Martha finds Al, knocks her out and leaves a message with her. The group prepare to bug out for Alexandria, but Morgan can’t stop himself trying to help Martha one last time…

The final line of this episode, and season, is a mission statement. Morgan and friends, newly equipped and with a secure base of operations roll out to look for more people to assist them in building a new community. Morgan, with a warmth and strength to his voice he’s often lacked, says over the radio:

‘Hang in there. We’re coming for you.’

We know The Walking Dead as a universe isn’t going anywhere for the next decade. We know the expansion plans include other shows, movies, and more crossovers. Yet somehow, when he said this, the emotional impact of it still knocked me sideways a little.

Fear The Walking Dead is a rescue show now.

It’s so obvious, and frankly brilliant, an idea that it creeps up on you. Where TWD is going to dig into the ideas of community building in the post apocalypse, FTWD looks set to explore what happens with a clean slate. Every villain the show has ever had is in the dirt or the rear view. The weird, lumpy three group family of leading characters is a cohesive, wildly eccentric unit. There aren’t so many of them that some get lost as can happen on the core show.

They’re alive. Which begs the question ‘Now what’ and the answer presented here:

This.

That desire to build, to help echoes with resonance up and down the show. We get Martha’s origin at last and it’s as wracked by grief and horror and guilt as Morgan’s own. We also get an important corner turned in the life of my favourite combat Buddhist:

He kills her. He isn’t happy about it but he does it. Because not even Morgan can save everyone and he finds peace with burying her. And in the show’s subtlest moment, memorializing everyone they’ve encountered this season. Martha, Polar Bear and Madison all give him pieces of the puzzle. Make something new, make it sustainable, bring other people to it, be strong as a community. This is Morgan finally coming in from the cold and it’s as inspiring as it is powerful to see. Lennie James and Tonya Pinkins are especially great in this episode and James being positioned as the show’s de facto lead is an inspired move. One that almost pulls the sting of Madison’s death, just as the continued survival of Morgan, Strand and Wendell moves the franchise past the Revolving Door black characters had not long ago.

It’s not all perfect. Nothing is. The episode is oddly paced and crams a lot of introspection into a small space. But it ends with such confidence, and sets up the next season so well, you don’t care. FTWD has rescued itself. Now, it’s all about rescuing other people. Morgan hasn’t lost himself and may not ever again. And even if he does, this time he’s got people to come find him.

Verdict: Family, trust, love and hope. Not the building blocks you’d expect in this show but this show rarely does what you expect. The most pleasant gore-covered surprise you’ll see. Bring on season 5. 9/10

Alasdair Stuart