Summary
- Madison Clark to Fear the Walking Dead, hoping to bring together an unlikely group of survivors.
- Victor Strand Madison Clark's bond continues to show the importance of growth while facing a looming threat.
- Fear the Walking Dead teases many answers to mysteries that include the fate of characters like Alicia.
There was a time in Fear the Walking Dead when it seemed outrageous to assume Season 1 OG characters would ever cross paths again. Even when Victor Strand, Alicia Clark, and Daniel Salazar were on the same screen together in Season 7, their petty feuds prevented them from being the dream team they were meant to be. Alicia may be gone now, but Madison is back to bring the original survivors (plus the newer ones) together against a common enemy.
Now that Shrike is dead and PADRE is under new leadership, Madison has plenty of work to do to redeem herself from her past mistakes. Her previous job under PADRE had her kidnapping children from their parents, and it's only right that she be the one to reunite them, even if it's the last thing she ever does. But as the trailer for the final episodes details, a former enemy is back on her trail, so she'll have to turn to old friends to keep her plan of action on course. She also might be taking up a rescue mission unless the trailer is massively misleading audiences.
Troy Otto Is Back for Vengeance
The news of Troy returning to the series has been a long time coming since, for so long, it's only been half-baked rumors and theories by fans hoping to bring the series back to glory. Being the final season, having Troy back is a big risk to take, but one that might be worth it. It's a little too late to introduce a new villain in just six episodes, and Troy is a safe bet that fans love to hate.
In the trailer, he confronts Madison with a right blind eye -- where she attempted to kill him with a hammer -- and tells her that he plans to take away everything special to her, just as she did to him. His family and ranch have been gone for years, so one wonders what exactly he's been doing all this time. It looks like he's building up both an army of the dead and living, using walkers as his protective shield to tear down PADRE.
Madison Clark and Victor Strand Team Up
If there's one person to have Madison's back, it'll always be Strand. The former could be shady, cagey and a little on the distrustful side at times, but he and Madison formed a special bond that's untouchable on Fear the Walking Dead. They were partners in crime when push came to shove, and that friendship will hopefully return with no hiccups.
It's no surprise that when people ask Strand to turn her in, he instead chooses to help Madison. Strand has definitely turned himself around since his villain arc in Season 7, making up for betraying Alicia by aiding Madison against Troy's forces to save PADRE. That same growth will be important with new dangers in Season 8B on the horizon.
Troy Possesses Alicia's Prosthetic Arm
Probably the most interesting detail of the trailer is the confirmation that Troy is, in fact, in possession of Alicia's prosthetic arm. Viewers can slightly see the arm in the final scene of the Season 8 mid-season finale, but it wasn't clear enough to know for certain. Now though, it definitely looks like Alicia's return is either very possible or very much not.
Madison demands to know where Alicia is in the trailer, which could confirm that Alicia is still alive and being held captive by Troy. Going down this route means Alicia returning to reunite with Madison isn't out of the question. On the other hand, it could mean Troy killed her off-screen as an act of revenge against Madison, which would be a disappointing end to an iconic character.
Charlie Is Still Absent
Another character notably absent from the trailer is Charlie, who's been suspiciously missing for the first six episodes of the final season. Although Strand and Luciana have been missing as well, they're front and center in trailer for Season 8B. Charlie, though, has been the center of many death rumors for quite some time. She was exposed to a terrible amount of radiation and was diagnosed to only have a short amount of time left to live.
Daniel mentioned in Season 8A that he was separated from Charlie when he arrived at PADRE and regretted not being there for her in her final days. But Daniel doesn't definitely know that she died and is only assuming so because her chances were slim, to begin with. Charlie could be alive, and the series may have purposefully cut her from the trailer to build suspicion. Then again, Fear the Walking Dead could've been doing some major house cleaning and chose to kill Charlie off-screen, and she'll never be spoken of again. Like Alicia, it would be a shame if this was Charlie's outcome, considering she's been around since Season 4.
Dwight and Sherry Return to Virginia
A few moments fans might have glossed over in the trailer is the fact that Dwight and Sherry have returned to Virginia, which is where they were introduced on The Walking Dead. The couple, who broke up after the death of their son in the mid-season finale, are seen at what appears to be an abandoned Sanctuary and their old home. June is also accompanying them, so perhaps it's not just for old times sake and finally getting closure.
Maybe they're going to Virginia to look for a better home, like Alexandria, or forces to help fight Troy. If it's the former case, enough time has passed for them to be welcomed into Alexandria's gates. Daryl might have told Dwight to never come back, but if the timeline hits close to that of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, then Daryl's not exactly around to stop Dwight and Sherry from building a better future for themselves.
Season 8 of Fear the Walking Dead returns October 22 at 9:00 PM ET on AMC and AMC+.