'Fear the Walking Dead' Recap: 'The Code'

WRITTEN BY JOHN EDWARD BETANCOURT

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It’s a well-known fact that the horror genre, and zombie related stories to be a touch more specific, often focus heavily on an examination of the human condition. They’re either able to speak to the events and troubles of our world through powerful social commentary, or they find an opportunity to outright challenge and question elements about mankind that other genres simply cannot explore. Because terror and trouble bring out the best or the worst in us and if there’s one show currently putting on a clinic when it comes to this kind of exploration, it’s Fear the Walking Dead.
 
Because week in and week out this season, it’s finding new ways to explore who we are as a species in just about every single way imaginable since we’ve seen the best and worst parts of us on display this year. But what’s supremely fascinating about this particular season is the sheer fact that it’s taking this examination to a whole new level, by asking far more philosophical questions as it tells its story such as, is there truly any hope for the human race? Can we be better as a species and if so, what will it take to help us improve and be better toward one another? And oddly enough, those questions were put on full display during last night’s Morgan-centric episode, ‘The Code’.
 
For in this tale, we caught up with Morgan shortly after he and Alicia parted ways in the mid-season premiere, wherein Morgan was able to hunker down for the night in the back of a semi-truck that was filled to brim with more of those mysterious boxes that Althea and June found along the side of the road, informing people to take what they need and leave what they don’t, and after enjoying some peace and quiet during the storm, Morgan eventually awoke from quite the deep sleep…only to discover that the driver of the truck had taken him far away from his friends in Texas, to what turned out to be quite the oasis in Mississippi.
 
I call it an oasis, simply because, everything and anything a weary traveler could want was at Morgan’s final destination. Food, water, peace and quiet and even running water were present in this place and the creature comforts of a world long gone were a fine reminder of how hard it is for everyone in this death filled world right now and this is where the first real surprise of the night arrived. Because in the midst of partaking in said comforts, and once again hearing the mantra to take what he needs from a voice on the radio, Morgan ran into some new friends named Wendell and Sarah who claimed to be leaving these boxes on the side of the road to help people in need and they were happy to offer Morgan a car and more supplies to take back to his friends. 

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But, Morgan’s fears once again took root, and rather than face the possibility that his friends might be wounded, or worse dead, he made a clean break toward Alexandria, inviting his new friends to head there with him and saving a man named Jim in the process, only to learn that Sarah and Wendell were in it for themselves, and they cared not for other people or their plights, just comfort and gain and the same went for Jim and well, this is where those all important questions were posed. Because these new acquaintances seemed to serve as a reminder that that in times of crisis we sometimes put our worst foot forward in order to survive and the fact that they left Morgan high and dry and handcuffed and surrounded by the dead spoke to that selfishness mankind often exhibits.
 
If anything, this ugly series of events seem to rob us of any and all hope that this episode briefly provided for us, but there was a rhyme and reason to all of this. Because being double crossed and abandoned seemed to remind Morgan of his flaws and his fears, and that he could be better, that he owed it to everyone that he’s encountered on his journey to this point to be better and that realization motivated him to do his best to get out of his tough situation and deal with the dead and make his way back toward Texas, which in turn led to the finest moment of the night, a final confrontation if you will with the trio that outright left him behind.
 
Now normally, that kind of encounter on this series means grand violence and more ugliness, but this time around, there was only inspiration on display as Morgan took a moment to reason with those that had done him wrong, and believe it or not, his powerful words and newfound confidence, helped to inspire this new group of people to do a little good for a change and help others and it would seem that thanks to Morgan, they’re all headed back to Texas to rescue Morgan’s new friends before heading back toward Alexandria and while that should have been the perfect ending to this subtle and poignant tale, there is still trouble on the horizon.
 
Because back at the truck stop, someone mysterious was listening to Morgan’s hopeful radio transmissions, and she clearly has plans for him and his new friends when they arrive, but I have to be honest, her appearance was grossly overshadowed by the incredible storytelling that preceded her cameo. Because one by one, the characters are dealing with their pain and their sorrow, and this was Morgan’s opportunity to do so and it would seem this is the closest he’s ever been to healthy since he’s working to inspire hope in others for a change and well, I’m thoroughly enjoying these little hurricane themed vignettes and the fact that the series isn’t offering easy answers when it comes to its examination of our world. Instead the series is simply asking us to think about those matters because we most certainly should and that’s just downright brilliant in an era when storytelling prefers to spoon feed its audience. Until next time. 

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