Dwight’s return to a surprising location in Fear the Walking Dead makes the most frustrating plot hole in season 8 an even more glaring issue.
Warning: Spoilers for Fear the Walking Dead season 8, episode 9
Summary
- Fear the Walking Dead season 8, episode 9 reveals that a group of survivors has taken shelter in the Sanctuary and started using it as a hideout.
- The episode further connects Fear the Walking Dead and The Walking Dead by revisiting Georgia, the starting point of the franchise.
- The proximity between Alexandria and the Sanctuary, as shown in the episode, suggests that the main show’s cast could provide assistance in defeating Troy.
The most frustrating plot hole in Fear the Walking Dead became even more glaring after Dwight and Sherry’s return to the Sanctuary. Fear the Walking Dead season 8, episode 9, titled “Sanctuary,” saw FTWD’s remaining crossover characters make an unexpected visit to the Sanctuary, a key location in the main show and an important part of Dwight and Sherry’s backstory. The events of the episode allowed the franchise to reveal who occupies the Sanctuary at this juncture in The Walking Dead timeline.
This isn’t the first time The Walking Dead has gone back to Negan’s original headquarters in the franchise. It made multiple appearances after the Saviors’ defeat in the All-Out War. However, it’s a far cry from the villain base it was in seasons 7 and 8. However, the size and defensibility of the factory means it still has its uses from time to time. As Fear the Walking Dead season 8 has confirmed, a group of survivors eventually took shelter in the Sanctuary and began using it as a hideout. By using the Sanctuary, FTWD was able to create another nostalgic-fueled entry in the franchise, but in doing so, brought back a question that has plagued previous episodes.
Fear The Walking Dead Season 8’s Georgia Setting Has Created A Plot Hole
After spending so much time in Texas, Fear the Walking Dead transitioned further east, with Georgia (the starting point of the franchise) coming back into focus. Morgan even revisited the house where he and Rick faced off against the zombies in The Walking Dead pilot episode. By heading here, FTWD created an even bigger connection between it and the main series. FTWD brought its original characters to a place that was once crucial to the main show. But while The Walking Dead hadn’t been set in Georgia for a while, it’s important to note that Rick’s group never traveled too far in the franchise.
Most members of Rick’s group are based in Alexandria, which is widely known to be located in Virginia. That’s not too far from where FTWD’s main characters are, meaning that in spite of existing in different corners of The Walking Dead universe for years, there’s finally a good reason for their worlds to intersect. And, it’s not as if Madison’s group is unaware of Alexandria’s existence; both Morgan and Dwight have been there before. Morgan, for his part, has openly discussed Alexandria and the fact that it’s in Virginia. Because of the threat they faced from PADRE in part 1 and now Troy Otto in Fear the Walking Dead season 8 part 2, Alexandria is the most obvious choice for an ally.
Visiting The Sanctuary Makes FTWD’s Plot Hole Even More Obvious
What happened in “Sanctuary” proves how easy it would for the show to use Alexandria. As evidenced by Sherry, Dove, and June’s arrival at the Sanctuary to pick up Dwight, the distance between Alexandria and PADRE is manageable. If people from the main show can go from Alexandria to the Sanctuary or vice versa in the span of a single episode, the two locations are obviously not that far apart. Thanks to “Sanctuary,” it’s become abundantly clear that Alexandria can be visited at any time in Fear the Walking Dead season 8.
With the characters’ main goal being to secure the safety of PADRE’s children, getting help from a place like Alexandria certainly sounds like a logical course of action. Morgan wanted him to take them there all the way back in season 4, even though it would have been a dangerously long trip, considering that they were in Texas at the time. That great distance has served as a huge divide between the two shows’ casts for years, but “Sanctuary” proves it no longer exists.
The Walking Dead’s Main Show Cast Can Still Help Defeat Troy
While it’s true that Alexandria hasn’t been the focal point that perhaps it should be, that doesn’t mean it won’t come into play later. Since Morgan is looking for Rick, there’s a good chance he’s already in Alexandria. If that’s the case, he could make a surprise cameo in the Fear the Walking Dead series finale and lead the Alexandrians alongside Madison’s group in a final battle against Troy. As for how this can happen, Dwight could be the key.
Daryl told Dwight at the end of The Walking Dead season 8 that he would kill him if he ever tried to return to Alexandria.
He isn’t welcome there, but the high stakes could force Dwight to take the risk and lead his friends directly to Alexandria’s doorstep. By heading in this direction, FTWD can set up a thrilling showdown and an ending that allows both groups to join as one in the final episode. Using the fight with Troy to engineer a team-up with the Alexandrians could be the best way for Madison and others to find a permanent home for PADRE’s kids.
