BWW Recap: Strand By Your Man on FEAR THE WALKING DEAD

When will these people learn to not trust anyone in the apocalypse? They can't still be this naive, can they? Trusting humans didn't pay off once again.

Nick decides to go roam the countryside as he swims naked (thanks) to the shore. He hunts down a walker and covers himself in guts, having learned the Rick trick in the last episode. (I found this hot... and yes, I'm seeking therapy.)

On the boat, Ofelia and Chris share a late night chat about their past relationships when they see a boat heading toward them at full speed. Without warning, three people jump on and ask for help. Overhearing their voices, Alicia immediately recognizes Jack's voice from the radio. Jack (or is it Kip?) and his two comrades, Reid and Vita, take Salazar, Madison, Travis, Chris and Ofelia hostage quickly. Strand jumps in their boat and takes off as Reid shoots at him. Travis convinces Reid that he can still jimmy the boat without the keys that Strand took with him. Madison tries to distract a very pregnant Vita by wondering about the health of her baby. And Jack and Alicia have some moments by themselves as Jack contacts their leader, Connor. Jack asks Alicia to go back with him and she agrees as long as her family will be safe. (Is she just playing him?) Salazar does his best to wiggle out of his restraints as Travis stalls for time with Reid. When Connor does finally arrive, he decides that Travis and Alicia will go with he, Jack and Vita and they take off.

We are treated to a flashback into Strand's life when he first met his friend/lover, Thomas Abigail (Yes, Abigail is a dude!) when he tried to rip him off in New Orleans, post-Katrina. Even though Abigail's best friend, Luis Flores, and his mother, aren't a big fan of Strand's, they still take care of him and protect him out of respect for Thomas. Strand is last seen saying goodbye to Thomas to go to Los Angeles to try and help out in the riots promising he'll be back in a few days. Cut to real time, Strand was not shot, but he is floating to try and stay alive after escaping the boat.

Nick, meanwhile, on dry land locates Luis who is the reason Strand sent him on this mission in the first place. Luis promised Strand that he would get him into Mexico. Nick informs him that there are many more passengers now so the plan has changed. From their raft, Nick and Luis see that the people on the boat are being held hostage by the two goons Connor left behind. Luis takes them out with a rifle. With the distraction, Salazar is able to overtake Reid and Madison stabs him. Nick and Luis arrive. Luis refuses to go to Mexico without Strand. Madison takes the raft out and rescues Strand.

So what have we learned, kids?

• Don't engage with boys with hot voices over the radio no matter how lonely you are.
• Don't let strangers onto the boat even if there is a bleeding, pregnant woman.
• Maybe let your Mom know that you're going to swim to shore to find someone to help you get to Mexico.
• And the most important one? Never turn your back on Salazar. That man is bad ass.

However, Connor and crew had way more information that Alicia gave up, so that's intriguing. Perhaps a cut raft and a jilted Alex filled them in on some information? (Theory credit - Yvette Nicole Brown on TALKING DEAD) We also finally have an answer on Strand's sexuality which was obviously SO important to his character. (It's not, no one cares. It's 2016.) What happened to Thomas Abigail? I would hope we would get some more Dougray Scott in our lives. From the previews, it seems that Reid isn't dead, he is now a hostage of Salazar and we all know how that usually goes. And now, Alicia and Travis have been taken hostage on Connor's boat. Are we going after them? Madison just saved Strand's life, does she get just a TAD bit of mercy to go save her family now? Most importantly, did they say there are only three more episodes? What are you doing to me Fear? We were just getting to know each other!

Parting Thought - Could we draw a parallel between how Alicia is trying to play Jack to how possibly Strand was playing Thomas Abigail? But it is also entirely possible that there are genuine feelings in both instances. Discuss.

Here's a preview for next week's all new episode:

Photo Credit: AMC

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