On the season three mid season premiere of Fear the Walking Dead, the Nation moved onto the Broke Jaw Ranch and it caused a lot of tension. To make matters worse, the ranch’s water supply was dwindling. 

Jake and Walker are doing their best to keep the peace on both sides, however, Troy made it known that he would not cooperate.  Nick tried to reason with Troy and ended up being punished. Troy was exiled, leaving Jake the only Otto family member left.

Madison and Walker left the ranch in search of water. They found Victor Strand at a marketplace. Strand was not in the best shape.  He owed the owner a lot of money and could not leave until he paid his debt.  Madison paid it for him and together they left with Walker. Strand is leading them to the Tijuana Dam.

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Madison (Kim Dickens), Strand (Colman Domingo) and Walker (Michael Greyeyes) drive their tanker to the dam and encounter a horde of the infected.  Strand throws a beeping device to draw the infected away from their path and they are able to get through.  

They pull into a gated lot with a lot of abandoned cars.  Strand reveals a sewage gate and says it’s how he got to the trading post and it will lead them to the dam.  Walker is weary about heading underground.  Madison says if there was a better way, Strand would know about it. He’s not the sewage type.

Walker doesn’t trust Strand. Madison says she is going for the water and Strand knows the fastest way.  She tells Walker he can trust the journey or go back empty handed.

Kim Dickens as Madison Clark, Michael Greyeyes as Qaletaqa – Fear the Walking Dead _ Season 3, Episode 11 – Photo Credit: Richard Foreman, Jr/AMC

Strand leads them through the tunnels, but he has no idea where he’s going.  He is looking for a symbol that the proctor’s scouts put on the tunnels. It’s how he knows how to get to the dam.  Walker gets frustrated and starts to head back to the surface.

Strand finally tells Madison that Daniel (Ruben Blades) is at the dam.  He also tells her that Daniel is mad at him for lying about Ofelia’s whereabouts.  Daniel left him for dead when he found out.  Madison says Ofelia (Mercedes Mason) is safe at the ranch and Strand is relieved.  

Strand finds the symbol that he’s looking for and says that pipe leads to the dam. Walker catches back up with them and the infected are right behind him.

Strand finds the pipe that leads to the dam and it’s a tight fit…not to mention disgusting.  The Infected are behind them so they are stuck in the sewage line.  They run into an infected blocking the way.  Madison kills the infected and chops him up to unblock the pipe. The blockage is released and sewage water gushes into the pipeline. (GROSS!)

Daniel and Efrain (Jesse Borrego) help an injured man down the road to a water tanker. They are running from an angry mob. Daniel starts to shoot at them, but Efrain stops him.

They get back to the dam and Efrain scolds Daniel for pulling a gun and shooting first. Daniel says he was trying to prevent a riot.  Efrain says he will tell Lola (Lisandra Tena) the truth.  

Daniel sees someone exit the pipe and goes to investigate.  It’s Strand. Daniel shoots at him.  Madison yells for him to stop. Walker comes up behind her.  

Madison says she’s glad he’s alive and asks if he remembers what happened in the fire. He says he’s better now. Madison tells him that Ofelia is alive and living with them at the ranch. Daniel is afraid to believe her because Strand is with her. She defends Strand he told Daniel the truth about Ofelia leaving. She tells him that Walker found Ofelia and saved her life.

Madison says they are in desperate need of water.  Daniel takes them to Lola’s office. Lola, Efrain, and Daniel discuss, loudly the situation.  Madison says she will handle the negotiations. Walker is skeptical.  Madison assures him that Daniel will help them.

Madison meets Lola. She overs them cattle, fuel or guns for water.  Lola says there will be no trade. She has no water for Madison.  Madison says she knows they are under attack and need protection. Lola tells her they can stay the night and leave in the morning.

Later that night Lola asks Daniel if he’s planning to go to Ofelia. Daniel tells her that he made a promise…he will stay to protect Lola.  He believe Ofelia may be better off without him.

Walker is upset with Madison. She ruined their chances of replenishing the water supply by saving Strand. Now he has to make the ranchers leave their lands. That includes Madison, Alicia and Nick.

Kim Dickens as Madison Clark, Lisandra Tena as Lola Guerrero – Fear the Walking Dead _ Season 3, Episode 11 – Photo Credit: Richard Foreman, Jr/AMC

Madison talks to Lola.  She knows Lola is afraid of what the people will think if she gives water to outsiders. Lola knows the people will revolt.  Madison says there will be bloodshed no matter what.  She says a leader has to show force to gain respect, but Lola is afraid of losing everyone’s trust.

Madison says she has her children and a lot of other people counting on her. Lola says she is trying to save her city.  She offers to let Madison, her children and Ofelia live at the dam.  They can work there and they will be safe.

Strand helps Efrain patch up the wounded man from earlier.  Efrain speaks out against Daniel for shooting at the people.  He says the people are thirsty and scared.  Efrain doesn’t believe the people are trying to revolt.  Efrain thinks that Lola should release the water to everyone. He says it’s too much power for one person.  

Ruben Blades as Daniel Salazar, Michael Greyeyes as Qaletaqa Walker – Fear the Walking Dead _ Season 3, Episode 11 – Photo Credit: Richard Foreman, Jr/AMC

Daniel thanks Walker for saving Ofelia. Walker tells Daniel that Ofelia is a hero among his people. He tells Daniel how she poisoned the militia and saved many lives.  Daniel gets upset.

Madison talks to Strand about her frustrations.  She tells him about Lola’s offer to live there.  Madison says the dam is not safe. It’s defendable, but Lola won’t defend it.

Strand commends her for doing anything to save her family. She says she may have sacrificed too much.  Strand tells her to remove her kids from the picture and asks her what she really wants. Madison says she wants to stay at the ranch.  

Lola and Daniel discuss the next stop for water distribution, but Daniel thinks the location is too dangerous. Lola believes that taking water to that location will help ease tensions.  She says that the people will eventually start to appreciate everything she is doing for them.  

Daniel says they need guns to make sure the dam is safe.  Lola tells him that the people are afraid of him. Daniel thinks the fear is a good thing. He tells her the people will come for them. They will hang them from the dam.   

Lola finally tells Daniel that he doesn’t believe in her, then he should go be with Ofelia.  Otherwise he needs to do what she says. Daniel says the water run in on schedule and leaves.

Strand watches the water crew prepare the tanker for a run. Daniel knows he is plotting something. Daniel says he will look the other way if Strand’s plans benefit them both. As Daniel leaves, he sings a song about taking down the Water Queen.

Madison catches Walker leaving the dam. He says she has a hard time honoring her word.  The consequence is that the ranchers will have to leave.  Madison begs him not to force them off the ranch. Walker leaves without another word.

Daniel visits Madison to let her know that he is staying to protect Lola.  Madison says Ofelia needs her father.  Daniel leaves and Madison goes looking for Strand.

There are infected at the gates where Madison finds Strand.  He has to pull her back from the gate because the tanker is about to blow up.  

Kim Dickens as Madison Clark, Ruben Blades as Daniel Salazar, Colman Domingo as Victor Strand, Lisandra Tena as Lola Guerrero – Fear the Walking Dead _ Season 3, Episode 11 – Photo Credit: Richard Foreman, Jr/AMC

Madison and Strand help Daniel  kill the infected that got in. Daniel tells Lola it was the townspeople. Efrain argues that it was an accident.They see an angry mob headed for the gates. They are chanting “down with the water queen.” Daniel says this was a test to see how they would react. They will attack again.

Lola orders Madison and Strand to her office as her men fix the gate.  She has Daniel write down how many guns and ammo they need to defend the dam.  Efrain begs her not to trade.  

Madison agrees to provide guns and ammo.  Lola agrees to provide 10,000 gallons a week to the ranch. They plan to meet at the trading post. Lola requests that Ofelia be at the trade. Daniel gives Madison a tanker to transport the water back to the ranch. He tells her to be careful of being backstabbed by Strand.  Daniel says goodbye to Strand and says he expects to Strand to return with Ofelia.

Madison knows Strand rigged the explosion.  He says it was a trick he saw in an old movie. Madison thanks him for what he did. He says Madison would have done the same for him. Madison questions whether or not that’s true.

They see Walker on the side the road and stop. Madison asks if he thirsty. He smiles and gets in the truck.

Thoughts…

This was one of the slower episodes, but it re-established the friendship between Daniel and Madison.  And it established some trust between Madison and Walker. That will be an important relationship moving forward.

Strand cracks me up! That guy always has something clever to say.  I love watching Colman Domingo.  His delivery is beautiful.

The most interesting part of this episode was the exchange between Daniel and Walker.  Daniel fought for his place in America so that Ofelia would never have to do the same.  To hear that she killed people was a huge blow to Daniel.  Not only does this change Ofelia, it changes how Daniel sees her.  Ofelia is more like him than he would like to admit.  However, that’s his little girl.  He blames Walker for Ofelia’s actions.  It will break his heart even more when he finds out that she volunteered for the mission.  Ofelia has changed so much.  

Everything seems to be falling into place for everyone at the ranch to co-exist peacefully. So you know what that means…something major is about to go wrong.  Troy? Maybe?

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