The New Frontier (Episode)

"The New Frontier" is the second episode of Season 3 of AMC's Fear The Walking Dead and the twenty-third episode overall.

Plot Synopsis
The helicopter pilot, Charlene, navigates toward the ranch with Jake by her side. Travis and Alicia tend to Luciana in the back. Out of nowhere, a round of bullets hits the chopper.

Travis is shot in the neck. He clasps his hand over the wound, then unbuckles his harness and opens the door. "Help me," Travis tells Alicia. She unbuckled and tries to stop him, insisting he's in shock, but goes silent when she sees his bite wound. Unable to do much else, her hand slips away as Travis falls out of the helicopter to his death.

Refugees clamor at the gate of the Rosarito Beach Hotel, demanding to see the doctor. Elena denies them entry, insisting that she can’t help them. Strand announces that he is a doctor and unlocks the gate. Elena and Hector are angry at Strand, but he tells them that he just saved them — the refugees would have killed them all if he didn’t let them in.

On the ground, Jake tells Alicia they must push forward to escape whoever shot the chopper down. Alicia wonders if Travis is still alive, but Jake insists Travis could not have survived the fall.

Troy blasts music as he drives Madison and Nick to his father’s ranch. Madison keeps her guard up, still leery of Troy and his motives.

Troy’s 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. They can protect themselves if they have to.

Strand treats a patient with minor wounds. Elena urgently summons him to treat someone in dire need of a doctor.

Elena brings Strand to the medical tent, where a woman is about to give birth. Strand insists he is not that kind of doctor, but he agrees to assist when the patient’s husband threatens him with a knife.

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.

Otto 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 Otto 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.

Otto brings Madison and Nick to their bunkhouse and leaves them with a key. Nick grumbles about Madison being nice to Otto 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.

That night, Charlene takes first watch while Jake and Alicia sit by the campfire. Jake explains that Troy has had behavioral problems since he was a child. They hear a warning whistle from Charlene. Jake gives Alicia a gun, then runs off to investigate.

An Infected attacks Jake and pins him to a tree. Alicia shoots the Infected, then takes out two more approaching in the darkness. Jake and Alicia discover Charlene’s dead body. Jake shoots her in the head to keep her from turning.

After Strand delivers the baby, Hector tells Strand there is another patient in need of his services.

Hector brings Strand to Ilene’s room and asks him to convince her to eat. She has been holed up there since she stabbed Strand. She is depressed and despondent over the death of her daughter. Ilene apologizes to Strand for what she did, then asks if he will fix her broken balcony door. She needs fresh air and the door is stuck.

Strand takes care of the door, telling Ilene that he now has hope for a new generation with the birth of the baby he delivered. Ilene gives Strand a box with a key inside, a wedding gift intended for her daughter and son-in-law. Ilene then jumps off the balcony to her death stating that there are no more generations.

Alicia tells Jake that Luciana is unconscious. She is worried that they won’t make it back to the ranch in time to save her.

A ranch guard looks through his binoculars and sees Jake and Alicia carrying Luciana toward the gate.

Madison joyfully reunites with Alicia. She looks for Travis, then falls to her knees with grief after realizing that Travis is gone.

Troy predicts that Luciana will soon die and takes out his gun to put her down. Nick begs him not to shoot, but Troy explains it’s their policy to keep dying patients out of the infirmary in case they turn.

Nick offers to be the one to kill Luciana and Troy hands him his gun. Nick then turns the gun on Troy and demands Luciana receive treatment. Otto intervenes and agrees to treat Luciana in the infirmary if Nick hands back the gun. Nick complies and Luciana is taken to the infirmary.

Madison sobs in private over the death of Travis. Otto 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.

Nick stands by Luciana’s side in the infirmary. He checks in with Alicia and holds her as she weeps over Travis’ death.

Strand finds that the key Ilene gave him operates a car in the hotel’s parking garage, and he drives off.

Madison tells Nick and Alicia that they’re going to make the ranch their home, even if that means they must take it over.

Co-Stars

 * Maru Alfaro as Mother
 * Dominic Bogart as Joseph
 * David Arturo Cabezud Fernandez as Man
 * Ricardo Elihu Alanis Gonzales as Young Man
 * Worth Howe as Russell Brown
 * TBA as Husband
 * TBA as Martha Brown
 * TBA as Medic
 * TBA as Ava

Uncredited
(To Be Added)

Deaths

 * Travis Manawa
 * Charlene
 * Ilene Stowe

Trivia

 * First appearance of Broke Jaw Ranch.
 * First appearance of Russell Brown.
 * First appearance of Joseph.
 * First appearance of Martha Brown.
 * First (and last) appearance of Ava.
 * Last appearance of the Rosarito Beach Hotel.
 * Last appearance of Travis Manawa.
 * Last appearance of Charlene.
 * Last appearance of Ilene Stowe.
 * Last appearance of Elena Reyes.
 * Last appearance of Hector Reyes.
 * This episode was aired alongside "Eye of the Beholder".
 * Dayton Callie (Jeremiah) is now listed under "Starring" after being listed under "also Starring" in the previous season.
 * Travis is the third main character to die, and the last member of his family to be killed off.
 * This episode reveals that Madison is an atheist.
 * This episode marks the return of Ilene Stowe to the series after being absent since the episode "Pillar of Salt".