How do you have hope in a hopeless world?

Fear the Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 1 finally gave us the insight we need into what goes on behind the scenes at PADRE, and while it's hard to say it was unpredictable, it was a jolt in the right direction for the first Walking Dead spinoff.

There was much confusion about how late the end date announcement came in the game, but Fear the Walking Dead Season 8 feels like we're reaching the end of a chapter.

It would be a shame not to get closure, but "Remember What They Took From You" gives the sense that we'll witness the conclusion of the PADRE storyline, leaving our favorite characters at very different stages in life.

Madison was front and center during the premiere, but that's not to say the show forgot about Morgan. If the premiere is any indication, Kim Dickens and Lennie James will be the co-leads this season, which should have been the case beginning with Fear the Walking Dead Season 4.

Morgan's inclusion in Fear the Walking Dead was random all those years ago, but the writers seem to have found the right balance between the characters that matter, which has been one of the biggest issues with the series.

The news about her children forever changed Madison at the end of Fear the Walking Dead Season 7. The hope that Nick or Alicia was alive and fighting for survival helped Madison put up with the PADRE'S lies for a long time.

Now that she believes her children are dead, her will to live is gone. Truthfully, she has no quality of life when PADRE is experimenting on her and keeping her locked up.

It's almost like they're keeping her alive just to spite her, and her desperation to die seemed like her way to spite them right back.

We've witnessed several characters struggle with a lack of purpose in this universe, but Madison is probably the person with the most purpose at this pivotal point in the story.

There's an element of surprise with Madison because, in the past, she's been unpredictable in the name of saving her children, but now, she's starting to believe there's a higher purpose for her.

Had Mo not been present, she would have probably killed herself in the cell with the shard of glass, but she realized there was value in trying to get Mo off the island and reunite her with her parents.

It's a shame Mo was battling with memories from the past and concerns she was being led off the island, away from her destiny, or the premiere could have gone in a far more satisfying direction.

Then again, Mo's inner struggle as she navigated life at PADRE was interesting because it means we'll have a first-row seat into the settlement's downfall.

If you watch Fear the Walking Dead online, you know the show has had some of the worst writing for kids in TV history (I'm looking at you, plane kids!), but the writers have crafted a compelling arc for Mo.

She's haunted by the trauma of the past, and truthfully, that kid went through a lot that it's a surprise she's not more damaged than she is on the season premiere.

Then again, it makes me wonder whether PADRE is well-versed in reeling in children with tragic backstories and making them forget everything.

For now, Mo is putting on a brave face and rolling with the punches, but I'm interested in witnessing what she does to get her own back on the group.

There are so many unanswered questions, and the series will have to start answering them quickly instead of an information dump during the final episodes.

It was satisfying witnessing Mo call out Morgan for his lies because Morgan severely underestimated her intellect at many turns.

Morgan hasn't been my favorite character because the spinoff has butchered all of the good of his arc on the main series.

There have been glimpses of the old Morgan in there, but his arc hasn't been particularly enthralling on Fear the Walking Dead because the writing has been so inconsistent.

Fear the Walking Dead managed to bring Morgan back to his former glory, and my first impression of him following the latest time jump wasn't that positive ... until we learned about how he was holding on to the past.

The official trailer for Fear the Walking Dead Season 8 shows Morgan returning to King County, where he last saw his son, Duane, alive.

It's hard to imagine how he will get there, but after hearing that PADRE is retiring him as a collector, where else can his arc go?

He's obviously a crucial element in saving Mo's life, but PADRE soldiers will be looking everywhere for him, so the only way forward for the group is to kill him or banish him from anywhere near the base.

PADRE hasn't been as cutthroat as I anticipated, but maybe the writers want to establish them as characters instead of villains. Understanding their actions more will be a good way to understand their mission.

They can't be taking these children for no reason, and given the few glimpses we got into the compound showed children fighting, some of them making bullets, and everything else you'd expect of a war-ready settlement, they must be running out of adults.

It also makes me wonder who they will be fighting. The dead will never disappear, so are there other settlements PADRE wants to absorb in an all-out battle?

Hopefully, the answer ties into the wider TWD universe. The main series may be over, but there are spinoffs, which should give us some clarity.

"Remember What They Took From You" was a solid attempt at reinventing the wheel, but the big question is whether it can maintain some semblance of consistency in the coming episodes.

For the first time in a long time, I have hope the series can craft a compelling last chapter.

What are your thoughts on Madison's actions?

Were you shocked by how fragile Morgan and Grace's relationship is nowadays?

Hit the comments.

Fear the Walking Dead continues Sundays at 9 p.m. on AMC.

Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.