Fear The Walking Dead: Who died in We All Fall Down?

The second episode of Fear The Walking Dead season two offers much intrigue and lands high on the creepy scale.  And the familiar verse from the title “We All Fall Down” gives us little hope that everyone will survive the hour.

Another vessel appears to be matching every move of Abigail‘s course on the water.  Our survivors see a light turn off and on at a house in the distance and decide to dock for the evening hoping that the boat tailing them will pass them by. It is here at an island ranger station that we meet the Gearys, a mysterious family of five.

Strand, Ofelia, and Daniel stay behind on the Abigail while Madison and Travis approach the island home with Nick, Alicia, and Chris in tow.  The crew approaches the home and Travis gives his best “we’re not here to hurt you” speech. The door opens to George and Melissa Geary.  We are also introduced to the Gearys three children, the eldest Seth, and two younger kids, Willa and Harry. As the Clarks and Manawas visit with the Gearys, we get the distinct feeling that something is not quite right with the islanders, and begin to suspect that someone may not make it out alive.

Let us take a look at who or what fails to survive Fear The Walking Dead season 2 episode 2.

A daughter’s respect

I believe that Ofelia still cares for her father, Daniel Salazar.  But their relationship has definitely taken a turn for the worse.  Ofelia learned last season that her father has a torturous past in El Salvador, more on the giving than the receiving end.  While Daniel has tried to justify his actions as a mechanism to protect his family, Ofelia now sees him in a different light.

As the two ponder what’s taking the others so long on the island, Ofelia reveals that this new world helps her understand her father better because it, too, is “cruel” like him.  Daniel does not reply.  Only time will tell if the relationship finds healing. Surely, they will continue to protect one another, but will they be able to recover the deeper bond once shared as father and daughter?

San Diego

Since departure, the destination of the Abigail has been San Diego. However, George Geary reveals to Travis that not only the city of San Diego, but at least half of the United States appears to have fallen prey to the infection upon them.  George has tried to reach other ranger stations and only learned of napalm and destruction.  Even the island itself is slowly becoming more vulnerable to the infected washing up on the shore.  The fence does not cover the entire perimeter nor will it be able to hold the eventual onslaught of the numbers of undead from the tourist attraction across the water.

Strand’s secret

We see Daniel “hovering over [Strand] like the specter of death”.  He believes Strand carries a secret motive and Daniel is all about finding what it is. Stealing a moment alone at the ship’s helm, Daniel scavenges and discovers a large assault rifle and maps for Mexico.  We also hear Strand speaking on the phone to an unknown party in the episode. Could this be someone in Mexico or about Mexico?  Not all is revealed but all is no longer secret either.

Childhood

Childhood innocence is a thing of the past.  While Nick revels in his own memories of childhood while visiting with the younger Geary children, Willa and Harry, he realizes that they will never have what some may consider a “normal” childhood.  Dolls and action figures are no longer heroes but victims.

Chris spends time with the older Geary offspring, Seth, whose daily chore is not taking out the garbage like most teens, but rather taking out the infected along the perimeter. Chris takes a liking to perimeter duty, unleashing much of his own anger and loss upon the floaters.

Willa and Melissa

While trying to score something for himself, Nick discovers the “power pills” that George has been giving the children. It appears that the father is slowly poisoning them to ensure that his family all dies there together on the island.  As an anthropologist, George had shared to Travis earlier his respect for tribal practices of burying their dead together. Not cool, George! Give the kids a chance.

Madison is also quick to figure out that mother, Melissa, is quizzing Madison on her ability to care for the young Willa and Harry.  She wants them to get off the island, but George will not allow it.  Upon Nick and Madison’s discoveries, and with Melissa’s permission, a plan is set in motion to take the children with them on Abigail’s journey.  Too late.

Harry descends the stairs pale as a ghost saying Willa took her pill.  Sure enough the young girl is found lying unresponsive outstretched on the floor. As Melissa clings to her daughter, the young girl turns and bites her mother. George refuses to leave but the others escape taking young Harry with them to the ship.

Strand is not happy with Madison bringing Harry whom he calls “dead weight” to the boat.  But before the two can argue further, Seth shows up with gun in tow demanding they return Harry.  Daniel considers shooting Seth, but Madison tells him not to.  Seth takes Harry with him, only to find their reanimated mother walking down the pier towards them.  Seth shoots his mother while Harry is turned waving to Abigail‘s passengers.

Next: We All Fall Down: Fear episode 202 review

We suspect that George may also have turned and the deck is stacked against Seth.  But it looks like we will never know for sure as the Abigail is set to sail once again.

Final count: 2, Melissa and Willa

We will reconvene next week for episode 3 of the second season of Fear The Walking Dead.  Were any other losses incurred in “We All Fall Down”? Please share your thoughts in the Comments section.  Until next week . . .