“The Unveiling”
Alicia and Jake travel to the Blackwater Reservation, an off-the-highway truck stop that barely lives up to its name. The tribe strips them of their weapons and escorts them to meet Walker. Jake tries making peace with Walker, who for the 800th time warns them to vacate his lands. Suddenly, Ofelia shows up. Back at the camp, Madison and Otto discover Alicia and Jake are gone and Nick volunteers to find them.
Ofelia tells Alicia her journey to the reservation is “a long story.” Alicia accuses Walker of killing Vernon’s family but Ofelia assures her no such mission took place. Jake finally reaches a parlay with Walker, who agrees to trek back with Ofelia to swap hostages. Jake and Ofelia arrive back at the camp where Madison and Nick (who just cut his hair) demand to know where Alicia is.
Walker gives Alicia the tour of his reservation and she notices the helicopter she was shot down in. She quickly blames Walker for Travis’ death and he explains she’s finally beginning to understand how he and his people feel towards the Ottos. He goes on to explain after the apocalypse all of his land will return to his people. Meanwhile, Madison blackmails Troy into helping get Alicia back while Jeremiah convinces Ofelia to broker peace with Walker.
Troy and his friends show up to rescue Alicia while Madison and Nick keep lookout nearby. Tory ends up killing one of Walker’s men and Nick attacks another. Nick almost gets stabbed until he’s rescued by the ranch militia. The noise results in a huge shootout between the groups. Thankfully, Nick, Alicia, Troy, and the others escape safely. They return to Otto’s camp where tensions escalate between Madison and Jake over the war they probably just started.
The next day Jake returns to Black Hat with Ofelia and is immediately dragged out of his truck and beaten. Walker emerges and chastises him for breaking the parlay. He begins scalping him and almost finishes him off when Ofelia stops him. He does but threatens to finish him off if he ever sees his father again. Later, a beat-up Ofelia is dropped off at Otto’s ranch by Walker’s people. Jeremiah tells Madison she’s her responsibility now and must be put to work.
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That night, Troy and his soldiers patrol the camp perimeter wary of Walker’s attack. Suddenly, one of the soldiers grows very ill and begins foaming at the mouth. Then, another soldier experiences the same problem. Their screams wake up Madison, who rushes outside to help. Nearby, other members of the camp get sick and turn, sending chaos through the camp. Madison and Alicia start taking out the infected and Nick starts convulsing, too. Amid the chaos, Ofelia sneaks out.
“Children of Wrath”
We flash back to Ofelia in the desert getting captured by Jeremiah. We then see her getting brought into Black Hat bruised and bloodied by Walker. He cleans and clothes her and gives her a place to stay. Flash forward to Ofelia escaping Otto’s ranch and Madison subduing her. Madison beats her and demands, “What did you do?!”
The next day, the community finds itself inundated with sick people and Madison informs Jeremiah that Ofelia poisoned the coffee with an unknown powder. She instructs the doctors to keep Nick alive. Meanwhile, we catch up with Strand, who miraculously locates The Abigail. He shoots and stabs the infected on board and settles in.
Madison holds Ofelia at gunpoint as they drive to Black Hat. Ofelia explains the powder was supposed to make the soldiers sick so Walker’s people could infiltrate unopposed. They arrive at Black Hat, where Walker tells Madison the powder was Anthrax. She rushes back to tell Jake and promises Nick she’ll save him. Jake determines they have to go to war if they don’t have leverage, and Alicia promises to find water. That night, Jake confesses to Nick he drank some of the coffee but has to keep up appearances for the others.
At Black Hat Ofelia confronts Walker about the anthrax when suddenly, Walker notices fires have been set around his camp. Madison and Alicia, who set the fires, try escaping with one of Walker’s trailers as her group and his engage in another shootout. Back at camp, Nick asks Jeremiah about a skull with a bullet hole he dug up. He recalls how he and his men killed some of the natives during a land dispute and the skull belongs to Walker’s father. Jeremiah justifies the land now belongs to whomever can hold it, which is him.
The next day, Madison and Alicia return with the trailer while Walker and his people emerge on the horizon. They explain the trailer can be used to negotiate. Nick shows the skull to Madison and she tells Alicia about Troy killing the family. This sends Alicia into a rage, which is quickly checked by Madison who argues they don’t know the burden she carries. Back on The Abigail, Strand briefly makes contact with a dying Russian astronaut who confirms the whole world has been affected.
Madison offers Walker his father’s skull but he rejects it and tells them they have until sundown of the next day to clear out before they re-claim the land. That night, Strand grabs as many useful supplies as he can and sets fire to The Abigail. Madison opens up to Nick about her dark past with an abusive father, who she killed as a little girl. Shortly after, she asks Jeremiah to kill himself to end the standoff. He refuses and Nick walks in and shoots Jeremiah himself. Troy and Jake rush in and briefly mourn their father before transporting him away. The next morning, Madison brings Walker Jeremiah’s head, seemingly ending their conflict.
What did YOU think of the epic Mid-Season Finale? Will Madison take over the ranch? Is this the last we’ll see of Walker? Tell us in the comments below!
These were two fantastic episodes. The acting, the writing, everything was amazing. So many things happening that I didn’t expect, like Ofelia popping up and then poisoning everyone, Jake almost getting scalped, Madison’s incredible reveal about her past and then finally Nick killing Jeremiah Otto and Madison bringing Otto’s head to Walker to buy them all peace. Just an amazing first half of the season. The only thing missing in these last two episodes was Daniel – but at least he’s back and alive!
The greatest loss of the evening, hands down: Nick’s Hair ??
Best midseason finale since the Dixon’s in Woodbury arena?
Best episodes of the season so far. I was glad to see the survivalist, separatist, supremacist Otto get what was coming to him.
Agree with both Snotgirl and LyveWire.
Especially happy Nick stepped up for family. Looking forward to Alicia’s continued mental spiral. Kudos to the writers for having those two switching places so completely.
I thought it was amazing. The character development of Alicia is outstanding. The girl has no fear. She straight up told Walker that he was a hypocrite. She also made herself a bargaining chip because she knew that Jake had no leverage, And then she called out her Madison. Now, the Clark’s rule the Ranch.
Best arc of the show. Left me wanting more episodes NOW! lol This is the first time I’ve really wanted to see what happens next with such excitement since the S1 finale. But the first half of this season is heads and tails over the lame boat arc (especially since, for obvious technical/production reasons they couldn’t really do it properly).
Now I want to see what happens next. Like how are Daniel and Strand going to end up at least sharing the same the same arc with the other main characters? Or will they even?
These 8 episodes by any justice should shut the mouths of the haters.
Also, I knew Madison had a deep darkness, but I wasn’t expecting THAT. Jesus (the gained tomthe board one, not the one we like) jumping on a trampoline juggling bread loaves and sardines Christ, it’s always the pretty ones. It’s barely 2-3 months (at most) into the Zombacolypse crashed and burned civilization and she’s got more balls than Rick and Carl Grimes on their best day. Fuck Negan, “I am Madison”.
It was AMAZING. The most epic midseason finale ever!!
Madison and her unexpected secret and the final!! OMG!!
So epic! I can’t wait for more!!