Midseason Two Breakdown: Madre

At this point, we are two episodes into the second half of season two of Fear the Walking Dead.  I've literally had the craziest and busiest summer, and I've talked about the show often, just haven't been able to collect my final thoughts on the midseason finale and what I've thought.  I also get a little bogged down with the minutia of the season, because I'm so intent on getting every little detail down.  Mostly, I am able to go back over my notes and even my summaries and find things that I didn't give significance to earlier, and I'm also able to find some sort of narrative.

If I had the patience, I'd probably like to see if I get that from the main show.  But at the midseason point, the major focal point was on the "Mother."  Hence, the title "Madre."  Since, you know, Mexico and shit.  In the narratives of great fictional works and life, the prevalent theme is a search for the "father."  We've seen that shit in Catcher in the Rye and many Russell Banks novels.  What about mothers though?  Our biggest mom is Mother Earth, and from the get-go, Travis has always said that when it comes to Nature versus Man, Nature will always be victorious.  So Mother Earth, exacting her revenge on what her children have done...well, it just makes sense if you follow me.

At the midseason point, we've seen our main tribe split off into three, maybe four, factions. 

Strand gets the beautiful and strong women, Madison, Alicia and Ofelia.

Travis separates off with his son, Chris.

Nick walks among the dead.

The fourth is Daniel.  He was sort of a solitary man to begin with, wielding an automatic distrust of everyone and everything.  When we last saw him, he was having visions of his time in El Salvador, of his now-dead wife Griselda and he had a look of peace on his face as the flames took down the cellar where Celia Flores kept the dead.  At the end of the half, we are not entirely convinced that Daniel took his own life.  I hope not, because I really loved him, and I think Ruben Blades is a complete bad ass.

Let's start with Daniel.   From the very first episode he was introduced, we knew he was secretive, he didn't like doing favors for others (the whole "keeping score" thing), and it's quite possible he somehow blames the tribe that has kept him alive and protecting him all this time for the loss of his beloved wife, Griselda.  If you remember, Griselda was one of the first casualties of the zombie apocalypse, cutting her leg, and not able to receive treatment for several days.  It's hard to say, but I feel Daniel and the Salazars are very spiritual people.  In some way, I feel like he understands where someone like Celia Flores was coming from, about how the dead have always walked among us, and now they are visible.  See, I can dig that shit.  Even though I thought she was fucking looney tunes.  He says at one point that the dead they are burying at Abigail ranch will not rest, it is not sacred ground.  Let's face it: many men get married because they want a mother.  Griselda cared for Daniel and helped him cover up the fact he did horrible things to stay alive in El Salvador, and ultimately, hid the facts to protect their daughter.  Without Griselda, he is back on his own, and feels he cannot continue without not only the blessing of his wife, knowing his true back story, but with the horrible things he's done. 

Without his wife, he slowly goes crazy to the point of cracking.  Then he takes out the dead.  His shit-eating and ethereal grin suggested to me that he felt and knew he was doing the right thing.  In this world, sacred ground doesn't mean shit.  It's humans that caused this.

Then we have Chris Manawa.  I understand that we all have our own shit to deal with, but Chris annoyed me to no end.  He almost let Madison get taken out by an infected, then mildly threatened Alicia, and here's Travis, enabling that shit.  The diplomat in me says I can see and understand Travis' thought process behind protecting his son.  He got angry with Madison, claiming that whenever Nick had his drug issues, he stood behind her 100%, even if he didn't agree with it.  Except now, his own son is in a downward spiral and he's not getting her backing.  On the surface, yeah, I can agree with that.  But we know that in this world, we don't have time for that shit. 

Plus, Travis refuses to see that his son is less than perfect.  Madison, a fierce protector, tried to be there for Chris, but he still destroyed their trust at every turn (including when they were doing the hostage negotiation, and he killed the guy in cold blood). 

It's no surprise after watching these episodes again, that both Daniel and Chris lose it when significant women figures or mothers pass, and they haven't been able to reconcile.  Daniel, I can understand, because this was his wife and she was complicit in helping him overcome his personal demons.  Chris, in my opinion, is a spoiled brat and needs a good ass whoopin.  But what does Travis do?  As "Mr. Fix-It," he stays behind.  Rock on, Travis.  Hope you don't get killed.

We know that Nick has had drug addiction problems.  I feel the dead have given him an outlet, as every addict I have ever known has said they were trying to kill themselves, but without actually dying.  Nick seems like he's able to get that rush of adrenaline and danger, but just walking among the dead.  Celia was someone who understood him and made him not seem like a fuck-up because of it. 

I'm writing this half-season review with the knowledge I've acquired also from the first two episodes of the second half.  Madison is the quintessential caregiver, and puts herself dead last.  Usually in a familial relationship where one person takes up many resources (apparently, their late father had a chronic illness or maybe was clinically depressed...that will go in my write up), someone will also beg for some of those now-depleted resources (like Nick, with his drug addiction) or become so independent they do it on their own (overachiever, Alicia).  Madison, in a way, by being the protector has driven her children away.  Yet, through this whole thing, Alicia and Maddie have grown closer.  Like, they know they have a job to do.  Nick, on the other hand, is trying to still find something bigger than himself.  He bonded with Celia, who says she saw a "light" in him.  Perhaps by being smothered, he felt drugs were his only outlet.  Now, he's able to find solitude with the dead.

Mothers and their fuckin shit.

Lastly, that brings us to Nick.  My theory about mothers was confirmed in the first episode of the second half.  He's still trying to search for a mother figure who "sees the light" in him, the same way Celia and Strand tried to bring it out of him. 

I'm sure my philosophies will change and evolve as the season moves on.  Till then, Tierra del Madre remains the connecting theme among all these characters, and the search for one continues.