'Fear the Walking Dead' Recap: 'Things Bad Begun' & 'Sleigh Ride'

Written by John Edward Betancourt

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM...YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK...

It's an age old notion that sometimes, in order to move forward in life, and leave everything behind that's currently dragging us down or haunting us, that we have to hit our own version of rock bottom. Granted, when one hears that phrase they instantly think of folks who suffer from addiction since it is often associated with substance abusers, but the fact of the matter is, rock bottom is waiting for all of us. It can come from losing our jobs, or a loved one or just sheer trauma and it exists in fiction often simply to remind us of the fact that in order to be truly free in life, we must let go of our past and move boldly into the future. 

Of course, that's easier said that done, and we often turn to fiction to find comfort and perhaps inspiration to let everything go and well, while horror isn't often what one can consider to be an inspiring genre, the whole concept of letting go at the past has been looming large over season three of Fear the Walking Dead and as it turns out, last night's season finale, 'Things Bad Begun' and 'Sleigh Ride' brought together that overreaching story arc, by giving every single character something they've desperately needed all season long, their own version of rock bottom and in doing so, the show delivered one its most poignant and powerful episodes to date.

Because so rarely in this particular genre are the characters forced to face the things they've done and spend time pondering on the harsh realities of their own world. It's often about survival and conflict in the zombie genre and at first, it seemed as though this episode was going to focus heavily on said conflict because almost immediately it was revealed that Victor Strand's 'offer' to Proctor John last week, was for a peaceful takeover of the dam and once Nick and Troy arrived to warn everyone of what was coming, we saw preparations for war, but it was shortly after this, that everything took quite the left turn as the show dug deep on all the concepts I've made mention of so far, and it all kicked off the instant that Daniel learned that Troy was responsible for his daughter's death by leading the herd to the ranch.

Granted, Nick did his best to hide this from Daniel, but eventually, Mister Salazar figured it out during the course of their conversation and well, it was all downhill from there. Because when Troy finally admitted to doing it and his reasons for doing it in front of Madison, she killed him without hesitation, setting in motion a pseudo standoff between mother and son wherein both of them were forced to face the things they've done this season, and in the hopes of finding a way to redeem himself for killing Jeremiah, Nick tried desperately to convince his mother that there has to be a better way forward at the end of the world, something Madison woefully disagreed with and while this should have been the all important moment for them to truly move forward, that would simply have to wait, because Victor Strand had to go first when it came to atoning for one's sins. 

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Because after three years of deal making and fast talking, Victor finally talked himself into a corner and was asked to do the unthinkable and take innocent lives since Proctor John wanted The Water Queen and her head of security dead, and the desperation within to build a new life and find safety and security almost drove him to it, in fact he even shot Daniel, wounding him badly. But it would seem that something changed within Victor after that ugly moment, and he worked hard to save Madison and Nick from any potential harm from Proctor John, going so far as to finally stand up to the man and threaten him with the destruction of the dam. But that kind of redemption would be too easy for Strand, since he's a man that will require baby steps to be a better human being, but in that moment, he emerged from the darkness at last, ready to do something good for change.

Instead, the shining and heroic moment of the night belonged to Nick, who, faced with his own impending doom at the hands of Proctor John, finally came to the point where he realized he was sick of the killing, and of everyone, himself included, trying to grasp at yesterday and keep the old world going. Somehow in what he saw as his final moments, he found enlightenment, in that the only forward was in performing good deeds and making this new world a better place and after negotiating safe passage for his family and Strand, and after an assist from Walker and Crazy Dog to buy Madison, Alicia and Strand some time to escape...he set off the explosives in the dam, effectively ending John's attempt to build a powerful empire and in doing so...he saved thousands of lives as people finally got their hands on much needed water and it's been quite amazing to see Nick go from selfish junkie, to a man lost at the end of the world to finally becoming the hero and good man his mother believed him to be.

Speaking of Madison, while her journey last night was perhaps the least subtle of them all, it was equally as impactful. Because in this tale, she finally expressed her desire to see her family settle down and live a normal life, where they could in fact, recreate the old world with magical moments like a beautiful and hearty Christmas dinner. But putting down Troy, and seeing her son do something so noble, inspired her subconscious and as she drifted downriver post explosion, her mind wandered to that dream, and to all the things she's done, and how horrible a person she believed herself to be for doing what she thought was just and necessary and when it seemed the water, and her conscience would consume her, she finally let go of the past in symbolic fashion...by letting go of her vision of Travis and well, in many ways her washing ashore and coming to this place of zen beneath the rushing water was supremely philosophical, and almost baptismal in a way.

However, despite the emotional freedom bestowed upon the characters, many of their fates were left up in the air. We don't know if Alicia and Strand survived the undertow, nor do we know if Nick and Daniel made it clear of the dam before it collapsed. Instead, I'm sure the saga is saving all of that for season four, but when all is said and done, wow...what a way to end a season. It's just so rare to see horror go to such philosophical places such as this and I love the fact that regardless of what lies ahead for Madison and whomever else survived the siege of the dam, they can do it with clear consciences and freedom from their past and end of the world or not, that's quite a positive and hopeful way to end season three and I cannot wait to see where these characters go in season four. Until next year. 

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