‘Fear the Walking Dead’ Recap: ‘Bury Her Next to Jasper’s Leg’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 606 of ‘Fear the Walking Dead’.
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When we think of stories that revolve around a person who is at their absolute breaking point, we tend to believe that said story is going to be pretty darn bleak in nature. Because when someone reaches that particular point, they’re ready to snap and when they do so ugly things happen. Since the anger that’s been building inside them explodes in an epic manner and anyone in their path pays the price for what the world has done to this poor soul. And while that kind of violent and dark journey does make for some compelling and powerful storytelling for certain, it isn’t the only route that someone can traverse when they’re at their wits end. 
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Because sometimes, reaching our breaking point is actually a healthily thing. Because it allows for us to take proper inventory of where our lives are currently at, and what we need to do in order to move toward some semblance of happiness. Which in turn, can motivate us to make big and wonderful changes to our lifestyle so that things do indeed get better for us. Or reaching that frustrated finish line, allows for us to finally stand up for ourselves in a situation where we are constantly being pushed around and most important of all, reaching the breaking point, could in fact motivate us to rise up and do something brave and beautiful and inspiring that helps others, and well, all of this is relevant to today’s discussion, simply because this aspect of the breaking point, served as the focal point of last night’s episode of Fear the Walking Dead.

Because ‘Bury Her Next to Jasper’s Leg’ saw several characters in this series reach their breaking point and react to it in a fascinating manner. But before we dive too deeply into that particular part of the story, it’s important we take a moment to discuss the fact that this story also took a plot thread that’s mostly been hiding in the shadows and thrust it square into the spotlight. For this episode revealed that the strange and mysterious group that seems to be interested in chaos and the key that Morgan has around his neck, have infiltrated Ginny’s communities and that has her terrified. Because they are eager to cause trouble in the name of their cause and are also ready to die for it and plugging that into the story immediately helped set the stage for several important and poignant moments later on. 

Several of which, involved June and John Dorie. For these were the characters that had reached their respective breaking points. John was at his, for obvious reasons of course, but June… well her problems with life at this particular moment were a tad more philosophical. Because she was tired of not being able to help people anymore thanks to the fact, that she and her medical team were spread super thin, and the mounting losses of life surrounding her, made her wonder if by chance that this was even worth her time anymore. A concern that John pounced upon when the moment was right, to try and convince his wife to escape with him and return to their cabin. An idea that actually didn’t sound that bad to her, but alas… it would have to wait. For that mysterious group of troublemakers went for broke and that led to the exploration in question. 

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For it turns out that this strange group, attacked the oil fields that everyone worked so hard to secure in season five and well, their assault on the place left it in ruins, and left a fair chunk of Luciana’s proud workers in poor health. Which meant it was up to June and her team to save the day and surprisingly she received some help on this rescue mission, by way of Ginny. Because she knew immediately that this was the work of her newfound enemy and that a hands-on approach would give her the best chance to finally get some intelligence upon them, provided of course she could find someone willing to talk and sadly, that made a bad situation, ten times worse. In large part because Ginny quickly got in June’s way while she was trying to work. Since Ginny constantly tried to interrogate anyone she thought might be of suspicion.
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But what really brought about the trouble in question, is that Ginny’s desire to get to the truth in that moment, led to a lot of good people dying from their wounds and that in turn meant the living dead were suddenly everywhere in this facility. And to complicate matters further, the fires burning in the oil fields finally caused a massive explosion that forced Ginny and June to take cover and well, being trapped with an ailing Ginny, since she was bitten shortly after they found shelter, is what finally motivated June to indulge her breaking point for all the right reasons. Because Ginny’s life was in her hands now and that allowed for June to finally express her frustrations and concerns over how Ginny handles things and make a few demands before amputating Ginny’s infected hand, effectively saving someone that the group hoped to either escape from or see expire.

Which is why her decision was met with shock from her friends… since she had a chance to free them all from this tyranny. But once that surprise wore off for them and the audience as well, June’s decision made outright sense. After all, it takes a monster sometimes to hunt down other monsters and Ginny’s survival will allow for her to deal with these infiltrators and it will also allow for June to finally do some good in this community. Because Ginny agreed to build a hospital for June, so that she could finally save some lives and while that is indeed a happy-ish ending for this bleak series, June’s decision to stay and fight and do what’s right, was not without its consequences. Because her beloved husband simply couldn’t take living under Ginny’s thumb anymore after what happened a few weeks back and when the opportunity was right, he indulged his own breaking point and made a run for it.

A move that will undoubtedly cause harm to his wonderful relationship with June and potentially cause trouble for him as well since Ginny isn’t good with deserters and well, in the end, all of these elements made for one fascinating episode. Because it really was refreshing to enjoy a story where a character indulges their breaking point for the greater good. Since these stories love to focus upon the darker aspect of that instead, and this episode also deserves serious props for finally making the big bad of this season a focus of the story as well. And now that his particular ride has come to an end it should be interesting to see where this season takes us next. For trouble is now brewing everywhere in the communities. Plus, they’re out of gas and John Dorie is on the run. Which means we should enjoy every good vibe that this story sent our way, since ugly ones are clearly gathering on the horizon. Until next time.

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