Episode Nine: Ouroboros

"All these years, never knowing where you were, what you were doing, here you are." - Alicia Clark

"I was always here.  I was just hungry." - Nick Clark  

The Flight 462 mini clips that were shown in 16 one minute increments within The Walking Dead series came to a conclusion with the idea that it crash landed somewhere near Los Angeles.  In fact, at the end of episode three, Nick sees a plane landing unevenly and chaotic.  We are led to believe that this could be 462.  However, there is a time continuity issue.  At the time of this episode, we are probably about two weeks or so after that specific occurrence.  Yet, they're still surviving. 

Centrally, during that flight, we focused on a young Asian woman.  Turns out she goes by "Alex."  (There was a source of confusion, because it seemed like in some scenes, she was called "Charlie," but later on "Talking Dead" she refers to her character as "Alex"). 

She had taken care of a young teenage boy (named Jake) on the flight, whom she had apparently taken the last seat to Phoenix (their original destination) from his mother.  So here he is, separated from his family, on a flight from hell where people are turning and getting bitten, left and right.  For a 16 minute thriller, it did its job, and well.  If we are to talk about the term "Fear," this flight really captured the feeling in an accelerated pace.

So episode nine opens with four survivors on a raft, one of which is Alex.  We don't recognize him at first, but Jake is there too, just badly burned and hurt.  There are two others.  One of the survivors is trying to convince her that the kid is dead weight, he needs to go.  Seems like he decides who lives and who dies.  Alex takes him out instead.  There is another man on the flotation device.  Strawberry blond, wearing a polo.  /end scene

We then turn to Strand, who is on Abigail, talking on his phone.  Things are a little behind, but still looking at an arrival to whatever destination.  We are led to believe it's Mexico, based on what Daniel Salazar has discovered when he was left alone in the control room. 

Travis and Maddie are laying in bed together, but not sleeping.  They attempt to make love, but then a loud noise disrupts them.  Water intake is blocked, so the yacht cannot move and does not have power.  It's dark outside; Strand and Salazar believe they are sitting ducks. 

Travis decides to swim under the hull. 

We all knew what was happening next: of COURSE a frickin infected person has gotten stuck underneath is has body parts blocking the intake.  Of course there is. 

Bonus: the guy underneath is the strawberry blond dude from the flight.  Welp.

Funny part was, after all that panic and initial shock, Travis makes it back to the engine room.  He says he can rebuild a carburetor, but that the blockage needs to be removed.  Strand demands that he fixes it.  He backtracks.  Apologizes for being abrupt. Travis is a valued member of the team.  Now, clean the goddamn filter. 

Very Harvey Keitel of Strand.

From Abigail, Alicia sees in the distance the plane wreckage.  Lots of baggage.   Supplies.  Medications they could use.  Alicia, Chris and Nick decide to go to the shore.  Daniel agrees to supervise.  He has ulterior motives: Ofelia's wound hasn't healed as quickly, and she could use more antibiotics. 

Before he leaves, he tells Maddie that he has discovered Strand has plans to go to Baja.  Maddie asks Daniel to confront Strand.  He says she's the diplomat.  It would not go well if he did it, he says. 

Daniel takes the kids to the wreckage.  "Be quick.  Stay where I can see you."

Yeah, right.  They take off on their own. 

Maddie stays behind with Travis and Strand.  Travis needs to remove the infected body from the intake, but something else is sticking it all up.  Body parts, ew, gross.

Alicia and Nick talk while going through the wreckage. Chris goes off on his own, into the aircraft itself.  Two infected are still strapped in their seats.  There is one still alive, but badly injured, begging Chris to help him.

This is where there may be continuity issues - how can one guy who is strapped in still alive? The lack of a timeline or dates to go by has us wondering how much time, exactly has passed.  And was that Flight 462 that passed Nick that day he was outside in episode three?  My guess could be is he may have gotten out, was bitten and strapped himself in, hoping he'll just die and turn but not be a threat. 

Maddie confronts Strand about Baja.  Strand evades the answer, says that he has given them shelter and safety, yet she still doesn't trust him.  He concedes, says there's a place in Mexico, called Rosarito.  It's safe, in the hills.  There is a house, there are grocery stores and supplies.  Strand says the damage on land is from other people.  They're literally eating each other alive.  Maddie is very stern with him, says that she wouldn't hesitate to throw him overboard.

He says that she is not a killer. 

Despite all the talk about looking to Travis as a leader, Maddie and Strand clash so much, that they are both alphas. Everyone brings something to the table in this group.

Daniel is getting antsy as the kids are going through the remains.  Nick gives him some clothes, and Daniel says it's "bad luck" to steal from the dead.  Nick then goes through some meds, says they need some antibiotics for Ofelia, and tells him what type of suffix to look for on the bottles.

Chris takes the injured man out of his seat, but sees he has mortal wounds.  It's only a matter of time before he goes.  Getting his crash course in "mercy kills," when the man begs him for help, Chris realizes the only way to help him is to kill him.  Finally, Chris understands what Travis had to do for Liza.

Maddie and Travis talk about Baja.  "If we have no destination, we float until we die." Though they have no choice if they wish to continue with the group, but they have a destination now.  That's a plus for now. 

Back on land, Daniel, ever the parent and paranoid man, hears something dull in the distance.  He tells them to hurry up and calls for Chris.  Several minutes later, with none of the other kids around, he sees someone running towards him.  It's Alex.  She tells him to run.  Infected appear on the horizon. 

Daniel, who only had ONE JOB, let all the kids out of his sight.  Nick is away and sees an infected person caught, buried halfway up the sand.  Standing on top of the hole, he slips and falls in.  Of course he does.  Takes out the infected guy with his knife.  It's not over though...several other infected start to fall into the hole with him.

Alicia locates Chris, sees he took out some of the infected himself.  Daniel starts shooting. 

Back on the boat, Travis removes the hand that was plugging up the intake.  The boat is able to start up again. 

Back on land, Nick has not only emerged from the hole, he is covered in blood from the dead.  He almost like a warrior.  Infected are leaving him alone. 

The group makes their escape, along with Alex who was still on the raft with Jake, who is still holding on. 

The two groups arrive back at the boat.  Maddie and Travis tell them they are going to Baja, it's been decided.  They can't sit on the water forever. 

Alex and Jake, meanwhile, try to get on the boat.  Travis and Strand give a united front, say they have no room.  But they will give them supplies, like water and food. Alex, clearly frustrated, asks why this is even a debate.  She just helped them on land, but now she is seen as a threat.  They tie her raft to the back of Abigail.  They come along for the ride, but they can't stay. 

As Abigail starts to move, Ofelia and Nick talk.  He hands her a rosary that he found in the wreckage.  Not sure if that's bad luck, as Daniel said, or good luck, since Ofelia is a religious person.  She tells him, "You smell like death." 

The camera pans out to Alex, who is riding in the raft behind the Abigail.  She tells Jake that, "This is the worst it's gonna be.  Every day, it will get a little better."

No one is comfortable with the decision.  Whether right or wrong, Travis wasn't happy about not helping them, but needed to give a united front.  Maddie looks at the raft in the distance. 

Strand then storms down the stairs, cuts the raft.  Alex and Jake drift out to sea. 

Alex, I guess it does get worse before it gets better.