The latest episode of Fear the Walking Dead, “The End of Everything” gave fans a few answers about this mysterious group that has been popping up here and there on The Walking Dead. It’s been a long running mystery that started with a helicopter sighting.
The actual first sighting was way back in season one in the pilot episode. Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) sees the reflection of a helicopter that led him to the group of survivors then to his family. The second time was in season 2. This time the walkers see the bird and follow it to the Green family farm. Then there’s the helicopter crash in season 3, only to be killed by the Woodbury gang. Another helicopter appeared in season four on top of a grocery store that led to the roof caving in on our favorite survivors. These choppers may not a part of this mystery group, but there have been plenty of sightings since the beginning of The Walking Dead series.
A or B
When it comes to this mystery group, fans will recall Rick seeing the helicopter in season eight episode 5, “Big Scary U”. That sighting was obvious and was seen somewhere around the junkyard. However, there was a previous sighting that was almost missed. In season seven, episode ten, New Best Friends, Rick stands on top on a garbage heap. He turns to look at the Scavengers leader Jadis (PollyAnna McIntosh) and in the distance…far distance, one can slightly see a helicopter fly by. A lot of fans thought it was an error, that may be a real helicopter flew by during filming. But then it was revealed, and it’s kind of obvious that the scene was shot in front of a green screen.
That brings us to The Walking Dead season nine. Jadis, now known as Anne, sees the helicopter late at night. The next day she returns to the junkyard and radios the people who control the helicopter. She wants to go where they are, but the cost is an “A.” Later she attacks Father Gabriel (Seth Gilliam), ties him up, almost lets a walker bite him, and then lets him go. Anne happens to end up by the bridge that Rick blew up. She sees him on the river bank after the explosion and calls for the helicopter to pick her up. She says she has a “B.” The helicopter comes, and takes Anne and Rick away.
It’s clear that Anne was involved in some kind of human trafficking operation. People are classified as As and Bs, but it’s unclear as to what that means. The first time Anne captured Rick, she labeled him an A and put him in a large storage container. When she radioed the helicopter to pick them up, she labeled him a B.
Resourceful
That brings us to Fear TWD. This current story line is about six months behind from when the helicopter took Rick. Al (Maggie Grace) is the only character to encounter anyone from that helicopter, a woman named Isabelle (Sydney Lemmon). Here’s what we know based on everything that happened in the latest episode.
Fear TWD is currently set somewhere in Texas, near El Paso, but the helicopter that Isabelle is flying ran out of fuel when they got there. Does this mean they traveled from far away? The uniform they wear has three interlocking circles on it and walkers cannot bite through the material. Isabelle also carries a gun with a small trident on the end to easily kill walkers. These people are definitely resourceful. The helicopter is packed with food, medical supplies, climbing gear, and there’s enough cargo space for more. The supply drop included fuel, food, beer, guns, and medical supplies. So this organization has plenty of supplies.
CMR
Isabelle and her partner Beckett were on a mission to get supplies to purify water. Beckett wanted to leave the organization, but no one just walks away. Their protocol is to eliminate any threat to operational security. So Isabelle had to kill him. Al encountered Beckett as a walker in the season five premiere and killed him. She video taped his body and found several documents in the pockets of his armor labeled CMR.
Apparently the CMR documents were maps of their home base. Isabelle knows Al video taped those maps and wants to destroy the tape, but Al hid it from her. Isabelle explains that her people are dangerous because they are “a force who are not living for themselves or for now.” They have the future and will do whatever it takes to protect its location and information. The place is bigger than anyone’s life. They are trying to get back what they once had. The tape puts the place in jeopardy.
In the end, Isabelle destroys the tape and lets Al go. Al lies to her group about where she was and what had happened to her. But like every big mystery, eventually the truth will come out. According to Forbes magazine, there is some speculation that this group is trying to find a cure. The As are people who have been bitten and the Bs are people who haven’t. There are also some fan theories about that helicopter. The most recent deals with the voices that came through Anne’s radio. Some say it’s Dwight (Austin Amelio), Morgan (Lennie James), and Alicia (Alycia Debnam-Carey) talking. It’s possible.
The Meaning
Whatever the case, the mystery group believes they are doing what is best for humanity, despite having to steal people and perhaps killing them as well. They are obviously well prepared for an apocalypse and that makes me wonder if they knew what was coming. Maybe even caused it. I’m expecting to see Isabelle again. I don’t think Al will let this go so easily. As a reporter, it’s the story of a lifetime, even if there is no audience to tell. Something deep in side of Al will want to tell her people about it and then chase it down to find out what’s really going on. Otherwise, how do we get back to Rick’s story? I’m definitely keeping an eye on this story as well.
What do you think it all means? Leave your ideas in the comments section. The Walking Dead returns this fall with season ten. Fear the Walking Dead airs on Sunday nights 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.
GGA's resident Indigenerd, a little bit rez, a little bit classy...with a love for all things Star Wars, zombies, science fiction, and Indigenous. My ultimate goal is to start my own podcast.
