Fear The Walking Dead – Blood In The Streets

By starrymag | May 4, 2016

By: Jennifer Vintzileos

 

Did anyone else freak out when Strand cut the rope on that raft? Well, this week’s episode is about to up the ante so let’s get started!

 

“Save us”

 

The episode begins with a view of the ocean and Nick (Frank Dillane) swimming up to shore, naked and a bag of clothing strapped to his leg. As he’s getting out of the water, a helicopter flies overhead and he struggles a little to get ashore and get dressed.

 

Once he is dressed, he starts to make his way onto land, coming upon a deserted tent city. As he makes his way through the various tents, a reanimated corpse appears. While at first Nick distracts the corpse, he then lures it further into the tent city where he can stab it in the head. But Nick is not done, as he then takes the dead corpse and covers himself in its blood to mask himself amongst the reanimated corpses.

 

“What is wrong with him?”

 

Travis (Cliff Curtis) and Madison (Kim Dickens) are discussing Strand (Colman Domingo) and how they should proceed with him. After last week’s episode of watching Strand cut the rope on the raft that they were dragging, Travis blames himself. But Madison assures Travis that it is not his fault, as he wasn’t the one to cut that line. It was Strand.

 

In that moment, Travis comes to the conclusion that Strand needs to be taken out, but Madison is not so sure. She is insistent that Strand is necessary if they group wants to survive.

 

“There is too much noise in my head.”

 

Chris (Lorenzo James Henrie) and Ofelia (Mercedes Mason) are sitting outside on The Abigail, sharing stories of their childhood, when they see a raft coming up fast to their boat. Automatically on edge from the prior reaction of bringing new people onto their boat, Chris approaches the three new passengers with a gun in his hand, unsure of how to proceed and alerting the rest of the boat to the unwanted passengers.

 

As the rest of the group comes to help, the group sees two men, Reed (Jesse McCartney) and Jack (Daniel Zovatto), assisting a pregnant woman, Vanessa (Veronica Diaz-Carranza) out of the boat. She appears to be in distress. Madison goes to help the pregnant woman and ushers her to a room as the others try to find out what happened with their group.

 

Meanwhile, Alicia (Alycia Debnam-Carey) overhears the commotion and goes up to investigate. When she comes up to join the group, she recognizes the story being told as one that Jack, a friend she had made via radio, had told her. When Alicia mentions his name, the demeanor of the new passengers immediately changes as they now take the group hostage, including the pregnant woman who knocks Madison out.

 

When tying up the group, Reed sees a raft in the water trying to get away. Not taking any chances, he shoots the raft to deflate it and leaves Strand, the man in the raft, in a compromising position as he now struggles to stay afloat.

 

“Create, control, own”

 

In a flashback, we see Strand sitting at the bar next to a gentleman named Thomas Abigail (Dougray Scott), discussing their financial troubles. Strand expresses that because of Hurricane Katrina he is now bankrupt.

 

Later, as both men make it back to Abigail’s room, Strand takes advantage of Thomas’s inebriation and robs him by taking his credit cards. Thomas, still slightly alert, tells Strand that he may not remember what has happened.

 

“You shot our captain.”

 

Fast-forward to now, Travis, Madison, Alicia, Chris, Ofelia and Daniel (Ruben Blades) are now being tied up and questioned by Reed about the whereabouts of the keys to the boat. When the group explain that Strand, the captain, had the keys Reed then puts a gun to Chris’s head and threatens to harm him until he gets answers.

 

Travis then steps up explaining to Reed that he can hot-wire the boat. Reed takes him up on his offer and ushers him off to accomplish the task. Jack then takes Alicia off in hopes of finding the portable radio. As Jack and Alicia walk off, Jack assures Alicia that he will keep her safe and will make sure that their leader Connor (Mark Kelly) will not do anything to harm them.

 

“Where’s Nick?”

 

Meanwhile, Nick is seen making his way to a destination written down on a piece of paper. He manages to elude being attacked by a reanimated corpse by covering himself in their blood and copying their style of walking. Upon reaching the destination, he is confronted by a gentleman with a gun in his hand.

 

Nick starts to explain to the gentleman, Carlos (Arturo Del Puerto), that he was sent by Strand to come collect him and bring him back to the boat. Even though Carlos was told that it would only be him and Strand, Carlos still packs up his car to prepare for their journey back to the boat.

 

“I’m a student of the fine.”

 

In another flashback, Strand is in a hotel room living in the lap of luxury off of Thomas Abigail’s credit cards, but this is short lived. Thomas Abigail has found him, along with an associate of his, Luis Flores. Thomas is impressed by how Strand has managed to rack up $30,000 in credit card debt and instead of being defensive, invites Strand to meet him down at the hotel bar.

 

Back in present time, Travis works diligently to hot-wire the boat while Reed keeps him at gunpoint. When Reed isn’t looking, Travis smuggles one of the tools into his sleeve to be used as a weapon. He is determined to do whatever it takes to take back the boat.

 

With the rest of the group, Madison tries to make conversation with Vanessa, asking her about her pregnancy. Vanessa says that she should have had the baby already and Madison plays this to her advantage by advising Vanessa that the baby could be a stillborn. Madison angers Vanessa to the point where she gets violent and questionable.

 

“Maybe we found each other for a reason.”

 

Alicia starts to question Jack about everything he shared with her, especially since his group has taken everyone on the boat hostage. Jack continues to assure Alicia that no matter what, she is safe with him.

 

As a sign of trust, Jack cuts Alicia lose from the ties. He continues explaining that Connor is on his way and he will tell him that Alicia should be trusted. In exchange, Alicia asks Jack that her family be spared and get a chance.

 

“Death is a way to new life.”

 

Nick and Carlos find their way back to the water, where Carlos unearths a raft to head back to the boat. Carlos explains to Nick that him and his family were never part of the plan with him and Strand. Nick says that now they are, but Carlos is still reluctant to agree.

 

On the boat, Connor has finally arrived, just as Travis has turned on the boat. Despite Alicia’s pleas for the whole group to be saved, Connor decides to take Alicia and Travis with him while they hold the rest of the group hostage. Before Travis is taken off the boat, he hides the weapon from his sleeve in a couch cushion.

 

As Connor leaves, Nick and Carlos manage to return to the boat. Reed and his lackeys spot them, but Carlos is quicker as he takes out his gun and shoots the two lackeys on the boat. Reed is also indisposed by the group as they injure him with the weapon Travis left.

 

“Without Strand we don’t get to Mexico.”

 

When they board the boat, Nick explains to Carlos that this is his family and no harm should come to them. Carlos asks where Strand is, to which no one knows. Unfortunately, without Strand, they can’t go anywhere.

 

Meanwhile, in one last flashback, Strand is preparing to go to California during the beginning of the outbreak. Thomas is with him as he packs for his trip. Strand promises to come back quickly and we now find out that Strand and Thomas are lovers. Gasp!

 

Flash forward to now, Strand is still out in the water, clearly starting to feel the effects of hypothermia. He looks like he has given up trying to get to safety, but Madison comes to his rescue, knowing that he is essential if the group is to move forward.