"Fighting Like You" is the eleventh episode of the eighth season of AMC's Fear the Walking Dead. It is the one-hundred and twelfth episode of the series overall. It premiered on November 19, 2023. It was written by Nick Bernardone, Jacob Pinion & Kelly Jane Costello and directed by Haifaa al-Mansour.
Plot
Enemies become temporary allies as the desire for revenge gives way to survival in the fight for the future of PADRE.
Synopsis
A radio clicks and "Mississippi Queen" begins playing. Troy's Group lights a bush on fire, luring walkers toward their caravan. Russell and Troy exchange a quick nod, then drive off in their own cars, walkers following them.
A short time later, Troy radios Russell. Russell confirms that the walkers are in formation and tells Troy he'll see him at the rendezvous. Tracy asks Troy how they will get the herd into PADRE, with it being an island. Troy responds that Russell found the perfect way to get them there, and that once they do they will make PADRE their home. Tracy notices that Serena, zombified and tied up in the trunk, is pulling loose from her ropes. Troy says that she's fine, and reveals that he wants her to bite Madison. Tracy asks why, and Troy responds that it's because she is Alicia's mother, who caused the death of Serena. Tracy questions why he wants her to wear her necklace, considering it was Alicia's, and Troy responds that it's because Serena gave it to him when she died and made him promise to give it to Tracy to keep her safe. Suddenly, they drive over a tripwire and are hit by a falling tree, causing the car to flip multiple times and crash.
Troy wakes up the next morning, impaled and pinned to the seat by a branch. Tracy explains that they ran over a trap and she lost their gun. Troy tries to escape but is stuck. As walkers begin to corner them, Troy tells Tracy to leave and find Russell. Despite her cries, Troy tells her to keep going for everything they've been fighting for. Tracy gives him her necklace and runs off, telling Troy she'll come back for him.
In the swamps, the CMTV runs over a walker. Madison climbs out, scanning the area. Victor radios her, asking her where she is, but Madison tells him she won't answer, because if she does he'll try to stop her. She tells him that she doesn't want everybody to die, but Victor responds that it's just him and Alicia's friends where he is, and that everybody else returned to PADRE. Madison reassures that she has enough weapons to do this alone, and ignores Victor's pleas and warnings. Victor tells her that her decisions will spiral, comparing it to his downfall at the tower. Madison hears someone in the CMTV and enters with a gun, finding Tracy. Madison asks where Troy is, and Tracy tells her about his injury. Madison asks why Russell didn't help them, and Tracy reveals that he's somewhere unknown, leading the herd. Tracy begs for Madison to get someone else's help, but Madison only offers hers. Tracy reluctantly agrees and tells her where Troy is. Madison ties Tracy to the CMTV, leaves Victor the vehicle's coordinates, and heads out alone to kill Troy. Tracy begs Madison to give him a second chance to honor Alicia, nodding towards Alicia's prosthetic arm.
Russell radios Troy on where he is, and Troy tells of his situation, making Russell promise him to ensure Tracy gets to PADRE. Suddenly, blood splatters around Troy and Madison enters, attempting to kill him with a sledgehammer. Troy escapes and the two fight. Madison puts down Serena and Troy cries out of rage. Troy convinces Madison not to kill him yet, arguing that he's the only person who can help her stop the herd, and that he will only do so if Madison can get him to Tracy. Madison reluctantly accepts the deal. Madison radios Victor that she's bringing Troy, and pulls the branch out of Troy.
Tracy watches one of Althea's recordings of Alicia, when Victor and Alicia's followers arrive at the CMTV and explain the situation to her. Tracy doesn't believe them, but Victor insists. She tells that Madison will kill him. Sara asks why she would say that, and Tracy responds that Madison told her he didn't deserve a second chance. Della tells her that if she watches the tapes, she'll realize that Madison gave many people second chances. Tracy asks who and Victor replies that Madison and Alicia never gave up on him. Tracy believes Madison has changed now but the others believe they can sway her.
Troy buries Serena, and the two bicker. Madison asks Troy why he blames Alicia. Troy explains that Alicia saved a bitten Serena by amputating her arm. Because of this, Serena tried to be like Alicia, leading to her being shot by a robber posing as someone needing help and subsequently dying. Troy tells Madison that he blames Alicia for messing with Serena's head and promised Serena that the same wouldn't happen to their daughter. Madison turns around to kill a walker. Troy hits her and runs away, but falls into a pit. Ben Krennick emerges from the woods and knocks Madison out.
Madison and Troy wake up tied to a ship, Ben Krennick nearby boasting about his new ship with other PADRE Exiles. Troy inquiries on who he is, and Ben explains that he and his sister used to run PADRE until Madison took over and got her killed. Madison asks what he wants and Ben reveals he overheard their conversation on the radio and wants PADRE back. Ben tells Troy to stop the herd and he'll let his group live there, holding a radio next to Troy. Madison announces their location and Ben punches her. Disappointed, Ben commands them to take him to the herd, telling his group to get their truck ready.
The exiles drive their truck into the forest, Madison and Troy tied up in the back. Victor tries to contact them on the radio, but Ben shuts it off. Ben asks Madison what changed about her, acknowledging that she used to fight for family but is now using Troy against his own daughter. Madison replies that she's still fighting for family, only now fighting like the exiles. Suddenly, the exile driving the truck is shot is shot by Daniel. He and Luciana attempt to shoot down the exiles, but Ben escapes with Madison and Troy. However, walkers corner Ben, forcing him to let them go.
Madison, Troy, Daniel, and Luciana hide in a fishing village. They try to contact Victor on the radio but Troy says that they have to get to higher ground. However, Luciana points a gun at Troy, telling him that he won't be coming with them because of what he did to her people. Daniel adds in Ofelia, Charlie, and everyone else he's hurt. Madison tells them they can't kill him because he's the only one who knows where the herd is and tells them to go find Victor. Troy agrees. Daniel goes to cut the cuffs tying the two together, but Madison denies. She assures him that she'll punish him when they're done, and Daniel agrees, satisfied. He reassures her that he will if she doesn't.
On the road, Troy tells Madison that he was leading the exiles in the wrong direction. Madison asks why, and Troy admits that it was because his deal was with Madison, not them. Troy tells Madison she wouldn't be quick to kill him because that's who she is. Madison states that he doesn't know her.
As they approach a decayed rope bridge, Madison announces they have to turn back. She explains that below the bridge is a mud pit full of walkers, and if it breaks then they become trapped. As Madison tries to use her radio, Ben suddenly shoots at them from behind, cornering them into the bridge. They attempt to cross the bridge, but struggle as it shakes. Ben puts away his gun and takes out an axe, hacking the ropes of the bridge, causing Madison and Troy to fall into the mud.
Ben watches, insisting that they will drown if the walkers don't get to them first. Troy offers to lead him to the herd, much to Madison's dismay, but Ben denies, satisfied that he's finally getting his Revenge. Troy asks what he's talking about, and Ben explains that Madison let his sister get bitten. Troy begs that he just wants to get to his daughter, and Ben uses it to illustrate that a parent's love for their children causes them to be dangerous. Ben reveals that after he heard Madison's speech to her children, he realized he could use Madison's love for her kids to make her work for PADRE. He reassures Madison that her speech to her kids is what got them killed. Suddenly, Madison begins yelling, attracting walkers towards Ben. Ben attempts to shoot the walkers, but runs out of ammo, and is subsequently devoured.
Now, head-level deep within the mud, Troy tells Madison that he's sorry, and states that they're not that different from each other, which Madison angrily denies. He reveals that Russell's leading the herd to the northwest corner of the swamp, hoping the current will bring them to PADRE's shore. Madison asks why he's telling her this, and Troy responds that although he doesn't deserve a second chance, Tracy does. As they drown, Troy restates that he's sorry and Madison says that PADRE's better off without them.
Madison awakes to Victor telling her it's alright. She looks around, seeing Daniel, Luciana, Alicia's followers, Troy, and Tracy. She thanks Victor for saving her, but Victor says that it wasn't him. Troy reveals that he saved her, explaining that he grabbed a root and pulled them out, as well as breaking their cuffs with Ben's axe. Troy then reveals that Alicia gave them the necklace to bring them luck, and when Serena died, she reinforced Alicia's beliefs to Troy and made him promise to follow them. Tracy, realizing that Troy lied, feels betrayed. Troy admits that he broke his promise. Daniel and Luciana try to make him confess he's lying, but Troy reinforces that what he's saying is true, and it's why he knew what it meant to believe in something. He states that he thought Madison was going to die believing in nothing, which is why he saved her. Troy asks both Madison and Tracy to give him a second chance like Alicia did. Daniel asks whether they can trust him, and Madison says they'll find out, telling Troy it's time for him to hold up his end of the deal by bringing them to the herd.
At the northwestern corner of the swamps, Troy's group brings the herd to the shore. Russell celebrates their success to Troy over the radio, but Troy tells them to get down. Suddenly, the CMTV arrives and begins shooting the herd down. Russell ducks down and runs to the CMTV. Soon, it runs out of ammo, having barely put a dent in the herd. Proudly, Russell announces that they're going to need more ammo, but Madison says she knows. A group of trucks from PADRE emerge from the woods, leading the herd away in front of a frustrated Russell.
At the CMTV, Madison begins coughing. Victor asks how she is, and June remarks that they need to get her back to PADRE. Dwight, Sherry, Frank, and Klaus begin readying boats for the group to leave. Odessa arrives, announcing that they broke the herd. Sherry asks about Troy, and Victor states that they should give him the benefit of the doubt and let them into PADRE, giving him a second chance. Daniel bickers that Victor's just trying to make up for his past, but Frank replies that he already has, Ada adding that Troy has to. Daniel asks Madison if she's willing to risk accepting Troy.
At a picnic bench, Troy gives Tracy her necklace back. She happily tells him that he found them a home and kept her safe. He apologies for lying. Madison arrives and tells Tracy to help them pack. Madison approaches Troy, reminding him of how Alicia gave him a second chance, and all he left of her was her prosthetic arm, holding it up. Troy says that he'll make sure that he's worthy of his second chance, trying to convince Madison to believe that things have changed. Madison stabs Troy with Alicia's arm, telling him she doesn't. Tracy runs over, screaming.
Victor asks what Madison's doing, and Madison responds that she's done with second chances, since they got Alicia killed, and she's not willing to risk anyone else's death. Bleeding out, Troy tells Madison to fight for Tracy like Nick and Alicia. Madison asks why, and Troy reveals that Tracy's not his or Serena's daughter. Madison asks who her mother is, and Troy reveals it's Alicia, and that he took Tracy to make up for his loss.
Madison calls out for Tracy, who has run off to somewhere unknown.
Other Cast
Co-Stars
- Randy Bernales as Russell
- Sasha An as Sara
Uncredited
- Emily Brinks as Alex and Serena Otto
- Payson Caudil as PADRE Resident
- Cassandra Johnson as PADRE Resident
- Elgin Lee as PADRE Exile
- Tammie Baird as Walker
- Alycia Debnam-Carey as Alicia Clark (Video Tape/Archive Footage)
- Frank Dillane as Nicholas Clark (Archive Footage)
Deaths
- Serena Otto (Zombified)
- Ben Krennick
- Troy Otto (Alive)
- 3 unnamed PADRE Exiles (1 Off-Screen)
Trivia
- Last appearance of Serena Otto. (Zombified)
- Last appearance of Ben Krennick.
- Last appearance of Troy Otto. (Alive)
- With Troy's death, Tracy is the last member of the Otto family confirmed to be alive.
- Additionally, there are no more Broke Jaw Ranch survivors left alive.
- With Troy's death, Tracy is the last member of the Otto family confirmed to be alive.
- The title of the episode, "Fighting Like You", refers to Madison telling Ben Krennick that they're fighting like him now.
- This episode marks Christine Evangelista's 25th appearance on Fear the Walking Dead.
- This episode was aired alongside "The Road Ahead".[1]
- The original plot summary for the episode was as follows: The horde led by Troy surrounds the walls of PADRE. Madison and her people must fight for their survival to save what remains.
- Madison's survival after the destruction of the Dell Diamond Baseball Stadium is finally explained: Madison took cover in the stadium's water truck. Having heard Madison's last message to her children, Ben and Shrike rescued Madison from the truck, seeing her love for her children as a way to manipulate Madison into doing their bidding.
- In "The Wrong Side of Where You Are Now", Madison was shown ordering Douglas to get the irrigation truck to put out the fire that the Vultures had started outside. Douglas had then parked a large tanker truck near the gate.
- The song playing as Troy's Group leads the herd is Nazareth's "Hair of the Dog".
Episode Highlights
- Ben Krennick captures Troy and Madison and traps them in a swamp, only to end up being devoured by walkers.
- Ben reveals that PADRE (him and Shrike specifically) were the ones who rescued Madison from the stadium after finding her taking cover in the water truck, albeit to manipulate her into kidnapping children.
- Madison puts down Tracy's zombified mother Serena, and Troy explains how Madison and Alicia inspired Serena and how that lead to her death.
- Troy is officially killed by Madison after she stabs him in the chest with Alicia's prosthetic arm, and a dying Troy lies that Tracy is actually Alicia's daughter.
Goofs/Errors
- When Daniel and Luciana rescue Madison and Troy, Daniel shoots one of the exiles dead, but when the camera angle changes, the exile is coming out of the truck again and the body has vanished. The body then reappears just before Luciana shoots one of the men in the arm.
- This appears to be a production goof.
References
- ↑ Release Dates by The Futon Critic