Fear the Walking Dead returns for the final eight episodes. In “Anton,” Victor Strand’s (Colman Domingo) new peaceful life is disrupted when a familiar face shows up. Some time has passed since we last saw Madison Clark (Kim Dickens) and her quest to save the world. She sent out a message to the world that PADRE was a safe place. Daniel (Rubén Blades), June (Jenna Elfman), and Sherry (Christine Evangelista) are also on the island, with Daniel’s parent army. What kind of trouble will they find this time? When Victor is involved, the possibilities are endless.
First, we catch up with Victor. He is living at a hotel with his husband Frank (Isha Blaaker) and their teenage son Klaus (Julian Grey). And he goes by the name Anton. The place is very nice. The people there are almost living in luxury. They have running water, plenty of food, medicine and plenty of room for new people. And then Madison shows up.
Victor is shocked to see Madison and gives her a big hug. When Frank joins them, Anton/Victor pretends to not know who Victor Strand is. That agitates Madison, who insists that Victor is lying about who he is. She passes out from lack of oxygen. While she sleeps, the resort leaders discuss whether or not Madison can stay. Klaus finds a radio in Madison’s bag. When he turns it on, Daniel is on the other end, making Anton/Victor more nervous. Frank answers, but Anton/Victor takes the radio and says Madison has to go. But they aren’t the sort of people who turn strangers away.
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Madison was attacked by a group of men and ended up on Victor’s doorstep. Those men show up at the resort looking for Madison. They know her as a collector and warn Frank and Anton/Victor to watch their children. They pretend to know nothing about Madison, but Daniel calls for Madison over the radio while they talk. The group’s spokesperson Russell (Randy Bernales) asks for them to give Madison to them. He says they will fight everyone to get to her. Anton/Victor admits that Madison is there and takes the guys to her.
Madison and Klaus are missing when they get to her room. They find part of a map and assume Madison took the kid. Russell leads everyone to their boats, but one boat is missing. They assume Madison took it. That’s when Daniel shows up. Anton/Victor gets really scared and runs away as Russell’s group leaves to find Madison
Isha Blaaker as Frank – Fear the Walking Dead _ Season 8, Episode 7 – Photo Credit: Lauren “Lo” Smith/AMC
Anton/Victor’s explanation for running is that it’s not their fight and they can find another way to find Klaus. He leads Frank to a raft and they talk along the way. Frank gives Anton/Victor an opportunity to tell him the truth, but he keeps pretending. Anton/Victor finds the raft he washed up in. He asks Frank to let him go alone, but Frank still wants answers. A walker shows up and knocks Frank over. Anton/Victor kills it with his sword from the Tower. They leave as more walkers approach.
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Later that night, Frank says Madison didn’t take Klaus. He went with her because it was a second chance. The kid didn’t get to save his mother, but now he gets a chance to Madison. Frank gives Anton/Victor another chance to tell him the truth and he insists that he’s not Victor Strand … anymore.
Klaus took Madison to a library in the woods. She passed out again after running out of oxygen. Victor just happens to know of another raft that has oxygen tanks on it. Coincidence? Maybe … They hear a boat approaching and assume it’s Russell’s group. Klaus is upset to find out that Anton/Victor wanted to give Madison to those men. Anton/Victor wants to prove to Klaus and Frank that he’s a good man. He takes the oxygen and tells them to go home. He will help Madison escape.
Victor gives Madison the oxygen and then leads her to a boat. The group of men catch up and hold them at gunpoint. They want to take over PADRE, but they don’t know the location. They ask Madison to show them where it is. A group of walkers show up behind the group, forcing them to fight and giving Madison and Victor a chance to run. The guys start shooting at Madison, bringing attention from other walkers. Madison and Victor run back to the library. They have to barricade themselves with bookshelves to keep the walkers back. Victor radios Frank for help, but there’s no answer.
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Kim Dickens as Madison Clark, Colman Domingo as Victor Strand – Fear the Walking Dead _ Season 8, Episode 7 – Photo Credit: Lauren “Lo” Smith/AMC
Madison asks him why he changed his name. He says he hated Victor Strand. When he washed up at PADRE, they sent him away with others. He tried to help the others survive, but they refused his help and died. Anton says he let Victor die with them. The last thing Alicia said to him was that she loved him. That made him want to be the man Alicia knew he could be. As Anton, Klaus and Frank also make him feel like he could be a better man.
Victor says Alicia had the chance to let him die, but she didn’t. Because her mother taught her that no one is gone until they are gone. And everyone deserves a second chance. Madison tells him about PADRE. She says she sent out the message to reunite the parents with the kids she took. Some of the parents came, but they weren’t the only ones listening. Others came looking for her, only wanting to tear down what she had built. PADRE is all she has left.
Klaus radios Anton/Victor and says more of the armed men arrived and got into the hotel. Russell and his grou catch up to Madison and Victor, saving them from the walkers. They knock out Victor and Madison and take them back to the hotel where Troy Otto (Daniel Sharman) is waiting for them.
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The last time Madison saw Troy, she hit him over the head with a hammer. The hit injured Troy’s eye, causing it to lose pigment and some of his eyesight. That was 5 seasons ago, in Mexico. Now Troy is out for revenge. He threatens Victor’s life unless Madison tells him how to find PADRE. It’s at this moment that Victor finally tells Frank and Klaus the truth about who he is or was.
Daniel Sharman as Troy Otto, Jenna Elfman as June, Christine Evangelista as Sherry – Fear the Walking Dead _ Season 8, Episode 7 – Photo Credit: Lauren “Lo” Smith/AMC
Just as Troy is about to hit Victor, Daniel walks in behind him. June and Sherry enter from the other side, forcing Troy to retreat. The two groups face off. Troy warns them that he will return. Madison says she will take Frank’s people to PADRE, where they will be safe. Troy continues to taunt Madison, saying he killed Alicia. He gives her Alicia’s rotted hand as proof, but Madison has never seen it. The others have though. Madison tries to run at Troy for killing Alicia, but Victor stops her. Daniel tells them that it’s time to go. As they walk away, Troy asks what they are fighting for.
Stream all episodes of Fear the Walking Dead on AMC+.
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News Editor, Senior Contributor, and Press Editor. Coordinate breaking news, trailers and press releases. I also contribute reviews, recaps and interviews. Creator of the Indigenerd Wire, a column dedicated to the Indigenous creatives in pop culture.
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