Signs of life aren’t necessarily a good thing on Fear the Walking Dead. In this episode, “We All Fall Down,” Strand docks at a wildlife refuge island to get away from a ship that’s been tracking them. While the inhabitants of the island are friendly and safe, Madison and her family find something off about their new friends. Meanwhile, Daniel does some snooping to figure out what Strand is up to.
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Losing Their Tail
Madison is pretty angry that Nick went to investigate the shipwreck, but he just takes it in stride. Travis, on the other hand, is pleased with Nick’s find in the wreck, the ship’s log. He finds out that San Diego, where they were headed, was burned down by the military. Strand, of course, doesn’t believe the logs.
At the moment, though, Strand is concerned with losing his tail. He’s been tracking a ship that’s been following his course, no matter what he does. He says he fears it’s the same group that destroyed the ship they passed. However, I feel like he knows exactly who’s following him.
As a way to lose the tail, he wants to stick close to the coast and dock at a cove for a bit. Travis suggests a wildlife refuge called Catrina Island, in hopes that people or supplies will be there.
The Coast is Gone
As they dock, they see a light in a home go on and off. They approach the house and find a welcoming family. The man of the house, George, takes to Travis and explains his feelings on the walkers — it’s just nature’s way of correcting course. He also lets Travis know that all the cities along the West Coast have been destroyed and that inland is no better with all the ranger stations going dead one by one.
George’s wife, Melissa, on the other hand, grills Madison about her life before and after the end of the world. Madison, of course, thinks Melissa wants to leave the island and eventually confronts her about it. It turns out that Melissa wants Madison and the group to take her two children, Harry and Willa. She wants a better life for them, something better than living out their final days on an uninhabited island, which is what George wants.
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Preparing for the End of the World
George and Melissa’s older son, Seth, could be a Rick Grimes in training. He patrols the beach several times a day, doing maintenance on the walkers that wash ashore. He tells Chris that his father has been preparing him for quite a while for an event such as the end of the world.
Their younger son, Harry, makes friends with Nick. When he takes Nick to his room, he has action figures of his friends and family who have been killed. He tells Nick that he’s going to live forever because he has power pills. This statement concerns Nick all night. The next day, Nick heads into the home again and raids the medicine cabinet. At first, I think he’s just looking to get a quick high. But as he goes through George’s things, he finds other pills hidden in a globe. He brings this information to Madison and Travis, expressing concern that George is preparing a mass suicide for his family on the island.
Travis was very hesitant at first to take Harry and Willa on board with them. However, after hearing Nick’s concerns, it’s a no-brainer that the children need a chance at life away from the solitude of the island.
A Not-So-Better Life
As Melissa prepares to say goodbye to her children, George walks in and he’s not happy. That feeling is short-lived, though, as Harry comes down and says his sister, Willa, is not waking up. He tells them that she took her ‘pill.’ Of course, Willa quickly turns after she dies and she attacks Melissa. George immediately tells Travis and Madison to take Harry.
Strand is not happy when they board the ship with an extra person. But he doesn’t have to worry for long, as Seth boards the ship with a gun and threatens to kill anyone who tries to stop him from taking Harry back to the island. They let him take Harry. As they walk along the dock, walker Melissa comes to greet them. As the group sails away, they wave to Harry to distract him from Seth killing their mother.
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Other Motives
Meanwhile, Daniel, Ofelia and Strand stay behind on the ship while Travis and his family head ashore. Daniel uses this time to learn more about Strand, who is still very vague. Once the ship that was following them changes course, Strand tells Daniel they will set sail soon and then leaves Daniel in the cockpit of the boat. Daniel uses this alone time to search through Strand’s things. In a lock box, he finds a gun and some maps.
Strand goes off to make a phone call, though I didn’t even know cellphones still worked. He speaks into the phone and says it’s all clear now. He then asks when’s the latest they can push it and then says he’ll be there at sundown.
So What’s Up with Strand?
While the storyline in “We All Fall Down” with the isolated family was interesting and showed how differently people have coped with the end of world, I much preferred Strand’s story. What is he up to? I’m pretty convinced that whatever or whoever was following them had nothing to do with the shipwreck and everything to do with Strand. I like the mystery around him and I like how Daniel is on to him.
In fact, Daniel seems to still be the only level-headed person. He was the only one who pulled a gun on Seth when he came to get his brother. Everyone else wanted to use their words to try and persuade him to leave, but Daniel just pulled out his gun and waited.
I really do want to know where the heck they are going to go on Fear the Walking Dead. I hope that the writers aren’t writing themselves into a corner with the boat and the coast being destroyed. I much prefer my walkers on land anyway.
Fear the Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9pm on AMC.
(Image courtesy of AMC)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
