In Fear the Walking Dead season 8, episode 8, this one Troy line makes it clear that the villain might get the redemption he always wanted.

This article contains spoilers for Fear the Walking Dead season 8.

The second half of Fear the Walking Dead season 8 has been full of twists and turns, and as the series finale nears, these surprises may only increase, including which characters are considered villains and which are not. Fear the Walking Dead is the very first spinoff series of AMC’s The Walking Dead and is coming to an end with its eighth season. In the show’s most recent episodes, Madison runs into Strand and Troy, who have changed but not enough to be trusted, and Charlie returns, despite Daniel’s claims that she likely succumbed to radiation poisoning.

While Strand and Charlie’s returns were surprising, the return of Troy to Fear the Walking Dead was the most shocking of them all. The last time Troy appeared in Fear the Walking Dead was season 3, where he was the main antagonist and the direct enemy of Madison. In fact, their rivalry was one of the show’s most iconic pairings. In the end, Troy attempted to make amends with Madison, and she responded by killing him via a hammer to the head. Though audiences assumed Troy was dead, Fear the Walking Dead left the door open a crack for him to come through and return.

Troy’s “Second Chance” Line Sets Up His Fear The Walking Dead Redemption

While Fear the Walking Dead has brought Troy back and portrayed him as the villain he used to be, touting Alicia’s prosthetic arm and claiming to have killed her, the reality is that the show could very well redeem him. This is evidenced in Fear the Walking Dead season 8, episode 8 when Troy says something along the lines of: “no one ever gave us a second chance.” At face value, what Troy is saying with this line is that he has done bad things, and he believes he deserves a second chance, but unfortunately, no one has ever been kind enough to give him one, most of all Madison.

Something else that makes this line so vital is the fact that the idea of second chances has been pervasive throughout season 8, part 2. Strand talks about second chances thoroughly in episode 7, and just the fact that so many Fear the Walking Dead cast members have been revived in the show, including Troy and Charlie, exemplifies second chances. Although a character might be presumed dead, they can survive if given the chance. This also connects to the idea of the bird Amina, which taught Nick and Alicia to support individuals even when they seem like lost causes, ergo giving them a second chance.

Madison Can Fix A FTWD Season 3 Mistake By Giving Troy A Second Chance

The puzzle pieces all begin to fit together when the idea of second chances is applied to Troy and Madison’s rivalry. As soon as Troy returned to Fear the Walking Dead, the animosity they had for each other returned at the drop of a hat. Thus, the show has made it so that Madison and Troy’s conflict must reach some sort of end by the finale of Fear the Walking Dead, and one perfect conclusion would be Madison giving Troy a second chance. In episode 8, Troy wonders why no one has ever given him a second chance, and if anyone were to give him one, the perfect choice would be Madison.

The reason for this is that Madison is the number one person that did not give Troy a second chance. Despite being Fear the Walking Dead’s hero, and often being portrayed as a morally upstanding character, Madison betrayed Troy’s trust by killing him. Troy had done some truly awful things in season 3, but he attempted to make amends for it to Madison and prove that he was on her side. In return, Madison brutally killed him. Considering Madison and Troy’s past, it would be great storytelling if Madison finally gave Troy the second chance he deserved, and in turn, he proved that he could be a good guy.

Troy’s Redemption Would Make Madison’s Death More Likely

The final piece that would fall into place in this hypothetical storyline is that Madison would die. Troy and Madison’s rivalry is important, and it needs to reach some sort of climax. So, perhaps Troy is desperately seeking a chance to prove himself and Madison gives him that second chance. Troy makes everyone see that he can be good, and so when he gets into danger, Madison sacrifices herself to save his life. It wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for Madison to sacrifice herself, but it would be meaningful because it was Troy. As a result, Troy would strive to be even better to make Madison’s death worth it.

There is no telling what will happen in the final episodes of Fear the Walking Dead, but this theory is an exciting one. With so much talk of second chances and characters being brought back, it would make sense that a major event would make it all make sense. Though Troy is a great villain, it would be amazing to see him grow into a hero, and while Madison has been a lovable and interesting main character, her death would be the perfect way to seal up the series forever. There is nothing more reliable than a bittersweet ending from The Walking Dead franchise.