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

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 713 of ‘Fear the Walking Dead’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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It is definitely safe to say, that human beings love to plan. We love to plan for upcoming events in our lives and we especially love… to plan for our future. Because we firmly believe that if we take the time to lay out the necessary steps to a particular goal in our lives, that we will easily guide ourselves to success and there is merit to that line of thinking. Because time and time again, we’ve seen how having a plan focuses a person’s attention upon their goals and motivates them to keep going since they do indeed enjoy progress along the way, and we’ve also heard successful people speak to the power of the plan when they’ve achieved their all-important goal.
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But while that feedback helps to serve as a grand blueprint for how we should live our lives and reminds of us the importance of planning for tomorrow, what we don’t talk about enough when it comes to our goals and the plans, we use to achieve them… is how often we are forced to make snap decisions regarding them. Because only in a perfect world does everything go according to plan, and often times… changes in our lives and perfect moments that will help us move forward present themselves to us. Forcing us to think fast and/or put parts of the plan aside so we can accomplish wonders and well, that particular aspect of planning Is top of mind today because it took the center stage during last night’s episode of Fear the Walking Dead.

For when we catch up with Morgan Jones and baby Mo in ‘The Raft’, quite the surprise has fallen into Morgan’s lap. In that, John Dorie Sr. didn’t distract the dead long enough to let Morgan get a clean getaway from the Tower. Instead, the dead noticed Morgan and were quick to follow him every step of the way, and since one walker teaches others that such movement likely means a meal… the rest of Strand’s moat of the dead followed suit, leaving the Tower unprotected and giving Morgan quite the idea. In that, now would be the right time to strike the Tower with everything they had and take it from Strand’s twisted hands at last, provided of course… they could get the dead far enough away from the Tower so they couldn’t double back. 

Which meant he needed an immediate assist to make this happen, and he got it from Dwight and Sherry. Whom quickly grabbed hold of baby Mo and made every attempt to return her to the Pennsylvania, that is… until it was revealed that the ship was leaking radiation and its makeshift crew were abandoning ship. A decision that motivated Sherry… to move up her own timetable on a grand plan she was working on. For she was worried about Dwight and the potential that he might revert to his darker tendencies in this war, and rather than watch him falter and return to a mentality that he could not live with… she was preparing to use an evacuation raft from the sub to send him into the void until this mess blew over, win or lose.

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But now… she had to figure out how to make that happen without time to properly discuss or talk on the matter, and her push to just make it happen… helped to demonstrate how a change in plan can benefit us, when the plan in question is wrong. For it turned out that Sherry was pregnant as well and once she was honest with Dwight about her concerns and their baby… Dwight transformed right before her eyes. Because now he had something powerful to fight for, something to be noble about and that motivated him to go the extra mile to save baby Mo and keep his love and his unborn baby safe, and had this shift not come about courtesy of the world… this couple might not have found this bond… nor would Dwight have been given the purpose he’s sought after.
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However, while that alone was a fascinating storyline and incredible way to show us how life’s little surprises can benefit us greatly, it wasn’t the only example of that present in this story. Because while Morgan was working to move the dead away from the Tower, he ran into Alicia, and she was basically spending her time away… pondering upon the nature of failure. For she found little to accomplish her goals and was working on a new plan to try and get the Tower back, one that would involve supply gathering and planning, specifically on how to re-take the Tower. But her time with Morgan informed her of the fact, that he was ready to send the troops right now, and that she would need to lead them.

Because this was going to get ugly and the risk to baby Mo was too great. Which meant that Morgan was going to have to step away from the fight and protect his budding family and well, that sent Alicia into a panic. For she simply didn’t believe she was ready in the slightest to be a leader like this and do the things she would have to when she squared off against Victor Strand, not without a proper plan and preparation. But she had no choice and it was indeed now or never and that forced her to dig down and forget about the mistakes she’s made and just lead these freedom fighters toward the Tower, in the belief she would get it right this time, and hopefully Alicia can embrace everything she’s learned and end this mess peacefully… since they’ve all faced great suffering in the wake of Teddy’s decision to nuke it all.

However, while we wait to see what will come out of the march to the Tower and the subsequent conflict awaiting our heroes, we can bask in the wonder of another intelligent tale. One that really did a fine job of teaching us its embedded lesson through the characters, something that was helped along by some quality performances. Since Christine Evangelista, and Austin Amelio and Alycia Debnam-Carey, sold the vulnerability of their characters through and through, adding genuine realism to their plight. Plus, it also doesn’t hurt that this episode was packed to the brim with intense and incredible moments courtesy of the dead and well… this is one that definitely leaves you hungry for more. For the stage is set for a grand showdown between broken friends and that will make the wait for next week’s tale, as painful as it gets. Until next time.

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