Several questions need to be properly answered before Fear the Walking Dead ends. Not long after the conclusion of the main series, The Walking Dead’s first spinoff is set to wrap up as well. Though the continuation of certain stories is possible, the overarching narrative of the series will come to a close with Fear the Walking Dead season 8.
Fear the Walking Dead has 12 episodes left to finish the story. Split into two six-episode parts, the spinoff’s eighth and final season is confirmed to center on the fight with PADRE, the mysterious organization so many characters were intent on finding during the war with Victor Strand. With that being the case, it appears Morgan’s group has one last challenge to overcome. Based on season 7’s hints about what PADRE is capable of, it’s one that’s all but guaranteed to demand nearly all of their attention in the show’s remaining episodes. Over the course of the long fight that’s sure to come, the series will need to find room to solve a handful of unresolved plotlines.
7 Will Madison Find Out That Charlie Killed Nick?
One Fear the Walking Dead character may be dead before season 8 even begins. Played by Alexa Nisenson, Charlie contracted radiation poisoning during season 7. According to Grace and June, she has no chance of survival. Charlie’s fate in Fear the Walking Dead is sealed, meaning it’s only a matter of time before she dies. With a seven-year time jump confirmed for season 8, it may be that Charlie’s death will have happened between seasons. If so, it could be shown in flashbacks. For this reason, FTWD has an easy way of avoiding a potential conflict between Charlie and Madison.
When it was revealed that Madison was returning to FTWD, it was assumed that the series would have to address the fact that her son’s killer was among the cast. But if she dies before Madison meets the group, the show won’t have to explore it at all. And even if it did, it’s hard to imagine Madison pursuing revenge on a child living on borrowed time.
6 How Did Madison Escape The Fire?
There may not be a question that needs an answer on Fear the Walking Dead more than the one pertaining to Madison’s unexplained return. Season 7 brought her back to the show and retconned her once-confirmed death, but didn’t go as far as to reveal how she’s still alive. Somehow, she survived the fire that occurred at the baseball stadium in the season 4 midseason finale. The episode framed her situation as a predicament where there was no way out, which will make it difficult for FTWD to justify her escape. Unless PADRE operatives breached the walls to get her out (which feels unlikely), Madison must have climbed out herself or snuck through a hole in a wall.
5 Is Alicia Still Alive After Fear The Walking Dead’s Time Jump?
Fear the Walking Dead seemingly ended Alicia’s story, but the nature of her exit created a massive loose end. Assuming that the scene of her walking away cured of her infection was not a hallucination, Alicia is alive in the timeframe of season 7’s ending, but that doesn’t mean she’ll still be around during season 8, especially since a significant time jump is coming. When keeping in mind the fact that Alicia is the only member of the Clark family to feature in all seven seasons, her fate is of utmost relevance to the show’s final season. Alycia Debnam-Carey has departed the series, but a cameo in the series finale (at the very least) feels necessary for the sake of closure.
4 What Is The Real Meaning Of PADRE?
Finally, Fear the Walking Dead revealed what PADRE actually is toward the end of season 7. Apparently, they’re a secret government program put in place before the start of the zombie apocalypse. Specific details, though, such as what their name is an acronym for, remain unrevealed. What “PADRE” actually means was one of season 7’s biggest mysteries, and it could continue to linger for at least a portion of season 8. Figuring out what “PADRE” stands for could lead to a deeper understanding of the program’s purpose and their intentions in the series.
3 Why Does PADRE Kidnap Children?
Morgan learned one of PADRE’s goals in the Fear the Walking Dead season 7 finale. His first-ever meeting with Madison confirmed that the organization abducts children. Supposedly, PADRE thinks that they can give the children they take better lives. But what exactly it is that they expect to get out of this hasn’t been fully explained. It’s likely that their real reasons for kidnapping children will be cleared up when Morgan’s search for Mo resumes in Fear the Walking Dead season 8. As for what the villains might hope to gain, it’s possible that they’re of the opinion that children can be molded into who they want them to be, making them easier to control than adults.
2 What Happened After Morgan’s Son Died?
Curiously, Fear the Walking Dead is making a story from the main show a part of season 8. The released footage from season 8 shows Morgan and Grace in his home where he reminisces about Rick Grimes. FTWD going back to this location from The Walking Dead series premiere points to the spinoff revisiting the fates of Morgan’s family, which has been discussed in both shows. It’s been established that the zombie of his wife killed Duane, prompting Morgan to kill her after months of agonizing over the decision. The Walking Dead has been ambiguous about what came after that, which can be addressed when Morgan returns to his home. Duane’s reanimated corpse may or may not still be there.
1 Is PADRE Connected To The CRM Or The Commonwealth?
PADRE serves as a possible answer to a major mystery from The Walking Dead’s final season. When trying to talk Carol and Daryl into sparing his life, Lance Hornsby let it slip that the Commonwealth has “certain alliances” that would be at risk if he died. The leading theory is that Lance was referring to the CRM, but it could be that he was actually talking about PADRE all along. Their island could even be the mysterious “Designation 2” location that the Commonwealth sends some of its prisoners to in the Walking Dead universe.
Alternatively, PADRE could stand revealed as an ally of the CRM. Given their size and the vast resources they appear to have at their disposal, it’s not outside the realm of possibility that these organizations have ties of some kind. Going in that direction, or the way of a Commonwealth link, would enable Fear theWalking Dead to connect its characters – specifically Morgan – with the goings-on in the other spinoff shows. If PADRE does have a partnership with one of these organizations, this should be explored directly prior to the end of Fear the Walking Dead season 8.
