‘Fear the Walking Dead’ season 2 finale review: Death versus possible death

Given that “Fear the Walking Dead” is the sort of world where we know characters can die at any moment, it should not come as much of a shock to anyone to learn that someone met their demise during the two-hour season 2 finale. Yet, at the same time the identity of this particular person should raise an eyebrow or two.

After all, we didn’t lose someone like a Luciana who we’ve only know for a handful of episodes. We lost Chris. Travis’ son was killed by his new-found “companions,” who in turn found themselves killed by Travis. The death of his son awakened something pretty monstrous in him, and when you think about what he’s went through, it is fairly easy to figure out where that could be coming from. He’s lost his ex-wife and his biological child through two seasons; he may still have Madison, Nick, and Alicia, but this is not the world he once had.

In theory, he may not be aware that he still even has Nick. He and Luciana were attacked by a mysterious entity, and their fate on their way to a refugee camp is unclear. The same goes for Ofelia, who was captured right across the American border. There could be a connection here; for now, the identity of said mystery men seems to be one of the major cliffhangers.

With every move on this show comes a harsh consequence, seemingly; Ofelia’s impromptu trip led her being vulnerable on her own, while for Travis, his decision to also kill someone at the hotel led to a chaotic scene where eventually Madison, Alicia, and him ultimately fled. Strand, meanwhile, is choosing to stay back.

It is interesting that going into these episodes, we assumed that we were being sent down a road where the entire cast would be reunited, only for it to in some ways work to the opposite effect. Death has separated Chris and Travis, while there is further distance now between Strand and some of his fellow survivors. Cliff Curtis’ performance alone was worth the price of admission; his rage felt like the sort of iconic moment we’ve come to expect from “The Walking Dead” proper, and it presents a horrible depiction of this world that could last into season 3. Episode Grade: B+.

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