Fear The Walking Dead episode 309 review: ‘Minotaur’

Fear The Walking is back and the midseason premiere proves that this season isn’t just a fluke. Fear has finally found solid footing.

A lot of people were cautiously watching Fear The Walking Dead’s midseason premiere to see if season 3 would continue the intensity and quality of the first of the season. The midseason premiere’s two episodes “Minotaur” and “The Diviners”, prove that Fear The Walking Dead is a bona fide stand alone hit.

**WARNING: SPOILERS BELOW**

“Minotaur “picks up just after Madison and Walker have negotiated a sort of truce. The Nation members move onto Broke Jaw Ranch. And predictably, the people on the ranch are not ok with it. While some of the racial taunts used are cringy to watch they are totally in character for the people on the ranch. These are people who in general are not ok with anyone that is different from them.

The whole reason they bought into Jeremiah’s Otto vision of the white Libertarian utopia of the ranch is that they wanted a haven away from anyone not like them. And now not only do they have to share their space and supplies with Native Americans they also have to deal with The Nation having all the weapons and calling all the shots.

“Minotaur” did a great job showing a realistic portrayal of what it would look like when these two groups suddenly have to co-exist.

Troy’s Last Stand

As members of The Nation’s security team go around to each member of the ranch to take any weapons they have in their homes there is a lot of grumbling. But when they go to the main house to take Troy’s weapons, of course, it goes badly. Madison and Nick go with The Nation people to try to talk Troy into giving up his weapons.

But Troy isn’t having it. He pulls a weapon and threatens to kill everyone including himself. Madison and the others get out but Nick stays to try to talk Troy down. He and Troy really do have a pretty strong connection.

But that connection isn’t strong enough. Troy, predictably, goes off the rails and continues the assault until Nick physically tackles him and forces him to stop. It’s pretty clear to everyone that Troy is never going to be able to accept the new living arrangements on the ranch. The peace that exists is so tenuous that Troy is too much of a liability. He’s got to go, and they all know it. Even Troy.

Troy And Madison’s Complicated Relationship

Troy accepts his exile but insists Madison go with him to the drop point. At various points, they both almost kill each other, and then in the next breath, they are sympathetic to each other.

It’s clear that Madison really does have some type of sympathy for Troy. Probably because she sees similarities between him and Nick. But Nick has Madison to fight for him, and Troy lost his mother and has no one. Madison seems to regret, a little, her manipulation of Troy.

The White Witch And The Minotaur

Troy, getting ready to go into exile, calls Madison the “White Witch of The Apocalypse” and says that his father called her “Pandora”.

Pandora was a figure from Greek mythology who accidentally released death, pestilence, and other horrible things into the world when her curiosity made her open the box that the gods had kept all the evil things in the world in. So really the comparison was pretty accurate. Ever since Madison and her kids came to the ranch things have not gone well for the people at the ranch.

But that wasn’t the only Greek mythology reference in this episode. Minotaur was a creature in Greek mythology that had the head of a man and the body of a bull. He was a monster, vicious, unstable, and an outcast. He fed on humans. Eventually, he was confined within an elaborate labyrinth so that he wouldn’t be a danger to others.

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Now Troy, the figurative Minotaur, has been exiled so that he won’t cause any more problems. But like the mythological Minotaur, he will continue to prey on humans until a hero finally can slay him. The chances that Troy will not go back to the ranch are pretty slim. It’s likely that Nick, who shares a bond with Troy, will eventually end up killing him.

The comparison of Troy to the Minotaur is a great one and really adds a level of depth to the show that until this season the show has been lacking. Throughout season 3 the show has had a complexity and undercurrent that are thrilling to see.

Solid Ground

“Minotaur “was one of the best episodes so far in a season where nearly every episode of Fear The Walking Dead is better than the one before it. The change in the writing staff for this season shows because season 3 has taken this show to another level.

Next: Teaser video: FTWD 311 'La Serpiente'

Fear The Walking Dead had some growing pains in season 2. But now in season 3, the show has found the solid ground it was lacking. With more than half a season of a really outstanding story and character development, Fear has become a show worthy of sharing The Walking Dead universe.