The Walking Dead's Shocking Unseen Death: An Unforgettable Character Demise in 8 Years

Warning: spoilers ahead for Fear The Walking Dead season 8, episode 7.

Summary

Removing Alicia from the storyline without showing it on screen would be a significant disservice to her character, given her importance and the amount of time she has been on Fear The Walking Dead. Her death would result in a lack of resolution for her character following her ambiguous departure and the absence of a reunion with her mother, Madison.

Fear The Walking Dead can potentially redeem Alicia's character and provide the much-needed reunion with Madison before the conclusion of season 8.

Fear The Walking Dead has caused concern by implying an off-screen death of a significant character. However, if this turns out to be true, it would be a grave injustice for this experienced survivor of the zombie apocalypse. Alicia Debnam-Carey, who joined the original Fear The Walking Dead cast in the first episode, made her exit in season 7. When Alicia Clark believed her end was near, her condition surprisingly improved, and the season concluded with her setting off towards an uncertain future, alive and well. Nevertheless, the midseason finale of Fear The Walking Dead season 8 raised suspicions, as it revealed an unknown person now possessed Alicia's metal arm.

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In episode 7 of Fear The Walking Dead season 8, titled "Anton," the mysterious person is revealed to be Troy Otto, a former ranch resident. Troy brags to Madison that he has killed her daughter. According to Troy, he found Alicia during the seven-year time gap between seasons 7 and 8. Holding a grudge against Madison for hitting him with a hammer, Troy claims to have murdered Alicia, severed her arm as evidence, and left her as a roaming zombie.

Troy Killing Alicia Off-Screen Would Be A Huge Injustice For Her FTWD Character

Following the deaths of Chris in season 2, Travis in season 3, Madison's supposed death in season 4, and Nick again in season 4, Alicia emerges as the sole surviving member of Fear The Walking Dead's Clark family. Despite her absence in the final season, Alicia's endurance and significance make her the true main protagonist of Fear The Walking Dead. In Fear The Walking Dead season 7, Alicia's departure is somewhat unclear, but "Amina" attempts to give Alycia Debnam-Carey's character a deserving farewell. However, in Fear The Walking Dead season 8, Alicia's death is revealed through a casual remark, undermining the significance of her final episode. This abrupt end denies Alicia closure after her uncertain exit and prevents her long-awaited reunion with her mother, Madison. Alicia remains unaware of her mother's survival after the stadium fire in Fear The Walking Dead season 4.

Why Fear The Walking Dead Might Have Killed Alicia Off-Screen

Alycia Debnam-Carey left Fear The Walking Dead in season 7, expressing her desire to explore new career opportunities on Instagram. Despite her departure, Debnam-Carey has since taken on roles in Saint X and The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart. Given her recent exit, it is plausible that Debnam-Carey may have been unwilling or unable to make even a guest appearance in season 8 of Fear The Walking Dead. This may explain why her character was killed off-screen, as it provided a more conclusive end to Alicia's story and ensured her presence would be felt throughout the final season.

However, Fear The Walking Dead could have achieved this without compromising the character. Madison and Strand were already honoring Alicia's memory by working on PADRE, so she did not need to become a catalyst for their feud. Furthermore, it would have made more sense for Alicia to be killed off in season 7 if her death was inevitable. Her surprising survival in her farewell episode loses its impact if she is to die off-screen only a few episodes later.

Fear The Walking Dead Needs To Show Alicia - One Way Or Another

Fear The Walking Dead may have disrespected its most crucial character by killing Alicia off-screen. However, this criticism assumes that Troy Otto's account is true. Simply stealing Alicia's arm does not provide conclusive evidence of Troy's ability to kill her. Troy's primary objective is to destroy Madison's life, making it plausible that he would pretend to have murdered her daughter in order to achieve his goals. Given Troy's propensity for deception, it is entirely possible that he is lying about Alicia's fate. Therefore, Fear The Walking Dead still has the opportunity to rescue Alicia's character by reintroducing her before the conclusion of season 8, allowing for a long-awaited reunion between her and Madison, which the spinoff desperately needs.

Even if Troy has indeed killed Alicia, Fear The Walking Dead can still mitigate the impact of her off-screen death. By employing flashbacks, the show could potentially depict the violent encounter between Troy and Alicia that led to her demise, offering viewers a full understanding of how she died. While this approach would prevent the show from providing further closure for Alycia Debnam-Carey's character, it would at least provide a more appropriate farewell than simply reducing her to a severed arm and a single line of dialogue.

Fear The Walking Dead season 8 continues Sunday on AMC.

Sources: Instagram