‘Fear the Walking Dead’ Recap: ‘The Holding’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 611 of ‘Fear the Walking Dead’.
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One common belief about modern mankind, is that disaster brings out the best in us and it is understandable as to why we hold to that. Because time and time again, when something horrible happens and we see our fellow man in trouble… people do indeed band together. To the point where some drop everything to go and help those impacted by the disaster in question and the rest of us, well we tend to donate time and/or resources of our own, to help out those in need. Because we know deep down that helping others is the right thing to do and this collective push to make things right in a time of sorrow, truly gives those that step in, a sense of peace and purpose and hope. Since it does help us to believe in a better tomorrow, one where we are unified as a species.

But sadly, as the years go on and the world becomes more interconnected online, we are starting to learn that this belief that we all unite and rally behind the right cause, isn’t exactly correct. Because the pandemic helped to reveal that some folks can be quite selfish when the greater good doesn’t suit their agenda or their beliefs, and that people like that, are eager to use fear to rally others to their cause and that they are quite good at recruitment, much to our chagrin. Which of course, has left a great deal of us baffled, since we simply cannot comprehend exactly what drives good everyday people, some that we’ve known for ages, to suddenly turn on a good cause in the name of wacky beliefs and this is becoming so fascinating… that popular culture is getting in on examining how and why people turn to crackpot theories over common sense and the right thing to do, as evidenced by last night’s episode of Fear the Walking Dead.

For ‘The Holding’ explored all of those questions in great detail, and it accomplished this particular feat by taking us into the home of the mysterious group that has been leaving their unique message all over the landscape. Because Alicia and Luciana and Al and Wes, were able to gain access to their stronghold and what they found… was shockingly comforting. Because this strange group of people… didn’t appear to be mad or determined for trouble in the slightest. In fact, they lived in a stable underground lair. One that was completely and utterly sustainable since they had healthy crops growing under UV lights, thanks to zombie enriched soils, and they even had farm animals present to help with food, making it seem as though these people were nothing more than survivalists spreading a message to a decimated world. 

But it didn’t take long for the group to realize that something was quite amiss in this particular place and that such beautiful sights and sounds weren’t quite as comforting as we initially believed. For the voice of their leader, a man named Teddy, kept spouting propaganda via recording about their cause and of course, the group’s liaison, Riley… offered little answers about this location. Leaving everyone in the dark about what this place’s purpose was and why it even existed. And to top it all off, this sanctuary came complete with a twisted display, one that featured a leaf covered walker as its centerpiece, making this place a tad on the creepy side and well… things only got worse once a surprise reunion came into play. For Wes’ brother Derek was in this sanctuary and once they shared a hug, that exploration into what makes good people turn to bad and selfish ideas… came into play.

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Because Wes quickly learned that his brother was not the same idealistic man he knew not that long ago. For he genuinely believed in the cause here and that it mattered over anything else and sadly… it took a terrifying turn to reveal exactly what changed for Derek. And as it turns out, the devastation that he and so many others see on a daily basis, combined with the roving hordes of walking corpses, left Derek without hope and full of fear. Which in turn allowed for Teddy and Riley and this mysterious group to fill his head with the belief that they knew a better way. One that would provide all of them with purpose and fulfillment. Provided of course they did horrible things to get there and well… this discovery led to some utter sorrow for Wes, since he had to put down his brother when his dangerous nature was revealed.

But what matters more, is that this subtle and unsettling segment, really did make it clear that fear and hopelessness are the driving forces behind this kind of wild belief system. Since fear engenders lurid thoughts. The kind that race unchecked through a person’s mind, to the point where they will believe anything to find some kind of internal peace and sadly, there are individuals eager to seize on that and they are quite dangerous in nature. Since their unwholesome beliefs and promises will motivate fearful individuals to join their cause and stand by it, regardless of the risk inherent that comes with trusting those who have their own agenda. Because the afflicted genuinely believe this person to be their savior supreme. Which really was quite the poignant analysis to place within a horror series where the dead walk the earth, one that quite frankly will hang heavy over the rest of this season.

Because unfortunately, this is a group that is clearly planning something quite nefarious, since they believe that ‘something big’ is coming, a cleansing if you will. One that will motivate them to seal up their doors and wait out what happens on the surface and well, when one considers that they are aware of Morgan Jones and that their introduction to us featured a nuclear submarine, we can definitely infer that the ‘healing power’ of nuclear energy is something that they want to unleash upon the world so they can start their ‘destiny’ as rebuilders. Which means that trouble is ahead for Morgan and his friends and who knows what Alicia’s fate is going to be, since Teddy took quite the shine to her and well, all of these elements make this episode quite brilliant when all is said and done.

For not only did this episode do an incredible job of examining a current problem that is plaguing our world, but it raised the stakes in a supremely sneaky manner. For there is a real trouble hanging over this world now and it won’t be long before Teddy’s group make a push to move their plans along now that they are known to the world, and that likely means that these final episodes of season six are going to become quite tense in nature. As Morgan and his band of heroes work hard to stop a forthcoming nuclear winter and hopefully that means this story can flip the theme present here on its head and show us a fight where everyone is unified for the right cause, one where the forces of good survive and these especially disturbing monsters… retreat to their sanctuary, in utter defeat. Until next time.  

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