What is Strand’s agenda? On last week’s episode of “Fear the Walking Dead” we met the passengers of Flight 462, but only two were living survivors. While Chris learned the true meaning of mercy killing, Nick learned the meaning of playing dead. Can we trust Strand even after he cut the two survivors lose? Will he allow anyone on his ship?
Nick
Why is Nick risking his life to swim to the shore? Is there something at that sorry tent city on the beach? Is Nick searching for drugs? Nick has been the most versatile at surviving the apocalypse and, his use of walker guts will get him anywhere he wants to go.
But, maybe he’s getting too comfortable with the walkers. His imitation might be too good because someone mistakes him for the real thing. Luckily, it’s Luis, a friend of Strand, and now we know why Nick took that moonlight swim.
Pirates
While Nick and Luis make their way back to the ship, Ophelia and Chris talk about Mexico, schools and relationships. Will there be girls out there for Chris? We don’t find out because a lifeboat appears with two men and a very pregnant woman.
If we thought Strand had been too strict about letting strangers onto the boat, this episode proves what happens when you are at the mercy of pirates. Mind you, at this point in time, Rick Grimes is still in a coma. People are still not in apocalypse mode yet. They haven’t learned that the living can be more dangerous than the dead.
Alycia recognizes Jack’s voice from her chats on the short-wave radio. These kids are out to take control of the ship and they will kill to get it. Unfortunately, Daniel has the ammo for Strand’s weapon. Strand avoids capture by jumping ship while the pirates shoot at him. Reed and Jack work for someone named Connor (Mark Kelly) and they plan to kill our merry crew as soon as Connor arrives.
This is where we see the characters on this series evolving into who they’ll be down the line. While Travis stalls Reed with the ploy of getting the ship started after the key goes overboard with Strand, Maddy and Ophelia play head games with the pregnant girl.
Strand
We finally learn a little bit about Strand and I really like where this story is going. In a series of flashbacks, we learn that Strand was the son of a strip mall preacher with a voice like a velvet glove. Strand’s mother took off when he was young so we get an idea of what his childhood was like, but we also learned who the boat was named after.
Thomas Abigail (Dougray Scott) and Strand had met at a bar and there was something about Strand that had Thomas Abigail overlook the fact that this silver tongued son of a preacher had robbed him. They are both opportunists with an eye for making money through land deals, but there is more than business between Strand and Abigail. There is obligation and… love. Colman Domingo’s Victor Strand is the most intriguing person on this series and I like where his backstory is leading us.
Conclusion
I was so happy to learn that Nick had gone to tent city looking for Luis. Maybe, in this new world, drugs don’t hold the same hypnotic lure that it once did for Nick. I think the world has finally evolved to where Nick had been most of his life. I love how Nick studies the walkers like it’s some type of science project. Frank Dillane has done a great job of playing his character as someone fun to watch. Even when Nick is in danger, he plays it cool. Is it just me or does Nick remind anyone else of a very young Johnny Depp?
I love how Team Travis worked together to save themselves. Alycia flirted with Jack (Daniel Zovatto) and that may have saved her life, although she was taken away from her family. Travis was able to slip a weapon where Daniel and Maddy could get to it, but he was also taken away by the pirates. Maddy and Ophelia spooked the pregnant girl (Veronica Diaz Carranza) into thinking that she might be carrying a zombie fetus, but it wasn’t enough to save Alycia and Travis.
I’m dying to learn Madison’s backstory because she’s proving to be the prototype for Ninja Carol from “The Walking Dead” We don’t know what goes on in her head, but she attacked and captured Reed. Luckily for our friends, Luis and Nick make it back to the ship in the nick of time. Maybe, Strand had it right all along. Don’t bring strangers onto the boat… good rule to follow with nasty pirates like Reed (Jesse McCartney) and Jack. I’m glad that Maddy pulled Strand out of the water because Strand made a promise to Thomas Abigail. He promised his lover that he would return. Let’s hope Mexico lets them in.
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