Fear the Walking Dead Midseason Finale Review: Eye for an eye
Steve Ford
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There is finally peace between Walker and the Ranch.
On Fear the Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 7 and Fear the Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 8, Walker and the Ranch were able to come to an agreement. Madison managed to orchestrate a deal with the Black Hat Reservation, allowing Otto's people to remain on their land, averting war.
It wasn't easy, and it didn't come without casualties from both sides.
On Fear the Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 6, Jake headed out on his own to meet with Walker to try and offer a parlay. As suspected, Alicia does have feelings for him and ended up following him since she was worried.
When Jake first arrived at the ranch, things didn't look like they were going in his favor, especially when Walker approached Jake with that blood machete.
It seemed like a boneheaded move at the time but talks between the two ended up being rather civil.
You're 200 years late for peace Jake...but just in time for lunch.
Walker
Seeing Ofelia pop up out of nowhere was a shock. It was so sudden and took me a few seconds to realize what just happened. The thought never even occurred to me that Ofelia would be with Walker's group.
When we last saw Ofelia on Fear the Walking Dead Season 2 Episode 15, she was wandering in the desert and supposedly captured by Jeremiah.
That wasn't the case, though.
Sure, it was Jeremiah who found Ofelia initially, but after turning his back and leaving her for dead, it was Walker who found Ofelia and nursed her back to health. I appreciated that nice, juicy twist.
There was a noticeable and interesting parallel between both Ofelia and her father's journey this season.
Much like his daughter, on Fear the Walking Dead Season 3 episode 4, Daniel was on the verge of death before being saved and eventually finding purpose in his life again.
Ofelia working with Walker threw a fascinating variable into the Walker vs. Ranch situation.
Alicia: How the hell did you get here?
Ofelia: It's a long story.
Alicia made the right decision convincing Jake to leave her behind so he could go back to and talk with his father. Jeremiah would never have given Alicia the time of day had she been trying to sell him on the peace talks.
It really didn't matter though, as Jeremiah wasn't willing to waver and give up any of the ranch's resources to Walker.
It wasn't surprising that Madison and Nick's reception to Ofelia arriving at the ranch was less than warm. Rightfully so, seeing as how Ofelia flat out left them behind at the Rosarito on Fear the Walking Dead Season 2 Episode 12.
Needless to say, Madison was also livid that Alicia was left behind with Walker as part of the negotiations. Although, her decision to have Troy lead up an extraction mission was perhaps a bit hasty.
In the end, all it did was escalate matters.
It was a difficult moment for not only Alicia but for viewers, as well, when we saw the salvaged helicopter that was shot down on Fear the Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 2. After realizing Walker's people were behind Travis' death, it must have taken every bit of restraint in Alicia's body not to instinctively stab Walker in the face.
Walker isn't your typical villain per se, and it's difficult not to view all of this from his perspective. He has a personal vendetta against Jeremiah, and unfortunately, Travis was caught in the middle of it.
Walker: My fight is not with you Madison. Take your family and go.
Madison: We've fought too hard, lost too much. We're not running anymore.
Walker: Then you'll die.
Ofelia poisoning the militia wasn't all that shocking. When she arrived back at the Ranch a second time supposedly ousted by Walker, it was easy to see Ofelia as a Trojan Horse.
It made it even more clear when we saw how Jeremiah treated her in the desert. Why wouldn't she want a little revenge? Although, she didn't quite know the severity of what she had done.
While watching how quickly everyone succumbed to the anthrax and turned, I was admittedly very concerned when Nick began convulsing. Luckily, he was able to recover quickly due to his age.
After being convinced of how unrelenting Walker is and with no other path in sight, Madison made the decision give Walker what he truly wanted.
Jeremiah's head...literally.
Nick being the one to shoot Jeremiah with Madison's staging as a suicide was an incredibly bold move. It's one that will likely come back to haunt both of them down the road. How long will they be able to keep that a secret from Troy and Jake?
Making peace with Walker left Madison conflicted. Yes, he killed Travis, but at the same time, Madison needs to do what she can to ensure the safety of the rest of her family.
Walker seemed content with Madison's offering, and there appears to be peace between the two factions for the time being.
How long it lasts remains to be seen.
This episode provided some much-needed insight into Madison's past, as well. After murdering her abusive father, it helped mold her into the cold and emotionless person she is today.
She may have more in common with Troy than I thought, hence their strange relationship.
It's been frustrating at times seeing how emotionless Madison is, but knowing more about what influenced her is at least understandable.
You have no idea what I carry.
Madison
Elsewhere during these wild two hours, we caught up with Strand.
Unsurprisingly, he survived the infected barrage that Daniel unleashed on him at the Rosarito on Fear the Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 5.
Did anyone else squeal when Strand found the Abigail? I didn't expect that at all.
Strand's chat with the cosmonaut was interesting and seemed to give him purpose again. By torching the Abigail, Strand appears ready to move on.
Strand: The world is dead.
Cosmonaut: The world will not end until you die.
Now that Strand has a purpose again, and there is peace between the Ranch and Walker, it's unclear the direction in which Fear the Walking Dead is heading.
There are certainly a few threads still dangling, such as Daniel's search for Ofelia. So, it is almost definite that he will see more of the Black Hat Reservation when the show returns.
It will be interesting to see where we go from here when Fear the Walking Dead Season 3 returns later this summer, and I cannot wait to find out.
What did you think of the midseason finale?
Do you think the peace treaty between Walker and the Ranch will last? Will Ofelia remain aligned with Walker or will she try and make amends with Madison? Where is next for Strand now that the Abigail story is gone for good?
What questions do you have going into the second half of the season?
Sound off below and let me know!
You can always watch Fear the Walking Dead online right here at TV Fanatic!
