Fear the Walking Dead: We’re all infected

In Fear the Walking Dead the secret that we’re all infected has been revealed much earlier than in it was in The Walking Dead.  What will that mean?

Part of the tension and frustration of Fear the Walking Dead is built on the dramatic irony created from the fact that we know so much more than the characters do. Usually dramatic irony comes into play because we see or hear things on-screen that the other characters are not privy to because they are not in those scenes.

We know more for interesting reasons in this show. Partially because of zombie lore in general, and partially because of what we’ve learned from The Walking Dead. Rick learned from Dr. Jenner that we’re all infected with whatever it is that causes people to turn. So however you die, you turn. At first they surmised it was from bites, which definitely causes the fever and death and turning.  But, they even worried about scratches and fluids. Although those fears didn’t seem to pan out.

In Fear, it seems that they should have figured out that they are all infected, but they are still confused. Remember Hershel put his family in the barn and fed them. Travis is still having a hard time accepting that they are dead. It’s obvious that they are perhaps dangerous and a huge issue and threat, but they haven’t seen enough to make huge generalizations yet.

However, Dr. Exner has seen enough and she did tell Liza some particulars. Liza knows that everyone turns. She knows about brain trauma being the only remedy and she’s put someone down.

Showrunner Dave Erickson talks to Hollywood Reporter about Liza:

"She goes into the hospital because she feels responsible for Griselda and for Nick, but also because it’s an opportunity for her to help, learn and function as a nurse —and then she gets broadsided with the realization that whatever this thing is, it’s collective and we all have it. And when somebody does have it, they have no choice but to put them down. It’s a heartbreaking scene when she has to put Griselda down. There are two things going on: she’s failed her patient —this woman that she cares about — and she’s getting this massive download about the fact that whatever this contagion is, it’s something that has spread completely. That is information she now has and, in many respects, she is getting ahead of it in the same way as Rick at the end of season one. We’ll see what she does with that information."

So we’ll see if she tells people about what she knows. I would think she will at least tell people about the head trauma part. We’ll have to see if she keeps the part about everyone being infected to herself like Rick did. She may have her reasons. Perhaps to save Daniel and Ofelia from knowing that Griselda would have turned. Maybe she will just tell them she died. We’ll see on Sunday and in season 2 how that news plays a part in the series.

Next: Daniel Salazar's Deception

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