Fear the Walking Dead season 8 introduced a young new character that is the perfect addition to the series’ end because of the potential she holds.

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

In the latest episode of Fear the Walking Dead, the series brought in a new, youthful character that could be hinting at some really exciting things for The Walking Dead franchise’s future. Fear the Walking Dead is The Walking Dead’s first ever spinoff series, and is currently airing its eighth and final season on AMC, with the most recent episode being the tenth out of twelve. In it, Strand is determined to get Troy away from PADRE by using his daughter, Tracy, as leverage. However, unsurprisingly, this mission doesn’t exactly go to plan as high emotions and past grudges get in the way.

The Walking Dead and its spinoffs are very familiar with big ensemble casts, so the addition of a new character at the end of Fear the Walking Dead’s final season is not entirely strange. In fact, Fear the Walking Dead season 8 has followed quite the trend of bringing old characters back from the dead, leading to epic Fear the Walking Dead reunions. All of this is to say that The Walking Dead franchise knows how long-running character dynamics can benefit the series, and furthermore, it knows how to manage its characters so The Walking Dead world can keep spinning. In this case, Fear the Walking Dead’s newest character may be the perfect example of this.

FTWD’s Tracy Is A Brilliant Addition To The Franchise

In Fear the Walking Dead season 8, episode 10, entitled “Keeping Her Alive,” a new character is introduced. Tracy is Troy’s daughter, and though Strand wants to use her to make Troy stand down from PADRE, she has the potential to be just as volatile as her father. Though Tracy may seem like nothing more than a bargaining chip, her inclusion in Fear the Walking Dead is actually a genius move. First and foremost, Tracy’s existence is a great parallel for Troy and Madison’s feud, which has always centered on their families and the others’ maltreatment of them. Furthermore, Tracy gives Troy a vulnerability that he hasn’t had before.

Tracy is a great addition because of the way she affects preexisting relationships, such as Troy and Madison, but also because she is a strong young person. The Walking Dead franchise is notably dark and gory, and oftentimes young people get the short end of the stick in this apocalyptic world, simply because they are smaller and less experienced than everyone else. However, in just one episode, Tracy proves that she is important to the story, and furthermore, that she can hold her own whether she is with her father or not. Therefore, Tracy is not just a plot device, but an integral member of the story.

The Walking Dead’s “Young Avengers” Explained

Although The Walking Dead and its spinoff series have typically given adult characters more screentime and importance, Tracy is just another example of a shift in the franchise, wherein younger characters are getting bigger roles. These young people are essentially the “young avengers” of The Walking Dead franchise. Where other children and teens have succumbed to illness or harm, these adolescents are not so easily forgotten. They have persevered through the hardships of their series, and thus, remain alive where their predecessors have not. Tracy is only the most recent member of the “young avengers,” and in general, this is a fairly new concept for The Walking Dead franchise.

At the moment, The Walking Dead franchise’s “young avengers” are made up of the following characters: Judith, RJ, Herschel, Mo, Laurent, Ginny, and Tracy. These characters span across various The Walking Dead series, but they all have two things in common: they are young, and they have survived. In their respective shows, these characters have not only stayed alive, but have had an important impact on the main storyline. Many of them are powerful, influential, or have reputations passed down to them by their parents. All in all, The Walking Dead’s “young avengers” are a new group that have the chance to do really exciting things in the franchise.

The Walking Dead’s Young Cast Sets Up A Next Generation

The Walking Dead clearly has no intentions of slowing down, as proven by Dead City, Daryl Dixon, and The Ones Who Live being quickly released one after the other, which means that the “young avengers” could feasibly be the next generation of The Walking Dead. At this point, there are enough characters in enough places that each “young avenger” could potentially lead their own show or come together to make something entirely new. In fact, The Walking Dead’s unused finale had already begun recasting these characters with older actors. In this way, the “young avengers” could continue The Walking Dead franchise with a new and fresh perspective.

What makes the “young avengers” the perfect candidates for continuing The Walking Dead franchise is that audiences are already familiar with them. The key to much of The Walking Dead’s success is a mix of familiarity and new content. Daryl Dixon, for example, introduced an entirely new world but had Daryl grounding it all. Therefore, the “young avengers” can bring The Walking Dead to new heights while keeping audiences invested because of their previous time on the show. Some of the “young avengers” would even be continuing their parents’ legacies. The Walking Dead’s many properties can be brought together in one, massive series via the “young avengers.”

Tracy Vs. Judith Could Be The Walking Dead’s Next Gen Feud

The Walking Dead wouldn’t be nearly as successful without its relationships, and luckily, the “young avengers” already have a rivalry in the making. Potentially, Tracy and Judith could be the next great hero-villain relationship. As Rick Grimes’ daughter, Judith obviously has some big shoes to fill in terms of heroics, and if Tracy follows in her own father’s footsteps, then she will also have a pretty notorious reputation to live up to. With both girls at either end of the spectrum, this sets them up to be perfect enemies. Overall, this is a faceoff that could be really exciting to watch play out.

Although the adults of The Walking Dead franchise aren’t going anywhere at the moment, the addition of Tracy in Fear the Walking Dead is a sign that times could be changing in the near future. Once the stories of Daryl, Negan, Maggie, Rick, and Michonne come to a close, a new generation will definitely be ready to take over. They will not only bring a new perspective to the long-running franchise, but they will come with a dose of nostalgia as well that will hopefully keep fans as invested as they already have been.