Shocking Demise of Key Walking Dead Character Renders One Spinoff Narrative Useless
Charlie's return and subsequent demise in Fear TWD renders a significant storyline meaningless, leaving viewers questioning its purpose However, her fate on-screen provides some solace compared to an off-screen death
Warning: Spoilers for Fear the Walking Dead season 8, episode 8
Article Overview
Charlie's demise in season 8 of Fear the Walking Dead ultimately nullified her entire narrative from season 7.
Charlie's return was essential for the show, specifically for Madison's character growth and to provide her with a fitting conclusion, rather than having her demise occur off-screen.
The storyline from Fear the Walking Dead lost its purpose with Charlie's demise in season 8. After being absent from the show for an extended period, Charlie made a comeback in the second episode of the latter half of season 8. However, instead of utilizing her return to make her a crucial component of the show's conclusion, FTWD took an unexpected turn by having the character sacrifice herself to halt Troy.
The whereabouts of key members Charlie, Rabbi Jacob, Strand, and Luciana were highly speculated upon before the release of Fear the Walking Dead season 8 part 2. The series addressed the mystery surrounding Victor Strand in the midseason premiere and unveiled Luciana's fate in the opening moments of Fear the Walking Dead season 8, episode 8, titled "Iron Tiger." Surprisingly, Charlie, a character who easily could have been presumed dead, resurfaced as an ally to Luciana. This presented Madison with the opportunity to finally uncover the truth about Charlie's involvement in Nick's death.
Charlie's Return & Death Mean Her Fear TWD Season 7 Story Was Pointless
The surprising aspect of her return to Fear the Walking Dead was the unexpected direction her story took in season 7. In an episode centered around Charlie, titled "Mourning Cloak," her fate took a tragic turn as she contracted a fatal form of radiation sickness. From that point forward, her storyline revolved around facing the harsh reality that she could not be saved. This impending fate forced several characters, particularly Daniel who had formed a close bond with Charlie, to confront their own emotions. Despite the show hinting at Charlie's unavoidable demise, the series ingeniously found a way to circumvent it.
Charlie contracted radiation sickness after accepting a mission from Morgan to infiltrate Strand's Tower and encountering irradiated zombies.
Following the revelation that Charlie survived due to PADRE having access to medicine not available at Strand's Tower, it seems that this entire plotline from season 7 was ultimately pointless. The only outcome was Charlie recovering from her illness offscreen. Moreover, Charlie ultimately meets her demise for an entirely different reason. After building up to Charlie's death and subsequently undoing it, FTWD eventually kills her off anyway, as she sacrifices herself to prevent her friends from revealing PADRE's location to Troy. As a result, the significance of Charlie's radiation sickness storyline remains unclear.
Charlie's FTWD Fate Was Better Than Dying Off-Screen, At Least
Charlie’s return to FTWD was essential due to her connection with Madison and the responsibility she had for Nick's death. Revealing the truth about Charlie and Nick to Madison was a crucial moment that needed to happen. Moreover, as a significant character for several seasons, it would have been unsatisfying for the audience if it was disclosed that Charlie died offscreen. Therefore, it was logical for Charlie to make a comeback, confront Madison, and receive a proper resolution for her character. It would have been much more beneficial for her character development if season 7 didn't hint at an early death for Charlie.
New episodes of Fear the Walking Dead air on Sundays on AMC.
Editor's P/S
As a fan of Fear the Walking Dead, I am deeply disappointed by the handling of Charlie's character in season 8. Her return in the second episode of the latter half of the season seemed promising, as it provided an opportunity for her to play a crucial role in the show's conclusion. However, the writers took an unexpected turn by having her sacrifice herself to stop Troy, which rendered her entire narrative from season 7 meaningless.
The storyline from Fear the Walking Dead lost its purpose with Charlie's demise in season 8. After being absent from the show for an extended period, Charlie made a comeback in the second episode of the latter half of season 8. However, instead of utilizing her return to make her a crucial component of the show's conclusion, FTWD took an unexpected turn by having the character sacrifice herself to halt Troy. This decision not only undermined the significance of Charlie's radiation sickness storyline from season 7 but also left viewers questioning the purpose of her return.
