"I'm still not sure she actually sees me." - Alicia Clark
It's no secret that I like the flashback episodes. Typically the writers focus on that one character (like Nick earlier in the half season), we get to learn more about how they lived in the previous world and how it creates their personas in this world. Ofelia, meh. The Salazars I felt were fodder, they are talking like there isn't even a remote chance that Daniel is alive (how much you wanna bet he shows up and demands to know where Ofelia is...and she's off gallivanting trying to find her ex-boyfriend), Griselda was one of the first casualties and now Ofelia has nothing linking her to this tribe except that she knows and trusts them.
Gurl, BYE.
The connecting theme in this episode was family. Family of blood, family we choose, family we create. We see the diverging and sometimes connecting paths of a new character, named Antonio, and Nick, who left his family for something "else" and is trying to find his way in this new world.
The episode opens up though with characters we are being introduced to, at La Colonia. This is Francisco, his wife and their young daughter. The daughter cries that she wants to stay, the parents tell her it's too dangerous to stay. I'm guessing with seeing how Pablo (Luciana's brother) was killed, not to mention the Jonestown-ish vibe of La Colonia and worship of Alejandro, I can see why. They make a break for it (in broad daylight because NO ONE will possibly see them, right), go through the wall covered in infected blood but are captured seemingly not very far from the colony by the warehouse henchmen. Because of course.
So at La Colonia, the leaders (Alejandro and Luciana, along with Nick and a few others they trust to do exchanges) are caught unawares that Francisco has taken his family and left. Francisco, in effect, chose the safety of his own family over the one that was being built in La Colonia. Fair enough.
So while that's happening, life is peachy keen at Rosarito Beach Hotel. Gardens are being planted, everyone is pitching in to clean up behind them, hell they are even able to make a luxury like ICE by running the generator. Everything seems to be working well...till Mrs. Stone, who we find out is named Ilene, goes crazy and stabs Victor for "taking her daughter." Well, that utopia didn't last now did it?
It always amazes that someone in any group has some kind of medical training. At La Colonia, it's Alejandro who is a pharmacist. Alicia, we learn, has volunteered at the hospital. Andreas, who is Oscar's brother, has some medical school under his belt. Because of course. He attends to Victor, says that she missed his organs but he's losing a lot of blood. A clean sweep of the hotel leads them to see they don't have the supplies necessary to help ward off infection. He makes a list, and why does it not surprise anyone that Elena "knows a place, but it's a drive" to get meds. Of course it's the Pelicano warehouse, where Nick has been making exchanges this whole time.
Ofelia's storyline is different. I have to admit, I had her pegged as a goner. She was shot by that soldier guy, she took a long time to recover from it, then always just seemed to be in the right place at the right time. Yet, losing both of her parents in such a short time period, I guess she's having some philosophical issues about life, since she did tell Alicia that she didn't think they were going to make it. In a last ditch attempt, she did take Victor's truck and started driving. It's evident, though, she has a destination in mind.
She did some bad ass things like take out an infected and seemed prepared to do so. But the flashbacks gave us some insight to her life prior to the world ending. She briefly mentioned in Los Muertos that she was engaged to a man named William. Strand cut her off, not wanting to go down the road of the past. But it seems as though that's exactly what Ofelia needs to do in order to process the loss she's had. We see how William proposed, and it was right when he told her he was accepting a job in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She says that she will talk to her parents. What, she needs permission to make that decision? Her flashback also shows us how sheltered she was by Griselda and Daniel. Griselda told her that they left El Salvador for her. They witnessed a lot, she says. "We didn't want that life for you. To have horrors of the world infect your dreams." With that flashback, Ofelia starts the truck, heads towards the U.S. and presumably to Santa Fe to find William.
What's she gonna do when she gets there...send a text message? SMH.
Back at La Colonia, Luciana and Nick tell Alejandro that Francisco has taken his family and left. Alejandro presses Luciana, if she "knew," and that he was angry that he left without a trace or a goodbye or a thank you, like a "coward," as he says. This was interesting though, and why I feel like La Colonia is a little Jonestownish, but Alejandro I think is also leading with fear, that the people looked to him for answers when he didn't want any of it. Luciana convinces Alejandro to speak to the people.
Alejandro speaks of "lost souls" who have left and stopped believing. Stand strong and keep the faith. For what is outside of the wall is a greater danger than what is within. The group disbands, and Luciana says that she and Nick are going to do the drug drop off at Pelicano. Alejandro says no. No one is leaving Colonia right now. Until he says differently. He accuses Luciana of trying to leave like Francisco did.
Afterwards, Nick and Luciana have a HOT fight, and she says that Alejandro has always known what to do. Nick is convinced that the gang will find them, they're expecting their Oxy and at worst they get a half cart of water. Nick later tries to convince Alejandro to do the trade. Alejandro still refuses. Says that the geography of La Colonia and the wall of the dead will keep them safe. Nick tries to convince him that the danger is now, faith or no faith. Nick convinces him that he has faith.
Oscar, Madison (Oscar...Madison? Oscar Madison!) and Elena drive to the warehouse to do an exchange. Prior to leaving, Hector and Elena argued. She wanted Hector there, apparently his brother Antonio has stayed at the warehouse with the gang. She tells Maddie that he stayed with the gang over his own family. Sympathetic to her plight after losing Nick, she tells Elena to hang in there.
Elena and Madison do the exchange at the warehouse, while Oscar waits outside. Antonio asks why Hector didn't come. Elena doesn't respond. As Antonio goes to find their list of supplies, Madison hears arguing upstairs (more, yelling) in Spanish. Thinking it's about them, Elena quashes her theories and says they are arguing about a colony, and some gringo with ratty hair who brings them drugs.
And this is where I lose ALL respect for Madison. Up to this point, she was being very pragmatic and even fair, even in the face of her friend Strand getting stabbed by an outsider. (Prior to leaving, she warned that violence will not be tolerated, and that Ilene would be locked up...a prisoner, but it's either that or she goes outside to fend for herself). She believes this to be Nick, and she loses all sense of reason and puts herself, Elena and the hotel at risk by barging into the meeting, asking all kinds of inappropriate questions. By the way, Francisco and his wife are being interrogated by the gang, separated from their daughter.
Seriously, has she never watched a movie about the mafia? Don't fucking ask questions, you fucking moron. Ugh.
They get their drugs, Antonio tells them to get out, fast. Elena, meanwhile, her weakness if her family as well, and begs Antonio to leave, to reconsider. He mentions, somewhat slyly to me anyway, that they won't be at the warehouse long. (Either they believe they are going to gain control of La Colonia with whatever info they get from Francisco or that the warehouse collateral, i.e. water and medical supplies, are running so low that they won't have any bargaining chips left to be tough guys).
Reynaldo, the other guy at La Colonia who makes drug trades with the warehouse gang, agrees to help Nick make the trade. Nick is very intent on doing this. I haven't thought of ulterior motives, except that the rush Nick gets from being outside the wall is probably similar to his drug addiction. But I also can't help but think he likes being the "hero" to the group as well. Remember, Chris said in a previous episode that the group they were with looked at him differently. Nick is a lot alike in this manner. Strand, Celia and now Alejandro and Luciana see Nick without the drug addiction victim blinders. And I do believe that Nick has the best intentions of La Colonia at heart. He distracts Luciana by taking some shots, I believe so that he can make his escape with Reynaldo to do the trade.
Back at the hotel, Alicia and Strand have a heart to heart. Alicia tells Victor that her mother always had her hands full with her dad and her brother, that she became very self-sufficient. Strand says that they are together now and she has her mother all to herself. Alicia of course didn't want it THAT way. Victor says to make her see *you*.
Nick goes to the outside perimeter of Colonia, and sees in distance that they are being watched. We also see Antonio. At this point, I'm sure that Francisco probably cracked under pressure, now Nick sees that they are probably in trouble.
The episode crescendos with Elena, Oscar and Madison returning to the hotel. Madison jumps out of the vehicle, Oscar hands the drugs to Andreas, and Elena tells Alicia that Madison almost busted the deal by asking questions of the gang. Tells Alicia that she lost it when they said a gringo with "ratty hair" was bringing them drugs. Realizing that Madison has lost all sense of what's right in the world once she heard there's a possibility Nick is not only alive and well but probably within a 15 mile radius, now Madison has completely lost her shit and TURNS ON THE LIGHTS TO THE HOTEL SO THAT ANYONE CAN SEE THEY ARE UP AND RUNNING.
ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME, MADISON?
Alicia runs to where she is at the generator, accusing her of almost blowing the trade to help Victor. Madison rationalizes it, "we got the drugs!" Like, NBD, right, I'm the fucking leader here and if I want to kill us all, I will.
Alicia is still incredulous, that she lost her mind because she heard about a boy that may or may not be Nick. "Your child is always your child" Madison says.
"I'm your child! I don't understand! He chose what's out there over us."
Madison is still holding onto the past..."He may have changed his mind!" (note to Madison: doubtful. He's having hot sex with some hot Mexican chick. He's not coming back for awhile)
"I never changed my mind." Alicia asks why she isn't enough. And she's right. Alicia has stuck with her, has believed in her blindly and isn't afraid to call out her stupidity. Maybe because she is the parent, but also Alicia is there. She's always been. Nick has not. Madison still holds onto this idea that she can help him.
Madison acquiesces, realizes it's pie in the sky thinking, and shuts down the lights.
But not enough for at least one person to see the beacon in the dark.
And we see that is Travis, who appeared by himself without Chris in plain view.
As I wrote that last scene, my hairs stood up on end. But I can understand that there is an element of predictability here.
Keep in mind, that in the Los Muertos episode, Alicia had written on the sand where they left the Abigail to GO NORTH. It's possible that Travis (and Chris may have been to the side, we don't know that yet) did try to find the group at the Abigail.
We will find that out next week.
Can't wait.
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