Madison Clark (Fear)

"I was afraid to lose this place because I thought you needed it. To stay who you are right now. But you know it. No one's gone until they're gone."

- Madison last words to her children.

Madison Clark, affectionately referred to as Maddie, is the former protagonist and a survivor of the outbreak in AMC's Fear The Walking Dead. She is a former guidance counselor at Paul R. Williams High School and is mother to Nick and Alicia. Her husband died prior to the events of the series. She was formerly in a relationship with an English teacher and colleague at school Travis Manawa. She was a formerly high-ranking member and resident of the Broke Jaw Ranch community with her family, acting as Troy Otto's personal assistant and becomes second-in-command of the militia. She was formerly the leader of the Dell Diamond Baseball Stadium community.

Personality
Madison is intelligent and willful to the point she sometimes becomes forceful. She seems to quickly adapt to the new world she, her family, and her friends are now living in. Highly domineering, Madison likes being in control of situations, and is prone to feeling tense during disagreements with others or in situations where she is largely powerless. Even though she usually maintains a stubborn demeanor, Madison often becomes afraid and uncertain when the people she cares about (especially her family) are in danger. She has shown to have a ruthlessly dark and uncaring side, when she locked in Celia Flores with the infected and showed willingness to expel two refugees (Derek and Brandon), one of them wounded to maintain the illusion of hope for her boyfriend, Travis.

The tragic circumstances Madison has had to rebound from in the years prior to the apocalypse have prepared her to survive once it actually occurs. Having lost her unborn daughter and husband forced her to deal with the reality of death, and the implied abuse she suffered at the hands of her father likely taught her that it is sometimes necessary to murder for protection. More recently, Nick's drug addiction and the methods (both physical and psychological) that he used to feed it seem to have taught Madison a great deal about learning how to read others and plot out her next move in relation to theirs.

Montgomery, Alabama
Madison was born in Montgomery, Alabama in the early 1970s, the daughter of a prominent local senator. Although her father was successful in his career, he was also severely alcoholic and abusive towards his family. As a result, Madison grew up in a family full of fear, uncertainty and violence. She often witnesses her mother suffering from the violences, and sometimes she suffers from it herself, too. She already took up a fight with her father in her teenage, and when the violence persists as she grew older, she finally shot her father in the head in order to protect her mother from violence.

El Sereno, California
Some point after her graduation in college she moved to El Sereno in California. Working at Paul R. Williams High School, she aided the students of the school in dealing with any difficulties they had during their time. Meeting and marrying construction worker Steven Clark, the two had three children: Nick, a second child who was born stillborn, and Alicia and lived in the El Sereno neighbourhood. In later years, Steven commits suicide by deliberately crashing his car. Sometime after, Madison meets divorcé English teacher Travis Manawa, and they begin a relationship.

"Pilot"
Madison is first seen after being called into hospital, after her son Nick, had been hit by a car. Despite the doctors believing it was a suicide attempt, Madison quickly realises it was an accident due to her son's drug addiction. Asking her fiancé Travis Manawa to look after Nick, she leaves the hospital with her daughter Alicia to go to work at Paul R. Williams High School, also Alicia's school. During the drive, they both begin realise that Nick is becoming increasingly unstable and worry for his future. Upon arriving at school, Principal Art Costa welcomes her appearance, noting that a third of the school are not in attendance due to an unknown illness.

Before she can press the matter further, Tobias, a student at the school, enters through the front doors alerting the metal detectors on his way in. Madison takes Tobias to her office, confiscating the metal object - revealed to be a knife - and locks it in her desk. She talks with Tobias, who reveals that he is not carrying the knife due to being bullied, but rather due to being scared about the virus spreading around, at the time, five states in America. She rebuffs his explanation and sends him back to class. Madison is soon informed by Travis that his condition has improved, but that he is speaking uncontrollably about having seen one of his friends being eaten alive by Gloria, a story she dismisses as part of drug-enduced delusions. Travis, unconvinced, investigates the derelict church in which Nick states the incident occurred in, finding large amounts of blood. Soon after, Nick escapes the hospital. When Nick is not found at his friends Calvin's house, Travis takes Madison to the church, where she is horrified to see the blood, before becoming further upset at the state in which her son was living.

Hours later, Nick phones, asking to be picked up from the waste ditch; upon arrival, an inconsolable Nick reveals he has killed Calvin in self-defence. When the search for Calvin provides nothing, Madison once again passes this over as another drug-enduced delusion despite Travis's belief that something did indeed happen after finding the gun. However, when they get back into their car and begin to drive away, a now zombified Calvin walks towards them. Madison and Travis get out of the car, all whilst Nick screams at them to get back inside. Calvin goes to bite Madison, but is pushed away by Travis, all whilst Nick, now in the drivers seat of the car, begins to accelerate into Calvin. Despite hitting the car into Calvin, Calvin stands up seemingly unharmed. All three horrified, Nick reverses over him once again, pushing him over into a ditch. As the three embrace, Calvin turns his head, ready to attack again.

"So Close, Yet So Far"
Still shaken by the experience had with Calvin, Madison and Travis begin to panic with both not getting responses from Alicia and Christopher "Chris"; Travis's son. Upon returning and finding Alicia not at home, the three drive to Alicia's boyfriend Matt's house. Finding Alicia with an ill Matt, they soon realise he has been bit, and despite Alicia's reluctance that he is not contagious, Madison begins to realise that Matt will soon turn like Calvin, and they force Alicia to leave Matt. Upon returning home, neighbour Joanna Cruz confirms the illness is spreading, noting the lack of attendance at her daughter Gladys' birthday party, as well as Travis and Madison seeing neighbour Peter Dawson hastily putting his belongings into his car.

Meanwhile, Nick warns Madison that he will soon be suffering from the effects of drug withdrawal; pleading to her for more drugs. Madison reluctantly agrees and drives to the school, all not before reassuring an increasingly worried Travis - who is still unable to contact either Chris or his ex-wife Elizabeth "Liza" - that she will not leave him. Arriving at a seemingly empty school, she is startled by Tobias, who asks for his confiscated knife back. Madison gets the knife, along with the drugs, and agrees to help Tobias in gathering supplies. Whilst in the canteen, Tobias exchanges survival techniques with Madison, who is clearly still sceptical of the enormity of the event - "People forget that when civilization ends, it ends fast" - he tells Madison. They are interrupted by a zombified Art, who Madison - to no avail - tries to reason with. Art, unaffected after having been stabbed by Tobias, falls with Tobias down a flight of stairs, leading to Madison having to use a fire extinguisher to smash his head. The two, hearing further noises down the corridors, leave the school, with Madison returning Tobias to his house. He declines her offer to come with her and her family, and the two say goodbye.

Returning home, Madison gives Nick the necessary drugs. Breaking down in tears in the bathroom as she washes Art's blood from her clothes, Travis rings, informing Madison that he has found Chris and Liza, but are stuck in the city centre in the middle of a riot. Before she can reply, the network connection fails. In the night, Madison hears screaming, before seeing a now zombified Peter Dawson attack Joanna Cruz outside in the street. Telling Alicia not to watch, Madison guards the door, telling her and Nick that they are not leaving the house until Travis returns.

"The Dog"
Still waiting for Travis to return, the three play Monopoly, all whilst Madison begins to wean Nick from the drugs. As Madison and Nick argue over whether Travis will return, the power goes out, leaving the three in darkness. Soon after, a dog begins to bark, alerted at the zombified Peter Dawson's presence. Peter devours the dog, and soon after enters the Clark house, forcing the three to flee to flee into their garden. Meanwhile, Travis returns, with Liza, Chris and new companions the Salazar's consisting of Daniel, an injured Griselda and their daughter Ofelia. Alicia, having got a gun from her neighbour Susan Tran's house, throws the gun over into the Clark household, which is give to Daniel, who kills Peter. Alicia, still in the Tran household, is attacked by a zombified Susan and soon saved; Madison having to comfort Alicia upon her realisation that Matt too will be zombified. Madison and Travis then agree to leave El Sereno in the morning. That night, as everyone goes to fall asleep, Madison goes outside into the garden, watching her once close friend Susan through the fence. Liza joins her, and the two agree to be amicable for the sake of their families. Madison then decides to kill Susan, but is stopped by Travis, on the basis that a cure could be found.

In the morning, the families depart, the Salazar's deciding to go their separate ways. Madison then reveals that she has given Griselda some of Nick's medicine as she is injured, which angers Nick for prioritising a stranger over him. As they depart, Susan's husband Patrick returns home, causing Madison and Alicia to chase after him to avoid him being bitten by Susan. They find Patrick staring in horror as his zombified wife wanders toward him. As he goes to embrace his wife, a member of the U.S. National Guard enters, shooting Susan in Patrick's arms. The group, including the Salazar's, are then ushered back into the Clark's house by the military, who subsequently cordon off the neighbourhood. As they watch the dead being driven away in a lorry, including the entire Cruz family, Travis tries to reassure Madison, who shakes her head and walks back inside.

"Not Fade Away"
Madison struggles to comprehend and adapt to the newly arisen circumstances of having unacquainted company, both in the case of the army, and the Salazar's. Alongside Nick refusing to take his pills, this leads Maddie and Travis to argue. Chris later approaches Madison, showing her a video he took of a person outside the safe-zone being shot by the army. That evening, Maddie and Travis make up and have sex, followed by Maddie leaving the safe-zone to investigate Chris's claims. Outside, she finds the streets lined with dead bodies all with gunshot wounds to the head, with many of the dead seemingly having not been infected. Madison successfully evades a passing group of soldiers, before re-entering the safe zone.

Now suspicious of the army's motives, she speaks to Daniel about what she has seen, who compares such to when men came to his village in El Salvador when he was younger, killing anyone they saw. Daniel then reveals that Griselda and him are being taken by the army for treatment to Griselda's leg, and asks Madison to look after Ofelia if anything were to happen to him. Agreeing, they are interrupted by soldiers entering the house, who take Nick due to his unusual behaviour from undergoing his process of weaning. Whilst Liza - now working with the army's medical team - tries to convince the head doctor Dr. Bethany Exner to not take Nick, this proves futile, and the army take both Liza, Griselda (refusing Daniel's request to accompany her) and Nick away, all to a background of distraught screams from Madison.

"Cobalt"
The following morning, Madison is still visibly distraught from Nick being taken, as is Chris, who argues with Travis and Madison, accusing Madison of getting involved in discussion about Liza's return when it does not involve her. Some time later, Madison finds her neighbour Susan's suicide note to her husband Patrick in Alicia's room, and walks over to the Tran's house, expecting to find Alicia there. Instead, she finds Daniel, Ofelia and a tied up Corporal Andrew Adams in the house's basement. Shocked, she demands to know what is happening; Daniel explains he has taken Adams hostage to find out information about Griselda's whereabouts. Daniel persuades Madison to support his decision to do this, linking in the fact that Nick too, can be found. Madison reluctantly agrees, but is shocked, after briefly falling asleep, to find Adams being beaten by Daniel. A distraught Ofelia, who used her and Adams romantic interest between one another as a rouse in the first place, leaves, soon telling Travis what is happening in the Tran's basement. As Travis arrives at the house, Adams repeats to Travis what he has told Madison and Daniel in the meantime, telling the trio of Operation Cobalt; the evacuation of military personnel from Los Angeles, and the "humane termination" of everyone else.

"The Good Man"
Madison and Travis are packing supplies when Alicia and Chris get back. They tell the kids that the Guard is pulling out and Alicia and Chris tell the adults they've seen the soldiers looting.

Alicia is scared and wants to know why, she says that she thought things were getting better and Chris wants to know what they're going to about Liza, his mom, and how they're going to do it. Travis doesn't have an answer for him straight away.In the basement of the Tran home, Andrew Adams is still tied to a chair with duct tape over his mouth. Daniel is standing over him and talking when Travis and Madison enter. Daniel tells Adams that he's found the arena, it's close to the base and that "We can use it." He's holding a pistol down by his side as he talks and Adams can't stop himself looking at it. Daniel turns to them and says that he thinks Adams has told them all he can. Madison and Travis argue with him, he says that he can't be allowed to escape because he will tell the soldiers before the families can get away. They continue to argue, finding reasons why Adams should not be killed.

Madison pulls off the duct tape so that they can hear what Adams is trying to say. He tells them that even though they know where the compound is they still need him to tell them where their people are inside it. Travis makes a decision - that Adams is coming with them. Daniel walks out without a word. Madison wants Adams in the pickup with Travis and not where the kids will see. When Travis asks if there's something she's ashamed of she tells him that he'd do anything if Chris were in danger. Travis doesn't answer her, but he's deeply troubled. Madison gets ready to go, she picks up car keys from by the mirror near the front door. She stops to look at the many marks on the wall there, recording the height of her children as they grew. Her own height and that of her husband Stephen Clark are also on the wall and she touches the pencilled marks for a moment before leaving the house.

On the drive she tells Alicia to get in the car and then looks over at a man walking his dog. Ofelia asks "What?" and Madison answers that her neighbours don't know. Ofelia is bitter. "They did nothing when they came for us" she says, and puts her bag in the car. Neither she nor Madison go to speak to the man. Madison and the rest of the group are waiting for Daniel. He jogs into the underground car park and tells them that he's led "them" to the north gate and that the soldiers are distracted now. Ofelia is still not looking at him. Daniel sees that Adams is not there and is angry, he says to Madison "You see what doing the right thing gets you." when she sides with Travis. They make final arrangements to go and find Nick, Liza and Griselda. Alicia and Chris are to wait here in the car park for them and are told to go to "the camp ground" if there's trouble or if they don't return. Chris argues with his Dad but accepts it when Madison asks him to take care of Alicia, she then hugs Alicia and tells her quietly to take care of Chris. They all troop off, with Daniel bringing up the rear and looking very angry. Alicia and Chris are left standing by the SUV. The families, led by Ofelia with some big bolt cutters, leave the underground car park up near the perimeter fence of The Military Hospital. Madison stares at the large group of Infected who are collecting by the fence a few hundred yards away. As Ofelia cuts a padlock from a gate Daniel remarks that "the hard part is done"; she asks him how they're going to get out if the Infected get in? Daniel replies that "That would be the harder part". Travis does remember to close the gate behind them as they go in. He's carrying the The Tran's Shotgun. Daniel has Adams' pistol and Madison a ball pein hammer.

Travis follows the directions through the building that Adams gave to him, he ticks them off out loud: a checkpoint and a sign marked Administration.

They find the holding cell area. There appears to be a couple of hundred people in there. They run along the cells asking for Nick and Griselda or for information about them. Some of the internees tell them they've seen Nick and the man in the suit, Maddy lets them out and gets more information, Daniel shouts that there's no time but the other three break the locks on as many cells as they can. Ofelia still has her bolt cutters and makes good use of them. (offscreen) they leave the holding area looking for Nick and Strand, they arrive at a stairwell and though the window of the double doors in front of them they can see Nick. Looking through the glass panel of the door Nick can see Travis and Madison running towards him. On one side of the door, Madison et al are trying to open it with a hammer and a shotgun. On the other side Nick is looking through the glass panel while Strands wastes ammunition by missing headshots. The zombie horde continues to approach at its slow walk. Nick, watching his mother again attempting to move heaven and earth to save him, actually becomes calm and puts his hand against the glass. Madison touches the glass in the same way and they both appear calm for a moment. We see Liza running up behind them.

She tries her pass card over and over in the card reader until it works and the doors open in time to let Nick and Strand get through. There's not time to shut them to block the dead though and they follow the group down the stairs. hey pass through a kitchen that's been abandoned 1/2 way through preparing a meal, Liza leading the way. An infected man leaps out and grabs her. She is in real trouble until Ofelia steps up and despatches the Infected man with her heavy bolt cutters. They all fight well - Madison with her hammer, Daniel with Adams' pistol and Travis with the butt of the shotgun. Liza and Ofelia, in particular, are an effective team. Madison gets taken by surprise, drops her hammer and is struggling until Nick (Nick!) picks it up and puts down her attacker. As they leave the kitchen, Strand somehow knows just where to find something to lock the doors behind them (a long mop handle) and walks calmly away from the doors as the dead approach it from the other side. "Who the hell are you?" asks Madison and Nick replies "He saved my life." Liza leads the way into the hospital ward area. The bodies of the critical patients are on the beds, each neatly tagged and each with a wound from the captive bolt device in the centre of their foreheads. Bethany Exner is still there, having taken care of her patients in the only way left to her. She is sitting and staring at nothing. Madison scavenges drugs while Liza asks Exner for the way out. Exner eventually tells her but refuses to go with them because there's "nowhere to go to". As the families leave Bethany Exner picks up the captive bolt device again and looks at it.

As they go where Dr. Exner has told them, Strand suggests to Madison that they go to his house, to his "home on the water". He says he has supplies and is prepared. As they leave the building, they see what's left of the bodies that have been incinerated. Ofelia and Daniel in particular are devastated by the sight of the pile of ash, bones, partially burnt bodies, and the bulldozer that was used to move it all around.

Back in the underground car park Travis calls out for Chris. They see that the car is not there and get louder, causing Daniel to tell them to be quiet and not attract the dead. Travis shoves him out of the way and ignores him. Alicia and Chris appear from a door at the far end of the car park. Travis, Madison and Liza greet their children while Ofelia sits down on the floor by a pillar, drained. Daniel calls out "We must go now". Andrew Adams appears, with a pistol and says "Salazar!". He points the weapon at Daniel and Ofelia gets up to intervene. She talks to him and tries to stop it escalating further until Andrew suddenly changes aim and shoots Ofelia instead.

Travis, overcome with rage and guilt, leaps on Adams and hits him over and over. We hear Liza say to Ofelia and Daniel - "It's ok." but Travis doesn't hear and doesn't stop. The whole group are stunned by his reaction which doesn't stop until Madison tells Travis to leave him, even Daniel does not intervene when Madison gets Travis to stop. Adams is badly beaten but still alive. he two cars, Madison's car in front, are on an almost deserted stretch of road. Daniel, Ofelia and Liza are in the back of Travis' pickup. Chris is in the front with Travis driving. Madison is driving her car with Alicia in the passenger seat and Strand in the back. They are discussing the best route to take to the sea; they pass some (undead) pedestrian traffic but see little else. Two of the main office blocks in the city are burning. At Strand's suggestion they turn left off the main road and onto the concreted LA river, where it all started for Madison and Travis and where Nick killed Calvin. There's very little water and no traffic at all. They pass a crashed and burnt out military helicopter with a badly burnt but still active Infected man or woman struggling to get at them from the wreckage. They can't see from down in the river, but an aerial shot shows us roads completely blocked with cars and many more fires. The concreted river bed is clear and straight though. It takes them to Strands home with no problems.

Strand lets them into the property with a code, he explains that there's a generator that starts automatically when the power goes off. They all go in, Liza and Daniel helping Ofelia who, while she is walking, is obviously in a lot of pain. Strands home is beautiful and looks very expensive; you can hear the sea and the sea gulls as you walk up to the house. Strand lets them in the front door asks them to help themselves to food. The group are very wary as they enter. Daniel, Ofelia and Liza go to sit in a family area. Chris and Alicia get a drink of water and Madison and Nick are outside, looking at the sea and talking. Madison tells Nick she's sorry, he asks "For what?" and she says it's for letting him be taken, but she shakes her head as she says it and the impression is that it's for more than that. Nick, doesn't feel she has anything to apologise for. He talks about his feeling that everyone is catching up with him - that now everyone is as lost as he has always been Liza finds Chris in the kitchen and tells him that Ofelia will be ok, and that she loves him. As they hug, Madison can see from Liza's face over Chris' shoulder that there's something badly wrong. Madison follows Liza out of the house and to the cliff path, after a few moments Travis follows Madison. She runs to catch up and Liza turns back to her when she calls. Madison asks what is wrong and Liza shows her that she's been bitten or badly scratched, just over her right hip. Madison asks what they can do and Liza tells her there's nothing and shows her the gun she has tucked into waist of her scrubs. Madison tries to argue with her, and when Liza asks here to do it for her says that Liza can't ask that of her. Liza calmly points out that Madison had asked the same thing of her a few days before. And Liza echoes what Madison said when she asked. "Don't make Travis do it. It'll break him." Madison eventually takes the pistol from her, just as Travis arrives. Liza convinces Travis to kill her to prevent her reanimation, Madison sees Travis kills her and later comforts Travis.

"Monster"
Standing on the beach at Victor Strand's house, Madison watches bombs drop in the distance as her and Travis prepare supplies for transport to the Abigail. They also grab Chris who is sitting by his mother Liza's corpse, catatonic. The three are picked up by Nick on the Zodiac and head towards the yacht. The group watches as the military firebombs Los Angeles and the raging inferno engulfs the land.

The next day, the group spots a small skiff overflowing with at least 20 passengers. The passengers beg for help, and Madison pleads with Strand to rescue the skiff passengers, but he refuses. Strand tells Travis and Madison that he has set a course for San Diego in the hopes of receiving help from the Navy or border patrol. Madison appeals to Travis to convince Strand to save the skiff, but Travis agrees that they cannot take on additional passengers.

Madison urges Alicia to stop listening to the radio and get some rest. Alicia refuses.

Madison hears Strand talking in the wheelhouse and is surprised to find him alone. He explains that he talks to himself to stay awake. Later, she joins Daniel on deck to discuss Strand's motives as he had bags packed before the bombs started falling.

On deck, the group gathers around Liza's body as Travis delivers a eulogy and is shocked when Chris violently pushes Liza's body into the sea and storms off.

Madison comforts Chris and defends Travis, saying she would have killed Liza if Travis hadn't. "I'll never let that happen to someone I love," she says.

She helps set up for dinner when Daniel catches a large fish. During the meal she and the others rush after Chris when he jumps into the ocean. He explains he just wanted to swim. During this time, they come across the skiff again; only now it is shot up and the people are gone. Strand hears another radar alert. "It could be no one, it could be the ones who did that," he tells Alicia and Madison, indicating the shot-up skiff. Strand tells Madison that they need a head start if they are going to outrun the approaching boat, revealing that it is incoming at 25 knots — faster than the Abigail can manage.

Once the group returns to the yacht with the skiff's log book, Strand powers up the boat. Madison tells Travis that whoever shot up the skiff is coming back for them.

"We All Fall Down"
She yells at Nick for endangering himself by jumping in the water after the wreckage of the sailboat, but when Travis reads the log book, they realize that there's a problem. According to the log, the military has already burned San Diego to the ground. Strand proposes they hide from the fast-approaching ship by retreating to the coastline. Travis suggests Catrina Island, which has a ranger station that may offer supplies and a short-wave radio.

As the Abigail approaches Catrina Island, Madison sees a light flash inside a house. Her, Travis, Nick, Alicia, and Chris get off the boat. They approach the house that she saw from the boat. A young boy — the one from the beach — runs out to greet them. Travis introduces himself to the boy's father, George Geary, and asks permission to dock for the night.

Inside the house, George's wife, Melissa, probes Madison about her job as a guidance counselor and asks if she ever worked with younger children. Melissa introduces Madison to her teenage son, Seth. She begins to suspect her of something.

As they head back to the boat, Madison tells Travis that Melissa may have flashed the light on purpose. She speculates that Melissa wants to leave the island but is too scared of George to say so.

The next day, Madison tells Melissa that they are setting sail and asks if she had intentionally flashed the light to signal them. Melissa admits that she signaled them in the hopes that they would take Harry and Willa, since George and Seth are planning for the entire family to die together on the island.

Madison relays Melissa's request to Travis and insists they rescue Harry and Willa. "You're not taking them, Travis, you're saving them," she says. Travis reluctantly agrees to speak with George.

On the boat, Nick tells Madison and Travis that he found poison in George's office and predicts that George is planning on "Jonestown-ing" his family. They decide go through with taking the children with them.

They return to the Geary house to take Harry and Willa. Melissa is hurriedly explaining some of her children's quirks when George comes in. He angrily demands to know what is happening when the argument is interrupted by Harry. Something is wrong with Willa, he reports. Upstairs, Willa is found dead after ingesting the "power pills" from George's stash. Melissa cradles Willa, who opens her eyes, turns, and bites her. George agrees to let Travis take Harry but refuses to join them.

Travis' group sprints to the boat with Harry. Seth chases them down with his rifle and forces them to give Harry back. She watches as an infected Melissa walks toward the two boys on the on the dock, and Seth shoots Melissa while Harry's back is turned.

"Ouroboros"
Madison and Travis start to make love in their state room. The boat creaks to a stop. Travis determines that the engine malfunctioned due to a blocked water intake. He says the problem will require him to look under the boat. Madison urges him to wait until sunrise, but Strand and Travis agree that they cannot waste time.

Alicia shows Madison a spot on shore that is littered with luggage from the plane wreck. Alicia, Nick, and Chris insist on going to shore to gather supplies. Madison and Travis refuse to let them go but Daniel offers to accompany them. Alicia, Nick, and Chris board the Zodiac. Daniel tells Madison that Strand is planning to sail to Baja California and asks her to question Strand about his intentions.

Madison hears a noise and sees blood emerge from the spot in the water where Travis was swimming. Michael's body floats to the surface after Travis plunges a knife through his eye socket.

Madison confronts Strand about his secret plans and demands to know what is in Baja. Strand reveals that he has a safehouse with food, water, and concrete walls in Rosarito, Baja California, but explains that he has precious little time to get there. She demands that he take the entire group with him. They cautiously make a pact to trust each other, but threatens to throw him overboard if her family gets hurt because of his actions.

Madison informs Travis of Strand's Baja plans and tells him the house is their best chance at survival. Travis balks at trusting Strand, but Madison argues that they have little choice.

Madison sees the herd through her binoculars and tells Strand they have to move. Travis removes the last bit of sludge and a severed hand from the filtration system and fixes the engine. Strand powers the boat up.

When Daniel and the kids return, Madison informs the group that Strand has invited them to join him at a compound in Baja with food, power, and water. Strand refuses to let Alex and Jake board the ship. She has mixed feelings about letting on board. Travis insists that they at least tow Alex's raft to San Diego. Alicia and Madison bring water and blankets to Alex and Jake.

Strand dashes outside and cuts the raft loose. Madison objects, but it is too late. The raft drifts behind as the Abigail cruises south.

"Blood in the Streets"
A raft with two men and a bleeding pregnant woman approaches the Abigail. Travis, Daniel and Madison rush upstairs and interrogate the strangers. Madison assists Vida, the pregnant woman, to a bathroom. When commotion arises, Vida smashes Madison’s head against a mirror then ties her hands.

Vida rejoins the group with Madison. Alicia tells Madison that Nick wasn’t in his bed. Reed tells Jack to find the portable radio with Alicia so that they can contact their leader, Connor. Alicia assures Madison she will fix the situation.

Daniel asks Madison to distract Vida while he loosens his bonds. Madison asks Vida about the pregnancy. As Daniel works his bonds, Madison asks Vida if the baby has been moving. She baits Vida by wondering if a dead baby would turn inside her belly. Vida threatens to shoot Madison.

Connor boards the Abigail with two other armed pirates and admires the boat. He invites Travis and Alicia to join his community but says he has no need for the others. He grants Alicia’s request to transport her family safely to shore. Alicia and Travis are taken away. Reed and the bodyguards stay behind to guard the remaining captives.

Luis shoots the pirates with a rifle from his raft, and Madison stabs Reed with the crowbar during the melee.

Onboard, Madison tells Nick and Luis what happened to Strand. Luis refuses to cross the border without Strand. On the Zodiac, Madison pulls up to Strand in the Zodiac and hoists him aboard and heads back to the yacht.

"Captive"
Daniel tells Madison that they can use Reed’s relationship to Connor as leverage over Connor. They locate Connor’s base by scanning the radar for a cluster of five boats. Madison steers the Abigail north. Luis orders Madison to turn the ship around, reminding her that they only have a small window of time to cross into Mexico. Madison refuses to abandon her family and asks Strand if she would’ve been better off leaving him in the water. Strand agrees to give Madison half a day to rescue Travis and Alicia.

Daniel advises Madison to let Nick and Chris help fight Connor’s group and urges her to stop treating them like children. Madison ignores his advice.

In the wheelhouse, Madison forbids Strand from sending Nick on any more errands. Strand argues that Nick knows how to survive and that he saw Nick’s potential within minutes of meeting him. Madison says Strand has never seen Nick in the throes of addiction and worries that Nick is using again. Madison forbids Nick from pulling any more stunts.

On the radio, Madison tells Connor that they’re holding Reed and will trade him for Travis and Alicia. Connor agrees. After signing off, Madison hears a gunshot. Chris has killed Reed. Madison comforts Chris. They overhear Luis complain that the trade is now dead. Chris realizes that he just destroyed any hopes of getting Travis back peacefully. However, Reed's brain remains undamaged. Daniel places a hood over Reed’s head.

Madison prepares the Zodiac. Nick insists on delivering Reed to Connor but Madison refuses to let him go. She leaves with Reed in the Zodiac.

On the pier, Madison hands Reed over to Connor. Connor’s men release Travis. Connor removes Reed’s hood and is immediately bitten by the Infected Reed. She and Travis then fight off the other pirates brfore heading back to the Zodiac. Madison sees Alicia on the ship deck who jumps into the water. Madison and Travis rescue her in the Zodiac and return to the Abigail.

"Sicut Cervus"
The Abigail approaches a Mexican flotilla that is guarding the border. Strand tells Madison to hide everyone below deck. From the engine room, the group listens to men's conversation with the two military officers. Gunfire erupts and the group carefully make their way upstairs. Strand steers the Abigail toward the Mexico coastline.

On land, Strand leads the group into town. They find a pile of dead parishioners in front of the church. A herd of infected parishioners emerge and attack. Madison is overcome by an Infected and fights for her life. Chris watches her struggle from a few steps away and does nothing to help. Alicia screams at him and saves Madison herself. The group piles into Thomas’s truck and flees.

At Thomas Abigail's gated estate, Celia, Luis’s mother, greets them. A maid asks the group to check their weapons. Everyone complies.

Madison overhears a conversation between Nick and Celia. After Nick leaves, she warns Celia that Nick is impressionable.

Madison brings food to Thomas and Strand in their room. Thomas asks Madison to look after Strand when he dies.

Alicia tells Madison about Chris’s threat to hurt her if she told their parents about what happened at the church. Madison confers with Travis about Chris and worries that Chris is sick. Travis defends Chris and angrily wonders why Madison won’t offer the same support to Chris that he always gave Nick. Madison decides to sleep in Alicia’s room for protection while Travis sleeps with Chris.

Chris enters Alicia’s room and says Alicia’s name. He picks up a knife from the bedside table. A gunshot rings out, waking Madison and Alicia. Alicia sees the knife and screams at Chris. He runs outside.

"Shiva"
She is present when everyone runs to Thomas’s room, where Strand has just shot Thomas in the head. Celia screams at Strand for shooting Thomas instead of allowing him to turn. Celia forbids Strand from burying Thomas and attacks Strand when he declares that Thomas wasn’t her son. Celia orders Strand and those he brought along with him to leave by the next day.

Madison tells Nick and Alicia to quietly pack supplies so that they can flee to the Abigail and escape Celia’s clutches. Alicia refuses to return to the boat. Nick defends Celia.

After Nick returns to the estate with an undead Luis, Madison confronts Nick about his fascination with the dead and asks if Celia told him to find Luis. Nick argues that Celia merely wanted her son back then offers to bring Travis back, as well. He tells Madison that the Infected will not touch him. “I will not die,” he declares.

Madison tells Strand that she’s worried about Nick. Strand is unsurprised that Celia was able to indoctrinate a young and vulnerable addict. He invites Madison to join him on the Abigail, but she refuses to leave without Travis.

Madison implores Celia to let Strand stay. Celia refuses and tells Madison that she must learn to accept the Infected just like Nick does. Madison asks Celia to help her understand. Celia takes Madison to the cellar and enters the cell to show Madison all of her infected present. Madison closes the gate, locking Celia in.

As Madison finds Alicia and Ofelia, a fire suddenly consumes the estate. Madison runs into the storage room and sees Jorge unconscious on the floor and leaves him in search of Daniel but leaves to save herself.

Strand pulls up in the truck and urges them to get in. Nick walks up to Madison and says he couldn’t find Travis. He suspiciously asks where Celia is. She doesn't answer. “She was right about us,” he says. “We destroy everything.” Strand forces Madison into the truck as Nick turns his back on her. They watch a blood-slathered Nick walk away untouched among the Infected as Strand and the women flee the compound.

"Grotesque"
Madison appears in a flashback, waves at Nick. They are taken to a private room, where in Madison tells Nick why his father isn't visiting; he died in a head-on collision. Nick breaks down and screams in grief. Gloria looks in the room and sees Madison hugging Nick.

"Los Muertos"
After searching for days for the others north and south of the compound Madison agrees with Victor that they need to go back to the Abigail for water and other supplies because they cannot keep scavenging. When the Abigail is missing from where they docked it, Madison, Victor, Ofelia, and Alicia go to an abandoned hotel for supplies and shelter. When Alicia goes off with Ofelia to scavenge supplies, Victor insist on making Madison vodka martinis to drown her sorrows. Victor acknowledges he missed the fact that Madison is a "southern bell" with her defenses down Madison shares details of her past with Victor including that she was originally from Alabama and she used to bartend to put herself through college.

It's not long before Madison calls out Strand's martinis as "bullshit" and she starts pouring them both tequila shots instead. As they drink and imagine themselves meeting back when the world was still the world, Victor confesses he would have flirted with Madison if he saw her alone at the bar and that he is simply "a seducer of people." Madison shares with Victor that Alicia may be right and that she'll never see Nick again, that her husband was a lost soul of sorts who may have actually committed suicide and that her son Nick is also a lost soul whose slipped further and further away from her since his birth. Madison says that despite the dark past she chose to spite the past and be a mother and that she chose wrong. When Victor tells Madison she is drunk, she insist she's not and continues to drink with Victor. She toast to "motherhood", drinks and then smashes her glass. She gets another glass toast to "false hope" and smashes that glass. Victor plays the piano, while Madison continues to smash glasses after toasting to "family" and to "Nick". The noise attracts the infected to them. Though they try to fight off the infected Victor and Madison get trapped by the infected behind the bar.

"Do Not Disturb"
Madison appears at the end of the episode when her and Victor save Alicia, Elena and Hector from walkers. Madison and Alicia hug after knowing each other are both okay while Victor, Elena and Hector block the door from walkers.

"Pablo & Jessica"
In the bar of the Rosarito Beach Hotel, Madison and Strand fight off an Infected herd. Madison hears Alicia calling for her. She kills an Infected and opens its belly. She and Strand cover themselves in the Infected’s blood. Madison and Strand walk unnoticed among the Infected. They exit the bar and barricade the door behind them. Outside, they find the truck missing. Strand presumes Alicia and Ofelia fled to safety, but Madison argues that her daughter would do no such thing. Sitting down, she agrees that Alicia's independence is a product of her teaching. Madison and Strand take refuge inside the hotel’s spa building. They talk about rationing their water, but Strand convinces her to drink.

Madison and Strand hear a loud knocking sound. They follow the sound to a locked door and hear Alicia screaming for help on the other side. Madison breaks the lock with a fire extinguisher. Alicia, Elena and Hector pile out. Alicia tells Madison that Ofelia fled. Madison proposes they look for Ofelia, but Strand refuses. They take stock of their meager supplies. Elena says the main hotel has enough food to last for months but the wedding party guests now control everything. Madison and Strand stand in front of the hotel and call for Oscar, the groom. Oscar appears on a balcony and allows them inside after they drop their weapons. Madison and Strand meet with Oscar and Ilene, the mother of the bride. Madison proposes they join forces to make the hotel their home and secure it against Infected and enemies. Oscar agrees to help if they kick Elena out. Madison defends Elena, and promises they can all start over. She claims others will find the hotel, and the two groups could hold it together. Madison tells Oscar that her group will remove all Infected from the hotel with or without him. Oscar agrees and tells them to take the keys.

After the meeting, Madison and Strand predict that they will have trouble convincing Ilene. Strand admits to missing his home with Thomas. He agrees to help with the hotel, but says it's not his home. Elena brings Madison, Alicia and Strand to a foyer that connects all three sections of the hotel. They devise a plan to channel all the Infected into the foyer and onto the pier. They open the door and begin. Outside, the others are starting fires with all of the bodies. Alicia acknowledges that these people have taken her mother's lead. They've finished one floor from the three hotels, but Madison notes that it is necessary.

As they look over the ocean, Madison apologizes for her lack of raising Alicia. Alicia assures her mother that she didn't do anything wrong. As the music picks up, Alicia walks into the water. She is examining the underside of the bridge as her mother calls. Alicia states that they don't have to put down the walkers and points to the riptide notice on the bridge. They realize that they can use these tools to their advantage. At the hotel, Madison has just outlined a plan for the pier trap. After being told she would be in the boat, Alicia insists she would be better on the pier. Alicia starts to cry as she tells Madison about the walker she thought was her mother. Madison says they will never lose each other, and Alicia leaves for her position. Outside, the group is making noise at the zombies. Using her phone, Alicia plays music to draw them out. Strand is inside with Elena, releasing all of the zombies from their rooms. Madison is doing the same in the lobby. With pots and pans, they all lead a large group of the dead toward the back of the hotel. Alicia and Hector are late, and they worry the others.

The entire group leads the zombies out onto the pier, Madison remains the closest to the herd. After Alicia calls to her, Madison drops her pans and jumps into the water. She swims to the boat, and the zombies all begin to follow into the water. Madison’s group and the party guests feast at a large dining table in the hotel. Noting Oscar’s absence, Strand asks Elena where the honeymoon suite is located.

"Pillar of Salt"
At the hotel, it has been ten days since the arrival of Madison's group. United with the wedding guests, the survivors work together to secure the hotel and build a refuge; they fortify the front gate, till a new garden, fish off the pier, and Madison and Elena power the generator. Strand makes drinks at the bar and cheers to Thomas. In Elena's room, Madison, Elena, Strand and Alicia make survival plans. A knock on the door is answered by Strand and Ilene stabs him. She runs off as Strand collapses. Madison tends to Strand's wound in bed. Oscar brings over Andrés, a medical school student. Andres examines Strand's wound and says he needs a suture kit, antibiotics, and erythropoietin. Elena suggests a place that might have such medicine. Madison tells Oscar that Ilene must remain locked up indefinitely. She also declares that, going forward, anyone who harms anyone else at the hotel will be banished. Everyone agrees. Madison, Elena, and Oscar get in a van to drive to El Pelícano, Hector and Elena argue before the two women get in a truck and drive off.

Later, Madison asks Elena what the fight with Hector was about. She says Hector has never forgiven Antonio for choosing the gang over his own family. Madison tells her not to give up on him. Madison, Elena, and Oscar arrive at El Pelícano with a cooler. Elena tells the guards that she has something for Antonio. They allow Madison and Elena to enter. Madison and Elena give Antonio a cooler full of fish and ice and request the medicine for Strand in exchange. Antonio asks if they can provide more ice. Elena agrees. Antonio tells them to wait. Meanwhile, they hear Marco yelling in an upstairs office. Madison and Elena overhear Marco's interrogation. Madison asks Elena to translate for her and runs upstairs when Marco describes an American with "ratty hair" who delivered drugs to them.

Madison bursts into the room and asks if they're talking about Nick but Francisco forbids Ana from answering. Marco orders them out. Antonio gives them the medicine and tells them to stay away, saying they won't be at the supermarket much longer. Madison, Elena, and Oscar return to the hotel after dark. Madison runs to the generator and turns it on, lighting up the hotel sign in the hopes of signaling Nick. Alicia warns Madison that people will see the sign from all around and accuses Madison of thinking more about Nick than her, accusing Nick of choosing what's out the world over them. Alicia insists that she never left Madison and questions why that isn't enough.

"Date of Death"
A mass of desperate survivors arrive at the gate of the Rosarito Beach Hotel after spotting the neon sign that Madison flashed the previous night. Madison, Alicia, Elena, Oscar, and Hector stand guard, refusing entry. Madison sees Travis in the crowd and fights to let him in. Madison opens the gate for Travis, but keeps the other survivors out. Travis and Alicia stand on a balcony. Madison offers him food but he rejects the offers. He asks where Nick is and Madison tells him that he ran off like he always does. She has an idea of where he is: in Tijuana. Travis tells her he is sorry before she asks where Chris is. This makes him a bit distraught before he walks back inside to sit on the bed. She follows him in. He tells her, "I had no choice."

Travis finishes his story saying that he spent two days afterward searching for the ocean before seeing the hotel's lights. Madison assures Travis that he didn’t have a choice and reminds him that Chris is still out there. Travis regrets not telling Chris that he loved him when they parted ways. Madison holds his hand. Madison later goes to the parking garage and finds it filled with survivors. Andres explains they let in 43 survivors in and are examining them for infection. They have a plan to evaluate who is a threat. Alicia is evaluating folks and their wounds to make sure there are no infected in the bunch. She steps out to talk about Travis and Madison asks her to take a walk to the pier.

On the pier, Madison tells Alicia there's something she didn't say and something she needs her to understand. Madison tells Alicia that her father's accident wasn't an accident. She thought she was doing the right thing by telling them he fell asleep at the wheel when in reality he committed suicide. Alicia questions how she can be certain and she reveals that there was a note. Alicia asks what it said. Madison tries to dodge telling her but Alicia insists. "I love you all but enough's enough," Madison says. Alicia asks if Nick knows and Madison tells her that Nick is the reason she kept it a secret. She talks about the similarities between Nick and his father. She takes Alicia's hand and tells her that she was afraid of Nick ending up like his father and that Alicia deserves more. She never loved Alicia any less than Nick, she just thought she was alright. Alicia tells Madison, "I love you, too." as they hug.

"Wrath"
At the hotel, Travis wakes up to see Madison sitting in front of him. She's been there all night, thinking. Madison tries to assure Travis that he did everything he could for Chris and he kept his promise to Liza. She will continue to remind him until he believes it and when he's ready he should come downstairs to be with the rest of the group. Madison checks in with Alicia, who is taking care of survivors in the parking garage. Alicia expresses her disdain for Brandon and Derek, who are loudly disparaging the Mexican patients and complaining about Brandon's dislocated shoulder. Madison tries to quiet Brandon and Derek down. She asks what happened and learns that Brandon hurt his shoulder in a car accident after they let their 16-year-old companion, a kid from Los Angeles, drive without a license. They say the driver died in the accident. Madison deduces that they are the men who Chris joined up with.

Madison tells Strand that Brandon and Derek are in the parking garage and that she suspects Chris is dead. Strand discourages her from telling Travis, as it would destroy the only thing that keeps him going. It's the same hope Strand lost when Thomas died. Madison agrees that the news about Chris would break Travis. Madison plains to secretly exile Brandon and Derek. In the parking garage, Madison tells Brandon that Andrés will require privacy to fix his shoulder. As they escort Brandon and Derek away, the other survivors complain that Americans are receiving preferential treatment. The crowd becomes unruly. Travis hears a commotion outside and sees a mob of survivors following Madison as she escorts Brandon and Derek to the gate. He runs outside and demands to know where Chris is. Travis and Madison take Brandon and Derek to the hotel cafe.

After Andrés fixes Brandon's arm, Travis interrogates them about Chris. They explain that they were tired from avoiding bandits, and Chris offered to drive the truck so that they could catch up on sleep. When he veered off the road, the truck rolled, Chris was thrown from the truck, and died on impact. Travis asks where Chris was buried, and Derek says they pulled him from the wreck and buried him under a tree. Travis notices discrepancies in the two stories. He locks Madison and Oscar out of the cafe and begins to get physical with Brandon and Derek, demanding the truth. Brandon admits that Chris survived the wreck but suffered a leg injury, so they shot him dead in the road. "We had to," he pleads. Travis savagely beats Brandon and Derek to death, smashing heads and breaking limbs, Madison watches helplessly, as she yells at Travis to stop. During that, Travis unintentionally smashes Oscar's head with a door.

"North"
Travis sits dazed on the hotel cafe floor after killing Brandon and Derek. Madison rushes to him after they unlock the door. Hector and Elena haul Travis away and remove Oscar, who is unconscious after Travis attacked him to prevent him from interfering. Madison tries to defend Travis, but Elena points out that he killed two men and badly hurt Oscar. Madison wants them to stop but Strand insists she calm down. Madison takes Alicia's knife and goes back inside and stabs Brandon and Derek through the head. Strand tries to dissuade Madison from speaking up for Travis, who Elena wants to banish. Alicia and Madison decide to leave the hotel together with Travis. Strand refuses to join them, and questions why Madison would leave for the man who abandoned him. He already chose not to kill himself with Thomas, so he's not going to die for Travis or any of them.

Madison talks to Hector and Elena about Travis, asking for the night and then they will all leave. Madison wants Travis to be freed from his holding in the mean time and, after a discussion, Hector is reluctant, but Elena owes her a favor and allows them to stay one night, then leave in the morning. Madison sends Alicia to check on Oscar before walking in to talk to Travis. She tells Travis that he has to leave and she's going to leave with him. He insists Madison is safe here but she won't change her mind and invites Travis to wait the night out with her. That night, Madison joins Travis on the balcony of their hotel room and assures him that Brandon and Derek deserved their fate. She says that she too killed someone, Celia, in order to protect Nick. Madison understands why he killed and will understand why he will in the future because they will have to in order to survive.

Hector and Andrés barge into Travis' room and starts beating him. Madison tries to stop them but Andres draws a gun and points it at Travis. He tells her Oscar is dead and refuses to let Travis live. Suddenly, Alicia stabs Andres. A fight ensues and Strand grabs Andrés' gun and orders everyone out. "We need to run," he says. They leave as Alicia sees Andres dying on the ground. They head out and Victor tries to keep up, holding his side. Travis, Madison, and Alicia pile into a car outside the hotel. Strand gives the gun to Madison and stays behind. Travis accelerates and plows through the front gate.In the back of the truck, Alicia struggles with what she did and Madison, proud, tells her she'll be okay. Travis and Madison arrive at a broken down building, seeking shelter. It's the supermarket. They go inside, looking for the leader, but it's empty. They discover the bodies of Francisco's family in the back of the empty market, bullet wounds through their heads. They find Francisco's driver's license with his La Colonia address.

Madison, Alicia, and Travis arrive at La Colonia and see all of the dead. Madison and Travis move forward to check things out, telling Alicia to stay back. They encounter a large herd of infected, including Marco and his gangsters. Madison and Travis find Alicia on the bus, tending to a dying Alejandro. Madison tells Alejandro she's looking for Nick. Alejandro informs Madison that Nick went to the border because he saw something, but dies before he can mention the camp. Alicia hands Madison her Balisong. Madison closes Alejandro's eyes, turns his head to the side, and drives in the blade, preventing him from reanimating. Madison turns her attention back to the search for Nick.

"Eye of the Beholder"
Madison, Travis, and Alicia are escorted by a military group down a path surrounded by dead bodies. A gate opens and they are brought into an area labeled as a restricted military base. Travis is separated from the group, yelling back to Madison that he will find her. Alicia and Madison drive one way while Travis goes another, each in cars with soldiers. A massive military base is revealed. Inside the facility, Alicia and Madison search for weapons or an escape route. Alicia insists they shouldn't have been looking for Nick. Troy, the soldier in charge at the depot, enters a locked office where Madison and Alicia are being held. He offers them tea and seems hospitable, until he starts interrogating them. Madison explains to Troy that she’s looking for her son, Nick. Madison then demands to know where they’ve taken Travis. Troy avoids answering, but promises to let them go once he’s finished “processing” them. He shows particular interest in Madison, before exiting.

Madison searches the office for a weapon. Alicia gives her a knife that she hid in her boot before they were taken prisoner. Madison tells her that she is willing to kill if necessary, but that it will be her doing the killing, not Alicia. In the office area, Madison and Alicia sleep on the couch and chair while Troy writes notes beside them. Troy says they passed the processing but Travis has different criteria. "I'm not a bad person," Troy insists. Madison asks if he Travis is dead and Troy asks if it would hurt her if he was. She says she loves his life more than her own. Troy tells Madison that they’re getting ready to evacuate the depot. He offers to release Travis if she and Alicia travel home with him. They hear a gunshot outside. Troy runs out of the office and locks the door behind him.

Troy returns to the office and Madison attacks him with the knife, but Troy knocks the weapon out of her hand. She grabs hold of a spoon and plunges it into his eye socket, nearly gouging his eye out. Madison tells Troy if he tries to break away he will lose his eye. Madison yells for Alicia to find Travis and a vehicle. Madison drags Troy outside, holding the spoon in his gouged eye, as armed soldiers surround them. Troy tells the soldiers to back off. Alicia hides in a truck as the soldiers pack for the impending evacuation from the base. Jake, Troy’s brother, arrives and urges Madison to release Troy. He acknowledges that Troy probably brought this on himself, but she’s surrounded and has no where to go. Madison releases Troy who lunges for her but is subdued by Jake who demands to know where Madison’s family is. Jake insists he will help find her family as Troy admits that Travis is in the pit. Meanwhile, Troy brings Madison to the pit, where they find an exhausted Travis surrounded by brained Infected and covered in blood. He climbs out of the pit and attacks Troy, but is quickly restrained. Alicia is brought to Madison, followed by Nick and the Clark family reunites.

Jack tells Madison and Travis about his father's ranch and insists they had that way. He says Troy is the only man who has bad intentions. Madison rejects the offer and demands their guns back. Madison thanks Travis and apologizes to him for the loss of Chris. "I'm here. You're family's here," she said. Travis tells her, "We're gonna be back in it, soon. I'm okay now. I'm with you." Though, he is acting quite disconnected. Jack pleads with Madison to come with her. They hear a gunshots before noticing a herd Nick and Luciana encountered have emerged from the sewer and breached the barracks. The compound has been compromised, and chaos ensues. Madison and Nick fight the infected, while Travis and Alicia help Luciana into a helicopter. Troy arrives in a truck and urges Madison and Nick to hop on board. The helicopter takes off with Travis, Alicia, and Luciana while Madison and Nick depart in a truck with Troy. Troy tells Madison that they’re all going to the same destination.

"The New Frontier"
The next day, Troy blasts heavy metal music as he drives Madison and Nick to his father’s ranch. Madison keeps her guard up, still leery of Troy and his motives. Eventually the caravan pulls up to Broke Jaw Ranch. A guard tells Troy that Jake never arrived. Troy orders Madison and Nick to get out of the truck. He drives inside the gate, leaving Madison and Nick outside looking in. Nick suggests they backtrack and find the rest of their group, but Madison insists they stay put in case the helicopter arrives. She reveals to Nick that she stole a gun off the truck and tells him they can protect themselves if they have to. Nick refuses to stay at the ranch, but Madison reminds him that this is their best shot at medical treatment for Luciana.

Troy’s father, Jeremiah Otto, introduces himself to Madison and Nick and orders the guard to let them in. Jeremiah shows Madison and Nick around the ranch and explains that he initially started the camp to prepare for the fall of democracy. Madison is critical of Troy, but Jeremiah defends his son’s behavior by stating that he was just carrying out his mission at the depot. Sensing Madison and Nick’s hostility, he points out that most people would be grateful to be at the ranch. Jeremiah brings Madison and Nick to their bunkhouse and leaves them with a key. Nick grumbles about Madison being nice to Jeremiah after his son tried to kill them. Madison admits that she doesn’t have a plan yet, but they should play nice while they bide their time.

When Jake's group arrives, Madison joyfully reunites with Alicia. She looks for Travis, then falls to her knees with grief upon realizing that Travis is dead. Nick finds Luciana and tries to wake her up. Troy is quick to say that Luciana won't make it and wants to put her down. He orders Nick to move aside, so he does, but then offers to do it himself. Nick gets the gun and stares down at Luciana before pointing it at Troy. Everyone draws their guns on him. Nick orders Luciana be allowed inside. Jeremiah steps between the two men. He offers to let Luciana in if she has a pulse. Nick hands over the gun and Luciana is escorted to the infirmary. Madison grieves in private over the death of Travis. Jeremiah finds her, offers his condolences, and then gently asks her to register the gun that she stole from them. She signs out the gun in his log book. Madison tells Nick and Alicia that they’re going to make the ranch their home, even if that means they must take it over. Alicia objects, syaing that such a thing is insane, but Madison disagrees. "It's our fate." Madison tells them, "We're going to stay here. We're going to make it our home, even if we have to take it over." She says it is their fate. "Travis died getting here," she says. Madison demands to know exactly how Travis died.

"TEOTWAWKI"
Madison, Nick, and Alicia attend Charlene’s memorial at the ranch. Sensing hostility from members of the community, Madison introduces herself to the ranchers and thanks them for taking her family in. She offers condolences to the little girl. She begins telling everyone about the loss of Travis, calling him their compass, and thanking them for their generosity. In line at the mess tent, Madison and Alicia are getting food, and a man accuses them of being freeloaders. Alicia can't understand why people are harassing them instead of Troy. Gretchen, a young rancher around Alicia’s age, introduces herself to Madison and Alicia, then invites Alicia to Bible study. Madison nudges Alicia to accept the invitation.

Madison walks into her room to find Troy sleeping in one of the beds. He says he liked her speech and how she said the name, "Travis." He accuses her of reminding everyone that she is a victim, too. He asks what she did in the old world and she tells him she was a guidance counselor. He never attended high school. He says everything he does is in service to this place. He says her understanding of how brutal this world is and says that he picked her, not Nick, to join his community. Madison insists Nick will earn his keep, and orders Troy to make the bed before he leaves. In the bunkhouse, Madison assures Nick and Alicia that they can win over the minority of people who don’t want them at the ranch. She also warns them to stay away from Troy. Nick insists they start over elsewhere, but Madison refuses to leave the relative safety of their new home.

In the house, Jake gets concerned with about not hearing back from a squad that investigated the crash. Madison walks in and asks Jeremiah to protect her family from Troy and other hostile community members. She goes as far as threatening to expose Troy’s twisted experiments at the fuel depot. Jeremiah refuses to tell people how to behave, but offers to teach her the culture of this ranch. He asks Jake to show her his video lectures.

Jake sets Madison up to watch Jeremiah's old video tapes. He promises to protect her family from Troy. Madison tells Jake she wants to find whoever shot down the chopper. He understands her desire to know who killed Travis. Madison discovers a collection of outtakes from Jeremiah’s commercial. In the video, Jeremiah fights with his drunk wife and yells at a young Troy. She turns off the video when Jeremiah walks in the room. Jeremiah explains that Jake and Troy are children from two different marriages. He admits that he and his second wife were alcoholics and that Troy took care of his mother towards the end of her life. Madison informs Jeremiah that Nick is an addict. Jeremiah understands, having battled his own issues with alcohol. Jeremiah offers to show Madison why he tolerates Troy.

Jeremiah escorts Madison under the house, showing her "the pantry" which is loaded with guns and supplies. He explains that he “broke” Troy in the old world, but that Troy now has a purpose in the new world. He has the killer instinct needed to survive. Madison pledges to help rebuild in Jeremiah's new world. Madison visits Luciana in the infirmary and asks about her wound, which is getting better. Luciana thanks her for waiting for her to heal before they leave. "I'm sorry for Travis," she said. "He saved my life." Madison insists he was a good man who saved them all.

In the cafeteria, Madison sees Jake and Jeremiah talking. They look a bit concerned, prompting her to feel the same. Jeremiah announces to the community that it’s been 36 hours since they dispatched a unit to investigate the chopper attack. He asks for volunteers to accompany Troy on a search mission to find their men. Madison volunteers. At mealtime, Madison sits next to Troy instead of eating with Nick and Alicia. She lays out a napkin on Troy’s lap.

"Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame"
Madison, Nick and everyone wake up to some startling noise. They rush to investigate and find the burning house. Jake is dishing out orders, calling for more water. Nick joins the ranchers as they fight to put out the fire. Jeremiah steps forward and orders them to stop, the people inside are gone. "Save the water, let it burn," he said. The next day, Nick and Alicia try to dissuade Madison from joining Troy on his mission to find the missing team that went to investigate the downed chopper. Madison ignores their advice and leaves with Troy.

Meanwhile, Madison, Troy and his team arrive at their destination. Troy insists they don't use guns because they're too loud. The group approaches a bunch of infected wearing orange prison jumpsuits next to a crashed bus. Troy is first to start killing them, apparently enjoying it, with Madison quickly joining in. She finds herself pinned beneath two infected before long with one soldier shooting one down before she uses a knife to kill the other. Troy continues to massacre the dead as though it were an art form until they're all eliminated. "That's a beautiful thing," he exhales. Troy’s team eliminates the Infected, giving Madison a chance to prove her fighting skills to Troy’s men. The team arrives at the helicopter crash site only to discover that whoever shot it down dragged it away. They find shells from a gun owned by Phil and deduce that Phil engaged the assailants before retreating to his outpost.

Troy’s team drives to the outpost. On the way, Troy and Madison talk about those they lost. Madison confides that seeing the place where Travis died shook her. She wonders if Troy grieved for his mother after she died. Troy declares that dead people are dead. Troy’s group arrives at the outpost to find a pile of charred bodies. They discover Phil, partially scalped and babbling nonsensically as a crow pecks at his exposed brain. Horrified, Madison stabs Phil in the head, and insists they leave. Before the militiamen can move, a Native American man named Walker confronts them with his soldiers. Walker orders Troy and the rest to drop their weapons and they comply once they realize they are surrounded by Walker's men. He then tells the group he will be taking all their weapons, their vehicles and their boots and that the time for justice has come and Troy and his people must abandon the ranch. Troy refuses and Qaletqa threatens that he will feed them all to the crows (like McCarthy) if they do not leave.

Madison demands water from him in order to allow them to return to the ranch to deliver his message and after introducing herself, Walker tells her that she bought into a lost cause and Madison tells him it became her cause when he and his people shot down the helicopter that killed Travis. Troy’s group makes their way back toward the ranch without their shoes and weapons. Madison insists they take a break, but Troy orders his men to keep walking. When Madison challenges him, Troy pulls her aside and says she’s not his mother. Madison speculates that Troy’s mother must have hated him. As Troy reels from her words, Madison asks the team if they want to rest. Everyone raises their hands. Troy begrudgingly allows his militia to rest until dawn. Madison wakes up in the middle of the night to find Troy holding a knife to her neck. She urges him to be a better man. He relents and withdraws the knife.

"Red Dirt"
Madison and Troy’s team arrive, who all have bloody feet from walking without shoes. Troy pushes on and walks in. Alicia and Nick give Madison water. Jeremiah requests a private debrief, but one of the ranchers, Vernon Trimbol, insists Troy's team share their findings with everyone. Mike Trimbol announces that a group of Native Americans slaughtered Phil McCarthy and the others from the outpost. Troy tries to keep everyone calm saying they can handle the situation but Mike cracks and blurts out that they're all going to die if they don't leave.

Madison, Jeremiah, Troy and Jake discuss a course of action. Troy is being scolded by Jeremiah for leading the group to a bad situation. Madison defends him. Troy insists they fight Walker, but Jeremiah believes Walker is bluffing. Jake suggests they negotiate with Walker and points out that he beat Walker in court when Walker filed lawsuits in the past. Madison asks if they stole Walker’s land. Jeremiah maintains that the ranch was sold to his forebears. Madison insists this man is a threat. Jeremiah sends Jake to talk to Walker, armed with threats, before storming out of the room.

Madison and Alicia take care of Madison's feet. She is in a lot of pain as they care for her. Nick reveals that Luciana left. Madison sits on her bed as Alicia is heard shooting in the distance. Gretchen walks in and asks for Alicia. Madison tells her she's busy and asks about Mike and Gretchen reveals that Mike credits Madison for saving his life. Her entire family is scared of this new threat. Her father helped create this place and he is scared enough to want to leave for a colony in Colorado. She says he's telling other ranchers about his plans. Then at night, Nick walks outside. There are fires lit all around the Broke Jaw Ranch. The community is scared and huddle together. Jeremiah looks on from his balcony. The next day, the fires have burnt out. Madison, Jeremiah and Jake examine the charred wood. Jeremiah insists that if Walker was going to come, he would have, but he isn't capable of taking the place over.

Moments later, Jeremiah is approached by Madison, experiencing a migraine. Vernon approaches and wants to have a word. He starts by recalling the long-lasting friendship and says his priority is his family and to protect them he will leave. Jeremiah encourages him to leave if that's what he wants. Troy asks if Mike is going, too, and Vernon says, "My family's leaving Troy!" Jeremiah says men have kids and it turns them into women. Madison encourages him to provide a reason to stay and Jeremiah thinks he offered enough already.

Troy charges toward the gate and insists they keep it closed. He tells Vernon to open to the door. They refuse. Troy approaches and insists they can't leave with Ranch property. They have Ranch gas and supplies. Jake tries to stop him but they ultimately get into a fight. Jeremiah rushes in and punches Troy as a result and Madison breaks it up. The gate is opened and Vernon's family leaves with Gretchen waving farewell to Alicia. In the armory, Troy preps weapons. Madison approaches and asks if he is going after his family. He's not. He explains that all he ever had in his life was this place. Troy is struggling to accept how Mike and Vernon quit on this community, and explains that Mike was his loyal childhood friend. Madison insists they were just doing what they thought best for the family and that she will help prevent any one else from leaving. Madison looks on, as Troy gathers a small militia in the pantry and charges them with defending the ranch.

Madison catches Alicia sneaking around from Jake's. Madison questions Alicia about her relationship with Jake, but Alicia insists it is nothing serious. Madison reminds Alicia how important it is not to get pregnant before Alicia reveals that she like him, but does not love him. In the morning, Madison, Nick and Jeremiah leave the ranch on a pickup to search for Vernon's family on the road. Madison reasons that the horse may have escaped on its own but Jeremiah predicts that the Trimbol family is dead. They exit their truck having found Vernon's RV. It's been shot and ravaged. There is a zombie slamming around inside. Jeremiah puts two down with two shots. Nick examines gun shot on the side of the RV. The zombies inside were Vernon and Kathy. Mike is dead behind the RV. Behind the RV, Gretchen and other walkers are eating a horse on the trailer. Madison freezes. Nick puts Gretchen down. Moments later, they have gathered the bodies. Madison is taken aback by the fact that Gretchen is Alicia's age. Nick and Jeremiah think Troy killed the family in an effort to scare everyone. Jeremiah tries to believe Troy couldn't do this. Madison insists everyone turn around and go back, so they do.

At the gate, Troy is waiting. The pick-up truck and RV pull in. Madison, Nick and Jeremiah return to the ranch with the bodies. Madison reveals the dead bodies to the community. She gives a speech to the community, she covers for Troy and declares that the people who killed Travis and Phil have now killed the Trimbols. She warns that anyone who leaves the ranch will die and urges them to stay together. The crowd murmurs in support. Ranchers return supplies to the pantry. Nick confronts Madison about lying to the ranch. Madison points out that even if Troy killed the Trimbols, no one would believe them. Nick agrees to keep Madison’s secret as long as she includes him on her plans.

Madison approaches Troy at the fence and confronts him about killing the Trimbols. Troy admits that he pursued them to confront Mike over abandoning him, and then things got out of hand. Troy says, "He said some things and I did some things and it went bad." Madison reassures him he did what was right and they he is the survivor here. She says the only thing that matters is that Troy can control his rages, claiming he is integral to saving them from the fight that is coming. She hopes Troy is up to the task of protecting the Ranch from Walker. Troy says he is.

"The Unveiling"
Madison informs Nick that Alicia is missing, Jeremiah remarks that Jake, too, is gone. Nick offers to go after Alicia and Jake, but Jeremiah insists they can't spare people to look for them. Nick doesn't want to sit around like Jeremiah, so he suggests he train with Troy before embarking on such a dangerous mission. Nick cuts his hair and tells Madison he’s keeping his enemies close, referring to Troy. Jake returns to the ranch with Ofelia, who was at Walker's camp. Madison yells at Jake for leaving Alicia with Walker. Jake assures her that Walker will honor the hostage swap and Alicia is safe. Madison asks Troy to help rescue Alicia. Troy hesitates, preferring to see how Jake’s parley plays out. Madison points out that he owes her a favor for not turning the ranch against him. Troy, Nick and several militia soldiers sneak into Black Hat headquarters and rescue Alicia. Nick spots a guard approaching and tackles the guard, who Troy then shoots. Gunfire breaks out. Madison picks up the rescue team with Alicia in a truck.

Madison’s group returns to the ranch. Jake admonishes them for essentially declaring war on Walker’s nation. Madison admits that she convinced Troy to help save Alicia and accuses Jake of getting played by Walker. Madison, Jeremiah, Jake and Troy question Ofelia, who claims that Walker kicked her out because he suspected her of helping Alicia escape. A guard takes her to the infirmary. Madison regrets letting Ofelia return to Walker, given her promise to Ofelia’s father that she would look after Ofelia. Madison tells Ofelia she can stay at the ranch. Ofelia offers to help in the kitchen. Ofelia explains that Alicia was never in trouble and Madison says, "because of me."

In the bunkhouse, Alicia asks Madison how they can be sure that Walker killed the Trimbols. Madison doesn’t answer. Madison and Alicia wake up to the sounds of screams. They run outside. Ofelia lingers behind. Madison, Nick and Alicia slaughter the Infected in the camp. Nick sees Ofelia standing in the bunkhouse doorway and calls her name. She runs. Nick falls to the ground in pain and realizes that Ofelia is responsible for the illness. Madison chases after Ofelia.

"Children of Wrath"
Madison chases Ofelia as she tries to escape the ranch. Ofelia, however, gets into a truck and finds the keys. Madison catches up, though, and busts the window. She punches and interrogates her for answers. The next day, ranchers load dead bodies onto a truck. Jake and Alicia tend to the sick, which includes Nick. Madison informs everyone that Ofelia poisoned the militia’s coffee. Madison orders Jake to give Nick antibiotics.

Madison holds Ofelia at gunpoint and forces her to drive to the Black Hat Reservation. Ofelia insists that the powder was only supposed to make the militia sick so that Walker’s people could take over the ranch without bloodshed. Madison is disgusted with her and accuses her for abandoning her family, including Nick. Ofelia defends her actions and says "the nation's my family now." Madison brings Ofelia to Walker and demands to know what the poison was. He tells her that the poison was anthrax but says that Nick will survive if he’s able-bodied. He warns that she and her family will die if they don’t leave the ranch. Madison tells Jake that the poison was anthrax and that those who don’t die will be too weak to resist an attack. Jake orders Troy to gather the remaining militia, but Troy is the only one left. Madison suggests they recruit the ranchers but Jake tells her twice she doesn’t lead the ranch.

Jake eventually agrees with Madison’s plan to fight and instructs Troy to arm anyone who isn’t sick. Alicia suggests they try to negotiate with Walker again. Jake points out that they have no leverage to broker a deal. Alicia hatches a plan. Madison and Alicia hitch a wagon to her truck. Some of Walker's men spot the militia and begin gunning them down. Madison rushes back to the truck. Troy covers them and kills some of the Native Americans before leaping into the truck. The truck starts to pull away with Walker's trailer in tow.

Moments later, Nick tells Alicia and Madison about Jeremiah's previous deeds. Alicia insists they're on the wrong side. Nick doesn't want to cross any lines like Jeremiah does. When Alicia is confused by what he meant, he tells her Troy was the one who killed the Trimbols. Alicia is angered and disgusted to learn what her family lied about and upset about Troy murdering her friend, Gretchen, she tells off Madison, accuses her of being heartless for standing with Troy, saying and express how their dad was depressed because he was living with a corpse. Madison defends her action and declares that she’s too busy keeping everyone alive to have time for feelings, and insists she always had to keep everyone together and Alicia has no idea what she carries. Alicia is unfazed as Madison remains slient.

Madison speaks with Walker at the gate of Broke Jaw Ranch. She offers to return the artifacts as long as Walker agrees to peace. Madison hands over Walker's father's skull. He still says this is not enough. "This isn't my father, this is an old white man shame," Walker said before handing it over and sending her back. She tells Troy, Jake, Alicia, and Nick that they have until sundown the next day to clear out or die. Madison enters her family's quarters where Alicia is packing up. She reveals to Nick and Alicia why she’s never taken them to her hometown in Alabama. Madison shot her alcoholic father when she was a child because he beat her mother. She resolutely insists she would do it again if it meant protecting her family.

Madison walks in Jeremiah's office as he is fortifying his office. "I'm going Alamo, Madison," he said. "I built this house as a holdout in case we were ever over run or under siege." He believes himself to be prepared for the battle. Jeremiah offers Madison a drink and pours himself a little more. He thanks her for protecting his boys and standing by them. She tells Jeremiah there is one way to secure the peace. Walker is willing to offer peace in exchange for Jeremiah’s scalp. She doesn't respond so he questions if she is here to kill him. He tries to reason with her. She puts her gun on the table and says she isn't going to kill him. She pushes the gun to him and insists he kill himself. "I didn't outlive Phil and Russell and two good women to die like some rabbit with no resistance," he said. She insists if he doesn't do it, he loses the ranch, and therefore his legacy as everyone including his sons dies. He orders her out of the room and insists she do it herself if that's what has to happen.

Nick enters the room, and Jeremiah mocks him and says his mom is "exactly like" and doesn't finish the sentence before Nick shoots him in the head. Madison quickly begins to put a plan into action, and tells Nick, "I need you to do exactly as I say!" Jake and Troy run to Jeremiah’s house to find him dead, staged to look like a suicide by Madison and Nick. They remove Jeremiah’s body from the house. Madison, Alicia and Nick stand on the ranch's balcony where Jeremiah used to overlook the community. They watch Jake and Troy deliver Jeremiah's body to a coffin.

In the barn, Madison observes the coffin. As the sun comes up, Madison meets with Walker and places a backpack at his feet. He opens it and finds Jeremiah’s head inside. He nods at Madison and they part ways, peacefully.

"Minotaur"
Madison wakes up in Jeremiah's house and rummages through the dead man's office. Madison searches Jeremiah’s desk, his blood stain still there from the murder that took place. Some of the drawers are still locked. Madison tries to open drawers but they are locked. Her efforts halt when the commotion outside catches her attention. Everyone heads to the gate of the community with Jake walking outside to greet this apparently unexpected convoy. Walker’s convoy approaches the ranch. Jake greets the convoy and shakes Walker’s hand. The ranchers warily look on as Walker waves the convoy through the gate: The Nation has officially come to live at Broke Jaw Ranch.

In the cafeteria, Madison and Alicia discuss Jake's questionable health. Alicia says he's getting better, but Madison tells her, "lying's not useful" and tells her to take care of him. Alicia informs Madison that she is undermining Jake’s leadership by back-channeling with Walker. Madison denies that she’s been speaking to Walker, but Alicia repeats what Madison said to her, "lying's not useful" before leaving. In the meeting tent, Madison is present when Jake urges ranchers to forgive the Nation and work toward building a future together. Walker declares that his grudge against the ranch died when Jeremiah sacrificed himself for a peace deal.

Walker privately asks Madison if she’s prepared to handle Troy, should he become a threat. She assures him that she is. In Jeremiah's room, Madison pries open a drawer in Jeremiah s desk and discovers a note which claims there is 6 weeks worth of water available. The next morning, Terrance walks up to Crazy Dog and pulls a gun from his hoodie, attempting to kill him for Gretchen, but Crazy Dog manages to knock the gun away from him. A stray bullet hits a member of the Nation. Crazy Dog locks Terrance in a choke hold and nearly chokes him to death, but releases his victim when Madison and Walker steps in.

In the infirmary, Terrence is suffocated as his esophagus has been broken. Walker worries that other ranchers will follow Terrance’s example and demands the second arsenal key from Jake so that his people can arm themselves. Madison takes Walker’s side and urges Jake to let the Nation control the weapons and sweep the ranch for all remaining weapons. Jake reluctantly gives Walker the key. Moments later, Madison and Nick discuss how important it is to keep Jeremiah's murder a secret. Nick tells Madison that he can handle Troy, but Madison worries that Troy will kill Nick if he finds out that Nick killed Jeremiah. Nick is not sure what reaction he will have.

They arrive at Troy's house and demand his weapons. Troy is curious about his own safety. Nick helps convince him by saying, "You don't want to die on your doorstep." Troy allows everyone inside. He sits in his father's chair and discusses his father dying in it. When Walker attempts to search upstairs, Troy draws a gun on them. Nick stands in the way of the gun and orders everyone to leave, closing the door behind them. Madison promises Walker that she can fix the situation with Troy and Nick. Madison urges Troy and Nick to disarm, but they’re interrupted by gunfire from the Nation. Troy fires back. Someone pulls Madison out of harm’s way. The battle ends when Nick finally confesses to Troy that he killed Jeremiah. Troy is stunned and aims his gun at Nick but decides not to shoot. He's broken by the news about his father. Walker’s men barge into the room.

The next day, Madison talks with Walker. Walker wants justice. Madison says they can't kill Troy but she doesn't want them to kill him. "You can't martyr him," she said. Walker suggests exile before calling for Nick to be part of this, as well, for his support of Troy. "There can be consequences but he stays here," Madison insists. "Nick lives."

Troy is put in the bed of truck with his hands tied and given one bullet, in the event he decides he wants to kill himself. Meanwhile, Nick is escorted to a hot box where Walker promises he will suffer. Madison and Klah get in a truck to drive Troy into the desert. Later, in the middle of the desert, Madison parks there. Madison gets out and they're going to free Troy here. Troy calls her the "white witch of the apocalypse." He questions why he wouldn't come back and Madison insists he wouldn't do that to his brother. Troy gets a hold of Klah’s knife and stabs Klah, wounding him.

Madison prevents Troy from killing him as she aims a gun at Troy and orders him to go. Troy reveals that he knows about Nick killing Jeremiah. He questions her guilt for not killing Jeremiah and asks why she let Nick do it for her. She says it should have been her before Troy yanks the gun and grabs Madison. "Your father wanted to let other people die! He wanted to let you die! He could've banished himself," she insists. Madison headbutts Troy and goes for the gun. She gets to it and points it at him. Troy tries to talk to Madison more before switching to how tired he is. He takes his backpack and starts walking. Madison keeps her gun aimed for a moment but eventually holsters it as Troy walks off into the desert alone.

"The Diviner"
Madison and Walker look upon a nearly depleted reservoir. Madison tells Walker that Jeremiah was aware of the low reserves. She insists they keep the water situation a secret in order to maintain peace at the ranch. Walker suggests they buy water from a trading post in Mexicali. Madison and Walker tell Alicia, Jake, Ofelia, and Crazy Dog that they will be gone for a couple of days to secure a backup water supply. In the meantime, they instruct them to enforce water rationing across the ranch. Madison reveals to Alicia that they only have six weeks of water left. She urges Alicia to keep the secret and gives her a radio to stay in touch.

Madison goes to Nick's box and gives him water. She drops the bottle inside. Nick is unresponsive. She doesn't want to leave in search of water with Walker until she knows Nick is okay. She walks to the truck and leaves with Walker. Madison and Walker make camp for the night. Madison touches base with Alicia over the radio and asks about Nick. Walker tells Madison that she is overprotective. Madison and Walker drive to a large trading post at a stadium. Walker takes a canister of gold out of a box. Madison and Walker surrender their weapons to a guard at a checkpoint. Madison reluctantly trades her radio to the teller to pay for admission into the trading post.

Madison and Walker enter El Bazar. They find the outpost packed with bustling stalls and customers selling everything imaginable. Alicia tries to reach Madison over the radio but gets no response, due to her giving her radeo away. Madison and Walker approach Maria Lu at the trading post and ask for 10,000 gallons of water. Walker presents her with the gold and offers to give her a dozen more canisters. Maria Lu agrees. Madison sees a man wrestling with people. Madison realizes it is Strand, who somehow is here for a reason, and she rushes to his aid. Maria Lu calls off the deal once she realizes that Madison is friends with Strand, who owes a debt to Proctor John. Madison uses a shovel to start a fight and frees Strand. The men end up getting the upper hand but Walker comes to their rescue. Strand leads Madison and Walker to a hideout. Strand tells Madison that he plans to reconnect with a friend who controls a dam near Tijuana, but is trapped in El Bazar until his debts are paid. They rest for the night.

Madison catches up with Strand in the hideout. He gives her water and sits beside her. He asks about him then about Nick. Madison reveals she found him before telling him Alicia is north. "My children are alive," Madison said. Strand is relieved. Strand, learning of Travis's death, consoles her. Proctor Nineteen and another guard barge in with Walker as their captive. Walker says the guards had threatened to kill them. While being kicked out, A guard tells Madison that Strand must pay off his debt to Proctor by defending the front gate from Infected while chained up. Strand urges Madison to leave him and return to Nick and Alicia. "The whole world is lost," Strand tells her. "My mother named me Victor because she knew I'd always win. I'll be fine." Strand is escorted out with the rest of the prisoners.

Madison sits at a bar at the Bazar. Walker approaches and tells her he repaired the water deal with Maria Lu. They will have the water for their community in the morning. The next morning, Walker brings the gold to Maria Lu only to find that all the canisters are empty. It is revealed that Madison stole the gold to pay Strand his debt.

Meanwhile Strand has become surrounded, He uses a hammer to take them down. He is surrounded just as Madison and the men who put him out there gun down the undead and help him up. "Your debt is paid," Madison tells him. Walker confronts Madison about using his gold to pay off Strand’s debt. She reasons that the water tanker was just a short-term solution and that Strand can lead them to a longer-term solution: a dam.

"La Serpiente"
Madison, Strand and Walker drive to the dam in the water tanker. They encounter a herd of Infected. Strand throws a beeping alarm out the window to draw the mass of walkers away from the road, allowing the truck to pass unharmed. Madison, Strand and Walker pull into a gated parking lot. Strand pushes a car aside to reveal a sewage grate. Walker does not like the idea of heading underground, but Madison reassures him this is the fastest way. The group descends into the tunnels. Suddenly an infected approaches the group. Madison wants to take the small group out but Strand insists there may be more in the dark behind it. They come to a crossroads and Strand leads the way, revealing he is looking for an eye logo which are laid out by the Proctors. He finds it and continues.

Down further, Madison comes across a bloated walker blocking the way. It is stuck. Madison kills it with a hatchet but realizes they are going to have to chop it up and remove it piece by piece. She starts with its head then it's arm. After pulling too much, water starts to flood the sewer. Walker decides to head back to the surface and leaves them. Strand finally tells Madison that Daniel is alive and is at Gonzalez Dam, but that Daniel is angry with him for misleading him on Ofelia’s whereabouts. Strand breathes a sigh of relief when Madison informs him that Ofelia is alive and safe at the ranch. As they head down the tunnel they run into Walker who is fleeing from a group of Infected.

Daniel and his group reaches the dam and shuts the gate behind them. Daniel sees someone emerging from a pipe: It's Strand. He is not happy to see him but Madison emerges and asks Daniel to lower the gun. Walker lowers his first. Madison is happy to see that Daniel is alive. He tells her he is better now before asking about Ofelia. "She's alive, Daniel," Madison tells him. He is reluctant to trust her because of Strand, but Madison reveals Walker helped her and now they need Daniel's help. She tells him they’ve come for water. Daniel holsters his gun and brings them inside.

Daniel takes Madison’s group to Gonzalez Dam to meet Lola. They wait outside as Daniel speaks to Lola. Madison wants to handle the negotiation with Daniel, insisting she knows Daniel will help them. Moments later, Daniel invites them inside. Lola offers Madison a seat while the men in the room remain standing. Madison asks Lola for water in exchange for resources such as cattle or guns.. Lola is completely disinterested and refuses to make a deal. "We have no water to spare," she tells Madison. Madison stands up to tell Lola of the threats she will be facing. Lola insists, there is nothing left to discuss. She offers refuge for the night, but leave in the morning.

Later, Madison speaks privately to Lola. Lola insists she has had enough trouble trying to trade with other communities. If she trades with Madison, there will be bloodshed. She is ready to fight against that. Madison pleads with her, for her children, but Lola doesn't buy in. However, she offers to let Madison and her family live and work at the dam. Madison tells Lola it is impossible to do right by everyone and walks off.

In their rooms, Madison and Strand have a moment together. Strand suggests she leaves the Ranch. Madison, however, insists the dam is not safe because Lola refuses to defend it. They open up more deeply. Madison reveals how much she has done for the kids and how much they have seen. Strand wants her to remove the kids from the picture for a moment and Strand asks what she wants. Madison says that she wants to keep living at the ranch. She says the ranch has problems to spare, but it's the closest thing to what she knows. It's where she wants to be, she tells him before asking what future he sees. "One where I don't fail my friends," Strand said.

Walker leaves the dam and warns Madison that he is kicking out the ranchers. "They can leave peacefully or we can force them. Your choice." he says. He refuses to reason with her and leaves. Daniel and Madison catch up. Madison asks Daniel if he tried to change Lola's mind, but he couldn't, he says he won't abandon her because she saved his life. Madison, however, questions whether the truth of it is Daniel being afraid to face his daughter. "Ofelia will always be my daughter, no matter what that man had her do," Daniel said.

Madison joins Strand at the gate to head back to the ranch. Strand tells Madison to stay away from the water tanker. Moments later it explodes, blowing open the gate. Infected flood inside. Lola’s men kill the Infected with help from Madison and Strand. Daniel hears an angry mob approaching the breached gate. Lola still doesn’t believe the people would revolt against her until they see an angry mob approaching. Lola’s crew secures the gate just as the rioters arrive. Lola retreats, while Daniel calls Strand and Madison over so the crew can fix the fence.

In her office, Lola finally agrees to make a deal with Madison, and asks Daniel how many guns and munitions they will need to protect the dam. Daniel writes down a number. Madison agrees to provide them with the required armaments in exchange for 10,000 gallons of water a week until the rains come. Madison suggests they make the first trade in five days at the trading post in Mexicali. Lola also demands that Ofelia show up at the exchange. Madison agrees to this.

Daniel sends off Madison and Strand in a water tanker provided by Lola. She thanks Daniel before leaving. Daniel warns her that Strand will double-cross her and he knows this. Madison and Strand drive down the road in their truck full of water. Strand admits he rigged the explosion. Madison asks how Strand pulled off making the truck explode. "Trick I saw in an old movie," he said. "I had my doubts!" She thanks him. "You would've done the same for me," he insists. She jokes back with him before the two come upon Walker walking back alone. "Thirsty?" Madison asks him. Walker smiles and gets inside the truck.

"This Land Is Your Land"
Madison arrives back at the ranch with Walker and Strand to find it overrun by walkers. After Ofelia and Crazy Dog blow up the ranch's fuel reserve to destroy the horde, Madison, Walker, Strand, Nick and Troy join in rescuing Alicia from the pantry. However, they are too late to save the majority of the ranch's residents and Natives who either died in the walker attack or suffocated in the pantry. Madison tells Alicia they have to go, She tries to help Christine but realizes she has died, so she stabs her in the head. Madison gazes upon the decimated ranch. She tells Nick that they are driving to the trading post and then to the dam. She gives a look to Troy.

Madison approaches Ofelia, who is sitting with Walker. She tells Ofelia that Daniel is alive and is desperate to see her. Ofelia cries in shock, Madison insists that they have to move. Nick informs Alicia that Jake is dead. Alicia asks where the horde came from. Nick covers for Troy and says that Troy spotted the mass of Infected but was too late in warning them. Madison tells Alicia they're going to head to the dam but Alicia insists that there are no places that are safe no matter what everyone is saying. Strand insists it is the best they're going to get. The group gets ready to go but Alicia says she is not going, nor is she in shock. Alicia tells Madison that she wants to find a way to live for herself that doesn't involve running from place to place in fear. She is not going to get on the truck. Instead, she reveals a plan to live alone in the cabin that Jake told her about.

Alicia leaves in a truck. Nick tells Madison he will meet her at the dam after he follows Alicia to make sure she reaches her destination safely. Madison tells him to take Troy. Everyone heads off in their own directions, with Alicia driving across the plain. Nick and Troy follow her at a distance. Madison’s group leaves in the oil tanker.

"El Matadero"
Madison, Strand and Walker drive a tanker to the trading outpost to meet with Lola and Daniel. Strand worries that things might go south when they show up to the trade empty-handed, but she is confident that handing over what they have will be enough to convince Daniel to continue helping them, even after the attack on the Ranch cost them so many supplies. If Daniel refuses, Madison is still confident because they have Ofelia.

Meanwhile, on the back of the truck, Ofelia grows weak and falls off of her perch. Madison checks on Ofelia and spots a bite wound. Ofelia asks for Madison’s word that she will take her to see Daniel. Madison promises. Madison’s group arrives at the outpost a day early. Strand tells Madison that the outpost guards will kill Ofelia if they think she’s sick, but Madison insists they must enter to get Ofelia a bed and medicine. She insists Ofelia play it cool and work her way in with everyone. A man checks Ofelia, who is struggling to stand, and doesn't find the bite. Meanwhile, Strand and Madison accept a lower trade rate and everyone heads inside.

Madison sets up Ofelia inside a room then goes to find painkillers. Walker says her fever is up. Madison gives him a knife and tells him to stay awake. She leaves, Strand catches up and says that they just gave away their bartering tools for Ofelia to say goodbye. Strand tells her she is giving up all of their resources without thinking of the consequences. Madison wonders if he’s afraid of Daniel, but Strand says that she shouldn’t assume he’s going to help them when they show up with no weapons and a dead daughter and walks away.

Madison brings medicine back to Ofelia and Walker but she’s fading fast. Madison says Ofelia and Daniel don’t deserve this and maybe Strand was right. Walker says he lost everything at the ranch. He says he was raised on loss, and that’s why Ofelia needs to see her father one last time. He needs to be able to bury his daughter even if that means they all die. She thanks him.

Nick arrives and finds Madison sleeping by Ofelia’s side. He wakes up Madison. Walker told him what happened to Ofelia. He explains that Alicia is happy and isn’t coming with them. Madison nods and says ok. Nick says Troy is at the bar, freaked out by all of the Mexicans. Madison says that’s ok because they need people right now. She starts crying, and Nick hugs her and says it’s ok. She thanks him for being there. He says she needs fresh air and he’ll look after Ofelia. Madison gives him the knife and leaves, and then Nick takes a deep breath and goes to sit with her.

Madison wakes up Ofelia and she and Walker pick her up. Walker wants to take her there but Madison says it would be best if he didn’t go. Walker gives Ofelia a hug goodbye and she leaves with Madison. Outside, Madison leads her to a box to sit on. Ofelia is shivering so Madison puts her jacket on her and Ofelia tells her that she needs her to put her down if she turns. Madison says it won’t come to that. Ofelia asks Madison to tell her father she was really looking forward to getting to know her father better. Madison says that parents work so hard to hide things from their kids but the kids always know. Ofelia knew her father, she says, and Ofelia thanks her.

The car pulls up and Ofelia dies right at that moment. Daniel walks up to Madison and Madison begs him to stop and listen, but he won’t stop. He sees his lifeless daughter and hugs her. He demands to know what kind of sick joke this is and points the gun at Madison as he breaks down in tears. “This is the price,” he says. He tells Madison to get away from them or he’ll kill her. Madison realizes that they’re done and walks away. As she walks away, Daniel shoots Ofelia.

Madison returns to the Ofelia'a room to find it empty. Daniel comes in and looks around. Madison watches as he leans against a pole and tells her that he was walking all night. He carried Ofelia away and buried her. Madison says Ofelia saved Alicia, and that Alicia went off on her own. Daniel isn’t surprised. He asks if Madison was with her when she died. Madison says she wanted him to know she loved him, and that she was looking forward to getting to know her. She tells Daniel their conversation and he says she only saw the real man for a moment. Daniel informs her that she can still come to the dam, along with Strand, Walker, and the others.

Madison finds Nick and Troy. She says they’re going to the dam. He tells his mom he wants to stay a few days with Troy and establish a foothold there. Knowing that Nick has ulterior motives for staying, Madison simply tells him that he knows where to find her. Madison asks Strand if he's ready to go to the dam. Strand looks at the guards at the bazar, and tells her that he’s always ready.

"Things Bad Begun"
At the dam, Madison and Strand observe the water together. Strand encourages Madison to be more optimistic and envision the land this can become. She wants grand kids to spoil and Christmas mornings surrounded by babies. She recalls old holiday memories with her kids and reveals she thought she would have that at the Ranch. Strand insists they can have that here and they'll build such a paradise here that her kids will want to come home. He hands over a bottle of whiskey to raise her spirits.

Madison continues to put the whiskey away with Strand. They engage in some philosophical conversation and wonder how long until everything is forgotten. "We'll write new stories, Madison," he tells her. She orders him to reveal whatever he is hiding. "Have you ever killed anyone?" he asks. She has, claiming she had to. Strand tells Madison that he’s never killed a living person. Madison says that it’s just a matter of time. Daniel informs Madison that Nick has arrived at the dam. Nick and Troy relay what they learned at the Bazar to Madison, Strand, Daniel, Lola and Efrain: The Proctors are planning to raid the dam.

Efrain proposes using C-4 explosives to blow up the dam and release the water to the people. Daniel suggests they post guards at the dam’s entryways and use the explosives as a bargaining chip, threatening to blow up the dam if the Proctors don’t negotiate with them. Strand urges Madison to leave with Nick, but Madison insists on staying to help. Troy volunteers to help set up the explosives. Later, Madison points her anger at Nick for using drugs again. Nick, however, is urging her to abandon the dam before the proctors come.

Inside, Madison finds Walker and Crazy Dog packing. They are going to head north, unwilling to die at the dam. Madison accepts this before shaking hands with Walker and he and Crazy Dog leave the dam. Madison and Troy set up explosives under the dam. Madison thanks Troy for looking after Nick. Troy switches on the receiver and hands it to Madison. He checks with Madison to make sure they're good. She tells him they are.

Nick goes to Madison and Troy and tells them that Strand sold out Daniel and Lola to the Proctors. Madison insists on warning them, when Nick refuses, Madison blames Strand for bringing this on himself and should've came to her first, but Nick tells her that Daniel will kill Troy if he sees him. Madison presses Nick for an explanation. Troy admits that he led the horde to the ranch. Madison is furious, blaming him for taking everything away from her, despite Troy saying otherwise, and is angered he got Jake, Ofelia and everyone killed and scolds him that he had no right. Troy insists, though, that he had the right to do that and he would do it again. As he continues his rant to her, Madison bashes Troy's skull with a hammer, twice, sending him falling down a hill. She takes the detonator. Nick is shocked and walks out, Madison close behind him.

Later, Strand comes across Madison and Nick and tries to escape with them. They hide in an isolated room. Strand tells them to stay here and asks for the detonator, promising he will do everything in his power to prevent harm to either of them. He leaves and Madison locks the door behind him.

"Sleigh Ride"
In a fantasy, Madison cooks a Christmas turkey in Jeremiah’s house. She sees a truck approaching the house. Madison steps outside and joins Nick and Luciana in a cemetery. Luciana holds a baby in her arms. Madison sees Alicia’s name on a grave. She tries to follow Nick and Luciana, but they ignore her and drive off.

In reality, Nick and Madison discuss her killing Troy. Nick asks if she ever wished him dead while he was using. He thinks she did. "He needed to be put down," she insists. Nick says she always lived in that world but now she can show her true colors. She insists she could never hurt him but he claims she can and will.

Strand checks in on Madison and Nick. Madison holds him at gunpoint, but releases him when he reveals that Alicia is at the dam with Proctor John. He instructs Madison and Nick to change into worker uniforms so that he can sneak them out. He admits that he shot Daniel but didn’t kill him. Without other options, Madison and Nick reluctantly acquiesce to his plan. Strand walks Madison and Nick across a bridge on top of the dam. John’s men kill Lola’s guards and throw them over the bridge. Strand tells John’s men that their boss asked him to kill Madison and Nick personally.

The escape is short-lived as Lola attacks the Proctors and guns down several of John’s men. Madison tries to stop her, but John suddenly arrives and shoots Lola dead and discovers Strand trying to smuggle Madison and Nick.

Moments later, John has brought Madison, Strand and Nick into an office. He pistol whips Strand for lying about killing Lola and Daniel. Strand doubles down on Daniel being dead despite John discovering Lola having been alive. Madison vouches for him and introduces herself. John orders Alicia to her mother and Alicia reunites with Madison. One of John’s men recognizes Nick from the trading post and recalls that he was with another man. John turns his attention Nick. He asks where Troy is. Nick tells John that Madison killed him. He is surprised by this and asks Madison if she killed his friend, but she tells him, "He was more threat than friend," showing no remorse for killing him.

After a while, John decides to kill Nick, who he deems untrustworthy, and must therefore also kill Madison and Alicia, knowing they'll seek revenge for Nick's murder. Madison, Nick and Alicia walk across the dam bridge together. Nick hugs Strand goodbye then gets in position for his execution. Strand tells John that the dam is rigged with explosives and reaches into his pocket to pull out the detonator, but comes up empty. Nick reveals that he took the detonator while hugging Strand.

Back in Madison's dream scenario, Madison serves turkey to Daniel, Jeremiah, Troy, Jake, Cooper and Walker, who are all dressed up. Strand arrives with a stack of presents. Madison removes the lid off the turkey platter and sees Jeremiah's head. Walker chops off Jake’s arm. Blood covers the table. Strand leaves the party. Madison follows Strand outside and finds a cemetery.

Back at the dam, Nick threatens to detonate the explosives unless John allows Madison, Alicia and Strand to escape. Alicia urges Nick to come with them, but John points out that Nick cannot leave the detonator’s range. Nick calls the negotiations his “suicide note.” John agrees to his conditions. Madison covers her face in disbelief and tells Nick not to do this, but Nick pleads with Madison to just go. Madison takes Alicia's hand and leaves. Nick sends Strand with them, as well, and tells John he won't survive this, either. Nick has tears streaming down his face as his family flees the dam to a boat. Strand, Madison and Alicia reach the Zodiac and launch into the water. Strand, Madison and Alicia fix the motor and power ahead.

Nick blows the dam as everyone looks on. John is rushed away but stands by Nick as the ground crumbles beneath their feet. Alicia tries to maintain the boat, but their boat is drawn into the flood and Madison, Strand and Alicia are sucked into the dam.

Back in Madison's dream scenario, she ponders Jeremiah's grave. A hand reaches up and pulls her into the ground. She fights it but is pulled underground. At the dam, she sinks beneath water filled with debris. Above her, the light fades. The air is leaving her body. The dream sequence sees her hand com above the ground. Travis pulls her up but she falls back down.

Madison sinks underwater then opens her eyes. She kicks to the surface and sees bodies all around her. She swims to the river bed and sees people flocking to the shore, filling containers with water released from the dam. A little girl stands before Madison and greets her. Strand and Alicia are nowhere to be found as the episode ends.

"Another Day in the Diamond"
In a flashback, Madison peers through a pair of binoculars. A young girl, Charlie, stands beside her. Madison asks the newcomer, where she lived before finding their settlement. Charlie refuses to talk. Madison assures her that living in their new home in a baseball stadium is safe and wants her to open up to her. She asks the girl what direction she came from when she found the stadium. Charlie points out past the parking lot, empty save for strewn about walkers.

Alicia checks on Madison, who is converting the dugout into a room for Charlie. Alicia asks her why she wasn't at lunch and if she has slept, but her mom tells her that she needs to build and that when she lived outside she didn't sleep so it doesn't matter.

Madison speaks to a couple, Douglas and Viv, about venturing out to find Charlie’s family. Douglas worries about traveling outside the walkie range, but eventually gives Madison the keys to a car. Cole tries to join the search mission, but Strand tells him to stay behind for watch duty. Nick asks Luciana to bring back a new book for Charlie. Madison, Alicia, Strand and Luciana leave without Nick.

In the car, Luciana remarks that Nick should leave the stadium at some point. Madison notes that Luciana wasn’t there when she found Nick and says that Nick just needs to feel safe. On the road, Madison jokes with Strand about Cole’s crush on him. Nick contacts them via walkie and informs them that weevils are destroying the turnips, just before losing connection. Madison’s crew arrives in a deserted town. They split up to find Charlie’s family.

Madison and Alicia find a camp that’s been burned down near giant industrial oil tanks. They see a giant white flag with the number “457.” Madison finds a newly opened can of food and warns Strand that someone might be nearby.

Madison continues searching the camp, when suddenly, a woman, Naomi, puts a gun to Madison’s head and demands her keys. Madison quietly clicks her walkie button three times. While at gunpoint, Madison invites Naomi to join her community. Naomi instead snatches Madison’s keys and starts to leave, before Alicia, Strand and Luciana cut her off. She runs to the top of an oil tank and falls through the roof. Madison jumps in after her and helps Naomi fight Infected in a pool of oil. Alicia and Strand pry open the hatch to the tank and kill the remaining Infected. Alicia rescues Madison from an Infected.

Later, at night, Naomi insists that she wasn't gonna hurt Madison and she tells them she's not from the area and doesn’t know who led the Infected into the tank. After hearing more Infected snarling, they decide to leave.

When they arrive back at the stadium, Madison’s group sees Nick outside surrounded by the Infected. Madison's group rams into the Infected with their truck, saving Nick in time. They pick up a dazed Nick and bring him back to the stadium. Inside, Madison informs Charlie that she didn’t find her family. She asks if Charlie knows who destroyed her camp. Charlie remains silent.

As Naomi cleans up a cut on Nick’s head and explains that she’s a nurse. Madison shocks Naomi by suggesting she take a hot shower while deciding if she will stay with their community. Suddenly, Luciana sees something in the distance and yells at the group to get inside. Inside the stadium, Alicia tells everyone to arm themselves.

Meanwhile, an army of trucks and a group called the Vultures parks in the lot. Madison's group sees a man, Ennis, get out of his truck, turns on a cassette player and rides a bicycle around the lot. He rounds up the Infected and leads them into another truck, where another man closes the truck door. Then, from another truck, the leader, Mel, gets off and sets a lawn chair, while Ennis spray-paints the number “12” on the back of the vehicle.

Madison walks up to Mel and asks what he did to the camp by the oil tanks. Mel explains that the oil tanks blew up on their own, then reveals that he knows about their weevil problem, to Madison's confusion. He summons Charlie and commends her for finding the stadium. Mel orders Madison to give him all of their supplies or else die while trying to survive the weevil infestation. Madison refuses to provide him with anything. The next day, Strand, Alicia and Cole stare at the newcomers outside. They hear Madison hammering in the dugout and decide to join her.

"Good Out Here"
In a flashback, Madison checks in on a sullen Nick. Madison is going on a supply run and Nick offers to accompany her. Madison and Nick drive out the stadium gate. Mel, a Vulture, waves them over and wishes them luck on their supply run. Madison isn’t deterred. As they drive off, Madison assures Nick that they’ll get Charlie back. Nick asks Madison how she copes with being on the outside. Madison says that she always looks for something good.

Madison and Nick arrive at a church only to find that Mel’s brother Ennis is already looting the pantry. Charlie steps out with a walkie, which she used to eavesdrop on Madison and obtain the locations of Madison’s supply run. Nick urges Charlie not to listen to the Vultures, but Ennis declares that his people taught Charlie how to survive. Nick threatens and attacks Ennis with his knife, but Madison calms him down and stops Nick from killing the man. They watch as Charlie and Ennis take off in the El Camino.

Nick tells Madison that being on the outside feels more stifling than being inside the diamond. While driving back, Madison spots a patch of bluebonnets blooming in the grass. She pulls over. Nick lies down in the flowers. Madison tells him there is still good out here.

"Buried"
In a flashback, as the group eats breakfast at the stadium, Madison distributes maps of potential supply locations that the Vultures might have missed. The group heads out for their supply run while Madison stays behind.

Later on, Madison looks out over the horizon. Mel waves to her from the parking lot. He wants to talk on the radio and sarcastically asks if she has any relish. They meet in the parking lot and Mel starts to question where she is sending people of to. He ends up telling her that he had a little settlement before all of this. He convinced everyone to stay before fires came and they listened. His brother and him were the only ones who made it out alive. Madison strides over to Mel and tells him that she is still willing to build a community together. Mel scoffs.

Nick returns to the stadium with Luciana and shows the map to Madison. He suggests they range further north than the Vultures to find seeds and fertilizer to bring back to the stadium. Madison agrees. At the stadium, Naomi tells Madison that, even if the community is a success, conditions are going to get worse before they get better. Nevertheless, Naomi offers to set up an infirmary.

"Just in Case"
In a flashback, Naomi removes glass from Alicia’s arm at the stadium infirmary. Madison enters and tells them their food will only last so long but with an optimistic tone. Naomi asks Madison if they’re going out again for more supplies. Madison says they have no choice.

Madison checks in with Strand and suggests they share some liquor that she found. Madison and Strand take swigs straight out of the bottle. Strand asks Madison why she saved him after the dam explosion, despite his treachery. Madison explains that she knows Strand is a decent person. They’re interrupted by the sound of a car honking.

At the gate, they see that Naomi is attempting to leave, but Viv stands in her way pointed a rifie at her. Viv tells Madison that Naomi was trying to run off with one of their cars. Naomi says that she was merely driving to a location that might have seeds and fertilizer. Madison and Strand join her.

Madison, Strand and Naomi pull over at a motel and kill Infected in the front office. Madison deduces that the people killed each other over a can of baked beans. Strand finds a stash of snacks.

Over dinner, Naomi explains that she’s taking Madison and Strand to an abandoned FEMA shelter. She admits that she had been planning to flee the stadium when Viv caught her but that she had intended to leave them with a map to the FEMA shelter. Strand orders her to hand over the car keys.

In the morning, Madison wakes up and finds Naomi gone. Madison and Strand look at the FEMA map to catch up with Naomi. They debate going after Naomi. Strand reveals to Madison that he had planned his own escape and the car with supplies had been his escape car. He warns Madison that some people, such as himself and Naomi, never change. Madison questions what he wants at this point and starts to head out.

Madison and Strand enter the FEMA shelter and spot Naomi on the scaffolding. Naomi tosses them the “JIC” keys and tells them there’s a truck outside with supplies. Madison distracts Infected while Strand strings up some rope. Naomi shimmies across the rope and escapes with Madison and Strand.

Madison, Strand, and Naomi rest in the lobby. Naomi explains that she and her daughter, Rose, had stayed at the shelter, where a woman named Ellen taught “Just in Case” survival skill classes. Naomi says that she left the shelter to find antibiotics after Rose caught pneumonia. When she returned, Rose had died, turned and infected everyone else. Naomi takes Madison and Strand to a well-stocked “Just in Case” truck that Ellen had prepared in the event of an emergency. After putting down the reanimated Ellen and removing her body, they prepare to return to the stadium.

Alicia, Nick and Luciana stride up to Mel as Madison, Strand and Naomi return to the stadium with plants and fertilizer. Mel and the Vultures vacate the parking lot upon realizing that Madison’s group will survive longer than expected. Before he goes, Mel tells Madison that people tend not to see genuinely awful events coming. As Madison turn off her truck, she sees the label on the keys.

Strand attempts to talk to Madison, but she ends the conversation in a distracted mood. Atop the stadium, Madison scouts the surroundings as the sun sets. She is greeted by Alicia and asks Alicia to quietly pack some supplies in the “JIC” Land Rover. “Just in case,” she says.

"The Wrong Side of Where You Are Now"
In a flashback, a group of residents rebuilds the stadium garden. Douglas radios Madison via walkie and tells her they have a visitor. Charlie enters the stadium gate and asks Madison for help. Charlie takes Madison, Nick, Alicia and Naomi to Mel, who is slumped over the driver’s seat of a bus after getting into an accident. Charlie explains that she and Mel parted ways with the Vultures after Mel got into a fight with Ennis. Madison agrees to bring Mel to the stadium’s infirmary, despite Nick’s concerns that it might be another trap.

Mel wakes up handcuffed in the infirmary and warns Madison that Ennis is planning to destroy the stadium. Madison insists that she can handle Ennis. After scouting the area, Strand informs Madison that the Vultures removed all of the Infected that they had trapped in storage tanks. He shows her a stack of white number flags that the Vultures had used to tally up the Infected. The total indicates that Ennis is amassing a vast army of Infected.

Outside, Madison stands in the baseball diamond with her hammer. She starts undoing some construction over one of the dugouts. Naomi joins her in there to tell her they are not safe. She wants to consider leaving the stadium, but Madison shuts it down, arguing that this is what the Vultures want them to do. Naomi explains that she has been on the wrong side of what's happening to her and it's not worth risking lives to protect. Madison confronts Mel about turning Naomi against her and agrees to let him go, but refuses to let Charlie go with him.

As everyone is boarding up the gate, Madison orders everyone to open it and sends Mel out. As he gets in the truck, he pleads with Madison to let him take Charlie. He doesn't believe Madison can take care of her. Mel insists she is holding on to something that is gone by building this little civilization. "No one's gone til their gone," she tells him. She points her gun at him, forcing him to leave. She orders everyone to seal the gates and not to think about what Mel said. Nick suggests to Madison that she may have made the wrong decision to send Mel out to die.

Nick opens up and tells her that he wasn't afraid of being out in the world as much as he was afraid of being away from her. She shows him the way and he feels found here. "Having a guy kill himself because we're afraid of him?" he asks. "I don't think that's where you wanted us to wind up.

At night, Madison sits with her hammer and is joined by Naomi. She informs Madison that she has prepared the infirmary for Ennis’s imminent attack. The convoy of Mel's pals drives by. Alicia warns Strand, who instructs Cole to get Madison and sound the alarm. Madison and Strand see an ice cream truck drive up to the stadium gate, leaving behind a trail of oil. Alicia and Nick arrive at the stadium and stop in the parking lot. The convoy arrives moments later.

Ennis and the Vultures open the trucks and release the Infected. A massive herd makes its way toward the stadium gates. Madison tells Nick and Alicia via walkie that she’s going to open the gate for them. A herd surrounds the Land Rover. A Vulture lights the trail of oil. Strand notices that the Infected are covered in oil and will start a fire if they get close. Madison orders someone to get the irrigation truck then runs toward the gate to help Nick and Alicia. Madison orders Douglas to open the gate. Douglas insists they first extinguish the fire but Strand orders Douglas to obey. Over walkie, Alicia apologizes to Madison for going after Mel. The gates open, Madison sees the flames, and preps herself to head out to her kids.

"No One's Gone"
In a flashback to sometime after the destruction of the Gonzalez Dam, Madison confronts Althea at gunpoint and tries to steal Al's vehicle and supplies, but falls into a booby-trap. Madison ultimately overpowers Al, but can't find her keys. After Madison explains how she is looking for her kids, Al tells her about how she is going around recording people's stories and suggests that someone she met may have known something. However, she demands Madison's story in exchange. A scuffle ensues, ending with Madison knocking Al unconscious and making off with her camera and tapes.

In a truck, Madison watches Al's tapes, but finds no clues to the location of Nick and Alicia. After dispatching a walker, Madison is recaptured by Al who admits that she has no idea of where Madison's kids are and urges Madison to tell her story. After Al tells Madison a story about how Al's reporting took down a warlord named Twisted Round before the Apocalypse, Madison tells Al about how as young children, Nick and Alicia nursed a bird they named Amina back to health and how she is trying to find a place for her kids where she can keep that innocence alive in them. Afterwards, Madison and Al part ways without Madison ever revealing her name to Al. Al in return gives Madison a store of noodles, a radio and a map and asks for the rest of Madison's story when they meet again. As she doesn't know Madison's name, Al labels the tape with her story "Amina" after the bird Madison told her about.

Searching, Madison eventually finds Nick, Alicia, Victor and Luciana at a motel, having gotten separated from them while trying to find a safe place in El Paso. Inspired by her encounter with Al, Madison leads the group to the Dell Diamond Baseball Stadium and suggests that they form a community of people rather than trying to survive on their own.

In the present, while struggling with Al in her SWAT van, Alicia finds the remaining noodles that Al didn't give to Madison and Al's "Amina" tape and realizes that Al met Madison. Alicia tells Al that Madison is dead and later, after reviewing the tape and realizing that Al was the inspiration for the community, suggests that Madison never told them about her encounter with Al out of shame for her behavior during the meeting. At Alicia's request, Al pulls over to make a camp to hear the end of Madison's story.

In flashbacks, Madison attempts to help clear a path for her children, Victor and Luciana while the stadium residents decide to flee. Though Madison tries to talk them out of it, they refuse to listen and their convoy is overrun by the walkers, resulting in the deaths of everyone that Madison had helped save. With too many walkers to count outside, Madison ignites a flare and leads the herd into the stadium, knowing that its reinforced walls, built to keep walkers out, could be used to contain the walkers instead. Though Madison doubles-back through the tunnels and succeeds in luring most of the herd inside, there proves to be too many left in the parking lot for her to escape. With no other choice, Madison seals the gate and fires into the herd until she runs out of ammunition. Saying a final goodbye to her children over the radio and surrounded by walkers, Madison uses her flare to ignite the oil-soaked herd, creating a blaze that consumes her.

In the present, Al's group is left shocked and saddened by the story of Madison's death. In honor of her sacrifice, Al names the story "Madison" while everyone eats the noodles leftover from what Al gave to Madison when they met.

Death
In order to save her children, Strand and Luciana, Madison lures a massive oil-soaked walker herd, that was led by Ennis and the Vultures, into the Stadium to contain them but gets trapped in the process.
 * Killed By
 * Ennis (Indirectly Caused) 
 * The Vultures (Indirectly Caused) 

Madison decides to sacrifice herself and locks the gate to seal the herd in. She says a final goodbye to her children and uses the flare to ignite the oil-soaked walkers approaching her.
 * Zombies (Caused)
 * Herself (Sacrifice)

Madison is immolated in the subsequent blaze and then is devoured by walkers.

Killed Victims
This list shows the victims Madison has killed:
 * Her Father (Pre-Apocalypse)
 * Art Costa (Zombified)
 * Reed (Caused)
 * Connor (Caused)
 * Celia Flores (Caused)
 * Derek (Before Reanimation)
 * Brandon Luke (Zombified)
 * Alejandro Nuñez (Before Reanimation)
 * Phil McCarthy (Out of Mercy)
 * Jeremiah Otto (Indirectly Caused)
 * Troy Otto
 * Ellen (Caused, Zombified)
 * Douglas (Possibly, Caused or Direct, Off-Screen)
 * Vivian (Possibly, Caused or Direct, Off-Screen)
 * Cole (Possibly, Caused or Direct, Off-Screen)
 * Herself (Sacrifice, Off-Screen)
 * 1 unnamed member of Connor's Pirates (Caused)
 * 3 unnamed Broke Jaw Ranch residents (Zombified)
 * 3 CPU survivors (Zombified)
 * 38 unnamed Dell Diamond Baseball Stadium residents (Possibly, Caused or Direct, Off-Screen)
 * Numerous counts of zombies

Relationships
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Travis Manawa
Travis is Madison's fiancée, and it is known that they love each other very much. Travis met Madison during his time as a teacher and eventually fell in love with her. While their relationship sometimes struggles due to complications within their respective families, such as Travis's strained relationship with Chris and Madison's struggle to keep Nick off drugs, they are shown to deeply care about each other and will do anything to keep each other safe.

Nicholas Clark
Since Nick is her son, it can be assumed that Madison loves him, and she worries about him due to his drug habit. However, due to his drug habit, Madison is often impatient with Nick and unwilling to believe him at the start when he told her what had happened at the church-- possible because of hearing similar crazy stories in the past. Nick's drug habit dominates much of their relationship.

However, when he was taken to the compound by the military, Madison was willing to accept the torture of a soldier in her neighbor's basement if it meant getting Nick back, showing that her children take priority. Madison is greatly relieved to see Nick alive and well in the military base and escapes with him and others to Victors boat. On the Abigail their relationship is just a strong as before. Like Alicia Madison is very protective of him and his well being calling him an idiot for diving over to a sinking ship. She is also reluctant to trust Nick to go alone to an Island for supplies but eventually lets him. Its possible to see that Madison is starting to see the maturity in Nick.

When Nick chooses the dead over his family and goes missing. Madison is heartbroken and worried for son and in hope that Nick is alive. She even takes risk without thinking of the consequences. Such as when the narcos are interrogating Fransisco and his wife about Nick and Madison just walks in and even turns on the lights to the hotel. When reuniting with Travis and leaving the hotel. Madison,Travis and Alicia end up in La Colonia and ask Alejandro where Nick is. Which he says North. Showing she will do whatever it takes to get her son back.

Alicia Clark
Madison and Alicia share a good daughter and mother relationship. Madison often looks to Alicia to help out Nick with his constant drug abuse and she is thankful for Alicia's support in Nick. When the two are together on Victor Strands boat, there relationship is strong. However it is shown that Madison is extremely over protective of Alicia as she is very reluctant to accept her request to scout out an island for supplies for the group and Ofelia's gun shot wound. Madison also threatens Victor saying if as much as looks at Alicia or anyone in a wrong way, she will kill him.

Liza Ortiz
"Come on, you never liked me that much."

- Liza to Madison

Madison and Liza were implied to not get on much pre-apocalypse. This is probably because Liza is Travis' ex-wife. When Nick was forcibly taken by the soldiers to the medical facility, Madison blamed Liza. When Madison and the others came to rescue her, Nick and Griselda from the facility, Nick was trapped and unable to get out locked doors, away from the zombies, but Liza came and unlocked the doors, saving Nick. Madison was presumably very grateful for this.

Madison watches Liza hug Chris, getting teary. As Liza goes to the ocean front, Madison follows her, knowing something was wrong. Liza reveals her scratch to Madison's shock. Liza asks Madison to euthanize her, but she refuses and can't bring herself to do it. Madison tries to talk Liza out of killing herself, but is unsuccessful. Travis ends up putting Liza down. Maddie is very sad about her untimely death and remained respectful at her funeral.

Chris Manawa
TBA

Art Costa
"See ya, Artie."

- Madison to Art

Madison and Art knew each other well before the outbreak, both working in the same school. When Madison came into school late one morning, Art expressed his concerns that she had fallen victim to the flu that had taken one third of the students in the faculties of the district. She said that she was fine and that they had found Nick. Art also expressed concern to her son and asked what had happened to him.

The following day, Art questions the staff why they are all in the same room crowded together. At Madison's request, he looks at an Internet video that Travis shares, and he closes down the school based on Travis's and Madsion's concerns.

A few days later, Madison ignored Tobias when he said that Art was dead, believing that he was only sick. She tried to help him,but he attacked her and Tobias. When Tobias was in danger of being bitten, Madison grabbed a fire extinguisher and relentlessly bashed Art's head in. She seemed shocked at what she had done, but quickly moves past the death of her friend and flees the scene.

When she alone several hours later, she washed off Art's blood from her clothes and begin sobbing.

Tobias
"Tobias, please. Don't screw yourself like this. You've worked your ass off; you're on track to go to college."

- Madison to Tobias

Before the outbreak, Madison Clark was the guidance counselor at Tobias's school. With Tobias being bullied at his school quite frequently, he visited her several times, not always by choice. One day, he got into a fight with his tormentors and was officially suspended by Madison. When he came back to school, he tended to avoid her. When the outbreak first began, Tobias tried to smuggle a knife into school with him for protection. When the school principal attempted to search him, Madison covered for him and announced that it was a couple of coins that had set off the metal detectors. She took Tobias into her office to have a talk with him away from everyone else. Madison took his knife away and locked it in her desk. He asked for his knife back, and she immediately assumed that he was being bullied again. She asked him why it was that he felt the need to carry a knife around in a "safe" environment, and asked him if he realized that she could expel him from school just for finding a concealed weapon. He tried to explain that the unchecked virus outbreak spreading across five states was enough to worry him, but she shut him down, claiming that he was making too much of a big deal over nothing. He grimly asks for his knife back again, but she refuses. He leaves her office.

When school is closed early by the principal the next day, Madison sees him on the bus. She waves at him, but he does not acknowledge her. Madison looks disheartened at that.

When Madison heads back into the abandoned school to find the necessary drugs for Nick, she goes into the security office to break open the confiscated items cabinet. Tobias surprises her when he announces himself behind her. He asks why she is trying to get into the drug cabinet, and she admits that her son needs it. Tobias says that he came to the school to scavenge for supplies, knowing that the school would be one of the last places to get looted. He asks again if he could get his knife back, and she relents, going back to her office and handing it to him.

They decide to hunt for food in the cafeteria. Tobias explains to Madison that he believes that the outbreak could mean the end of their lives as they know it. She denounces his claims as foolish, thinking that the situation would be resolved within a few days. Tobias warns her that he knows how much people want to believe that, and how desperately they would cling to the idea when they are wrong. In the cafeteria, they find the storage room and load a cart full of food to be taken outside. When the metal detectors go off at the doors, they rush to find another exit.

Out the fire escape, the principal stumbles around a corner, bleeding. Madison asks if he is okay. Tobias, however, sees that he has reanimated and that they need to run. Madison is attacked by the zombie, but Tobias pulls him off of her, inadvertently throwing himself down a staircase with the principal on top of him. As the zombie attacks him, Madison bashes his head in with a fire extinguisher, saving Tobias. They retrieve the food and leave the building, Madison driving him home. At Tobias's house, Madison offers to take him and his family back to her house for safety, but he declines, saying that he doesn't need help now that he has enough food. He bids her goodbye, and enters his house without taking the food in her trunk.

Susan Tran
Although not much is known about their relationship. Maddy and Susan were both neighbors before the apocalypse and presumably both had a positive relationship as Maddy trusted Susan to babysit her children. Maddie was tempted to put her down and was shocked and saddened when the military put her down.

Daniel Salazar
Aside from familial relationships, Madison and Daniel seemingly have the strongest relationship out of anyone in the main group. Even though they first encounter each other in a scene Madison's living room that sees Daniel killing Peter Dawson, Madison is rather open to his ways quickly. This is contrasted by how eager Travis is to not agree with Daniel's methods. After Madison escapes the Safe Zone for a brief venture out into the Dead Zone, she openly confides in Daniel what she saw. Their relationship is further strengthened when Madison allows Daniel to torture Andrew Adams in order to get information on Nick and Griselda's whereabouts. By the end of the first season, it appears as if Madison and Daniel have developed a sense of trust between each other.

Ofelia Salazar
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Melissa Geary
Madison have a positive relationship. Melissa is very curious of Madison's prior occupation which makes Maddy a little suspicious of her. However when Melissa reveals to Madison she wants her to take care of her son and daughter she accepts. Maddy is deeply saddened at Melissa's sudden death at the hands of her undead daughter.

Victor Strand
"You would hit on me?"

- Madison to Strand

Like pretty much everyone on the Abigail except her son Nick, Maddy has a very tense and untrustworthy relationship with Strand. At first she is very thankful for Victor for saving her family and bringing them to safety on the boat. However as time passes she remains very suspicious of his destination and his true motives. She also notes how tired he is from not sleeping and wants to know what he is in store for the group. Maddy also dislikes Strands dislike for her daughter who he finds a detriment to the group to which she threatens him with his life if he threatens anyone in the group to which is states slightly amused that she cannot take a life. Maddy begs Strand to bring aboard Alex and Jake on the boat to which he instantly rejects. She also witnesses Strand cutting the rope on Alex and Jake's life raft to which she now holds a hatred for him. Strand himself believes that their conflict arises over Nick-- telling Madison that he saw, even in the depts. of withdrawal, Nick's potential and that Madison, being his mother and knowing him all his life, does not recognize what he is capable off. However, after the destruction of Valle de Guadalupe, their relationship has greatly improved as she, Strand, Alicia and Ofelia are seen working and helping each other on searching a new safe haven after Abigail went missing. They begin to trust each other too at this point. Maddy and Strand then share a bond with a few glasses of vodka upon discovering the hotel and begin to get drunk and reckless at the same time with their surroundings as walkers soon charge in around them. They manage to get through all the walkers as Maddy decides to apply Nick's gut trick and tells Strand to do so. They're also just in time to help Alicia, Elena and Hector after being chased by walkers. The two then continue to trust and help each other as they work together to help the two groups in the hotel who are hostile to one another to form a mutual alliance. In Pillar Of Salt, after Strand gets stabbed by Ilene for 'killing' her daughter, Strand calls for Madison and she is shocked and quickly comes to his aid. She, Elena and Oscar then go to a supermarket guarded by local gangs to get some needed supplies for Strand.

Following the founding of the Dell Diamond Baseball Stadium community, Victor and Madison are shown to have grown closer.

When telling the story of Madison's death to Al, Victor is driven to tears while explaining her sacrifice.

Luciana Galvez
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Jeremiah Otto
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Troy Otto
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Jake Otto
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Qaletaqa Walker
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Lola Guerrero
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June
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Althea
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Appearances
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Season 1

 * "Pilot"
 * "So Close, Yet So Far"
 * "The Dog"
 * "Not Fade Away"
 * "Cobalt"
 * "The Good Man"

Season 2

 * "Monster"
 * "We All Fall Down"
 * "Ouroboros"
 * "Blood in the Streets
 * "Captive"
 * "Sicut Cervus"
 * "Shiva"
 * "Grotesque" (Flashback)
 * "Los Muertos"
 * "Do Not Disturb"
 * "Pablo & Jessica"
 * "Pillar of Salt"
 * "Date of Death"
 * "Wrath"
 * "North"

Season 3

 * "Eye of the Beholder"
 * "The New Frontier"
 * "TEOTWAWKI"
 * "Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame"
 * "Red Dirt"
 * "The Unveiling"
 * "Children of Wrath"
 * "Minotaur"
 * "The Diviner"
 * "La Serpiente"
 * "This Land Is Your Land"
 * "El Matadero"
 * "Things Bad Begun"
 * "Sleigh Ride"

Season 4
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 * "Another Day in the Diamond" (Flashback)
 * "Good Out Here" (Flashback)
 * "Buried" (Flashback)
 * "Just in Case" (Flashback)
 * "The Wrong Side of Where You Are Now" (Flashback)
 * "No One's Gone" (Flashback)
 * "Close Your Eyes" (Flashback)

Trivia

 * The casting call for this character used the name Nancy Tompkins.
 * This character's official name was revealed in a press release by AMC on May 11, 2015 as Madison Bennett, though her surname was later changed.
 * Madison is the first main character to kill a walker.
 * Madison is one of the few characters to have killed someone before the apocalypse.
 * It's hinted in "Red Dirt" that she may have been a liberal Democrat.
 * According to Dave Erickson, by the end of Fear The Walking Dead's third season, Madison was going to transform into a Governor or Negan type villain.
 * He also revealed, had he not been fired, Madison and her family were going to survive til Season 7, which would've been the end of the show.
 * Madison is one of seven protagonists to die in the entire Walking Dead universe thus far, the others being Lee Everett from the Video Game, Jeffrey Grimes from The Walking Dead: The Alien, Brian Blake from the Novel Series, Karina and Hannah from the Webisodes and Jake Powell from the Flight 462 Webisodes.
 * As of Madison's death, Alicia is the last known surviving member of her family.
 * Madison is the only main character who only appeared in flashbacks in Season 4.
 * Madison is the second main character who died in a flashback, the first being Christopher Manawa.