madison & the rest of our survivors stand no chance against the ruthlessness they display. They have to run or risk being overwhelmed, separated again, or dying.
Alejandro is also a problem that we need to address. If he truly was bitten and survived, he’s the start of a cure for the world. But when have things ever been that easy or concise? I’ve got a feeling that in a shocking twist it’s going to be revealed that he was bitten by a normal human, ages ago, and is using the scar to accrue people and a community that listen to his every word and follows all his whims. It’s a cult at it’s best and our survivors aren’t going to last a single day with them as well. Sorry Nick.
Pack your bags guys, we’re moving out!
Fear the Walking Dead 2 hour season finale is Sunday, October 2, 2016.
