Everyone falls. Everyone rises.

A series finale needs a certain measure of leeway attached to it. This episode demands that in a single scene which is both a colossal ask and emblematic of the show itself. At one point, Tracy shoots Madison and she only survives because the bullet is stopped by the empty magazine, containing Alicia’s St Christopher, Tracy has just given her.

This is a Big Ask and the show asks it. If it’s too much, you will not find much to enjoy here. If it isn’t, this is a pretty good wrap up for an interesting and always daring show.

The plot is simple; it turns out the Herd is still coming for PADRE, steered by Troy’s surviving forces. Madison wants no part of the fight, in particular when Tracy tells her Alicia may in fact still be alive. She runs off, Tracy shoots her, Strand and the others fight a last stand against the herd and…

Then everything’s fine. Because Madison has a change of heart.

It’s a massive swing for the character but one in keeping with her vast, chaotic path. You will, I promise yell ‘OH COME ON!’ at her more than once. Strand does and their final scene together sees them completely change sides. Madison is the one looking out for herself and Victor is, at last, the man he always wanted to be. No one’s gone until they’re gone, everyone deserves a second chance and those two motifs are front and centre here one last time. Madison’s is just much more literal than it seems.

The actual resolution of the assault on PADRE is the other place the episode wobbles badly. It’s largely in montage and it’s shot, very cleverly by frequent franchise flyer Michael E. Strazemis, with an eye to the mythical., This is Madison the idea embodying and evolving Madison the woman. We’re basically watching her become what’s needed in real time, woman and myth becoming one.

Again this is a Big Ask. Madison has always been written, and played, as a woman completely unafraid to be deeply unlikable when she needs to be and that’s still true. But that, here, as always, is the point. Madison knows who she is on a near cellular level. She knows who she appears to be too and the finale here sees her realize she’s more use as an idea than she is as a presence. Victor had to lose everything to realize he was becoming a villain. Madison has the chance to step off the train early and takes it.

All of this doesn’t excuse the problems some people will have with this episode. If you can’t stand Tracy, there’s a lot of her here. If you’re a Dwight, Sherry, or anyone other than Madison, Tracy and Strand fan there’s not much for you here.

But what there is really matters. The ending sees the characters go their separate ways, empowered by their time together but unafraid to stand alone. Sherry and Dwight turning Sanctuary into what it always should have been is deeply moving. Strand getting his family too. Daniel and Luciana’s desperately under-served relationship gets some nice tie-off too and Daniel’s cat is back! Everyone’s basically okay! Which has never, ever been the case before with these people!

But the last image we have here is the Clark women, as it should be. Alycia Debnam-Carey’s return is as gentle and powerful as it needs to be and Madison and her daughter are reunited as equals. Even the final twist on Tracy works. She was never Alicia’s daughter. In his dying moments, Troy saw a chance to send his daughter to the one place he knew she’d be safe: to his sworn enemy. Now at last they’re a family, and a myth and now, at last they can go home to a Los Angeles that needs a myth and needs the help it brings with it. I wouldn’t bet against them and judging by Stand’s final smile, neither would he.

Verdict: Fear The Walking Dead has never gone where it’s expected to and has always ended up where it needs to be. Daring to a fault, wearing its heart on its sleeve it’s a show that changed the character of its world and pushed what post-apocalyptic fiction should be in needed, often brilliant directions. It’ll be missed but I’m glad these characters can, at last, get some rest. They’ve earned it. 8/10

Alasdair Stuart