‘Fear the Walking Dead’ recap: Promise and peril coexist at Baja compound
When searching for a hideaway to ride out the zombie apocalypse, an isolated compound in Baja, Mexico, seems promising to the “Abigail” yacht crew on “Sicut Cervus,” Episode 206 of AMC’s “Fear the Walking Dead.”
Walls surrounding the property keep out the undead and the unwanted living. People welcomed inside by landowner Thomas Abigail (Dougray Scott) enjoy fresh water, abundant food, hot showers -- even TV.
But what about mysterious caretaker Celia Flores (Marlene Forte)? She’s evil, proclaims a local priest (José Sefami) while inciting parishioners to storm the compound and murder Celia.
“Stop, Padre, stop,” Thomas yells. “You’ll be dead by the time you get to the gate!”
Actually, the churchgoers are dead much sooner than that because Celia poisoned their Communion wafers. After the flock “turns,” one of these zombies bites Thomas. He won’t last long.
The “Abigail” crew members have yet to learn of this calamity, however. They’re still at sea, attempting to cross into Mexican waters by paying a hefty toll per person -- in gold.
Because they’re running low on the precious metal, skipper Victor Strand (Colman Domingo) and Celia’s son, Luis (Arturo del Puerto), remain on deck while their seven passengers hide in the engine room.
Negotiations with a naval officer and his subordinate collapse when they demand to search the vessel. In the ensuing firefight, Luis kills the military men but suffers a fatal wound.
Upon reaching land, the crew members tangle with that “walker” priest and his undead followers.
When a zombified altar boy attacks Daniel Salazar (Rubén Blades), he freezes while recalling his bloody misdeeds as a torturer in El Salvador.
Fortunately for Daniel, his daughter, Ofelia (Mercedes Mason), plunges a knife into the kid’s skull.
Teenager Chris Manawa (Lorenzo James Henrie) also freezes (or does he?) when a walker pins down Maddie Clark (Kim Dickens). Her daughter, Alicia (Alycia Debnam-Carey), screams at Chris in disbelief before rushing to the rescue.
Later, Alicia confronts Chris about his inaction.
“You can’t tell anyone,” Chris insists. “I froze. That’s it. That’s all that happened!”
So what happens if Alicia tells Mom?
“I don’t want to hurt anyone,” Chris ominously replies.
Alicia does tell her mother, which sparks a bitter fight between Maddie and Chris’ father, Travis (Cliff Curtis). Sadly, the Clark/Manawa blended family is ripping apart.
Meanwhile, Victor breaks the news to Celia that Luis died. She’s strangely unmoved, predicting her son will “find his way back.”
Now Celia bonds with Maddie’s son, Nick (Frank Dillane), a recovering heroin addict. Maddie’s message to Celia? Back off!
“He’s impressionable,” Maddie says of Nick. “He’s fragile.”
“The enlightened always are,” Celia responds.
Daniel is also wary of Celia, especially after he finds zombies caged in the cellar. Why, Daniel asks incredulously, would she keep them?
“They are family,” Celia emphasizes, so she won’t deny them shelter.
“It wasn’t safe for them out there,” she explains. “They were hunted. Like monsters!”
Nick also has a zombie-related question for Celia. If the walkers aren’t dead, then what are they?
“They are what comes next,” Celia answers with an air of authority.
Finally, Victor comforts his business partner/lover Thomas as he nears death from that zombie bite. Surprisingly, Victor volunteers to perform a “very Shakespearean” act.
He’ll join Thomas in death by swallowing one of those tainted Communion wafers.
“It is a brave and beautiful thing you’ve decided to do,” Celia tells Victor. “I want you to know how proud I am. I was wrong about you!”
Well, maybe she wasn’t wrong. Because when the moment of truth arrives, Victor shoots Thomas and leaves the wafer untouched.
That Shakespearean ending? Forget about it!
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