Nick’s walkin’ around, taking in the new sights, when he finds an upset little girl. He asks why she’s crying, and she just points out to the fence while whimpering “Papa!” Nick finds out what they do in his new home to people who get bit: they throw them out so the undead can finish the job. It seems like a throwaway scene that’ll have minimal effect on the episode at best, but it turns out to be the most crucial point of the episode.
We finally catch up with what’s left of Team Madison. If we weren’t stuck with the Mexico setting before, we are now, now that the Abigail is out of the picture. They could always steal another boat, but boat sets are crazy expensive, hence why so much time in Season 2A was spent on Strand’s yacht. At least they still have a nice car, which helps them find a giant hotel. Viewing it as a good scavenging target, they break in. It’s not easy since all the chairs have been piled against the entrance, but that probably means nothing at allllll…..
The elders head for the bar while the younglings check upstairs. Madison, it turns out, is the type of parent who not only deliberately loses track of her kid in a post-apocalyptic world full of flesh-eaters, but she’s the type who gets stone-cold hammered in said world, leaving her reflexes and reaction time much less sharp than normal. You shouldn’t drink before driving, mountain climbing, or in the case of living through a zombie wasteland, doing ANYTHING.
Alicia and Ofelia cautiously creep through the deserted hallways, checking each door for sounds of Walkers and sticking “Do not disturb” signs on the ones that test positive. One of the rooms sounded dangerous, but the zombie inside was an unfortunate guy who hung himself with his tie in the shower stall. This brings Ofelia’s train of thought to suicide and she wonders out loud if life in this new world is worth it.
We don’t see Ofelia again after this. It’s the smartest thing about this episode: If she simply disappeared once the zombie threat became apparent, the possibility of being a trick would dampen the mystery. But with the added possibility that she might’ve killed herself, we truly don’t know what to expect here. Her entire family just died. She has a clear motive.
We learn more about the community Nick has joined, and why their makeshift hospital is so well-equipped. They stay stocked with medical supplies and water by trading with a tough-looking bunch that’s taken control of a shipping warehouse. Running low on water jugs, Luciana is heading out for more….and because she considers Crazy Nick her personal responsibility, she’s taking him along. Of course, as Nick doesn’t know much about this area, Luciana doesn’t know much about Nick either, and has no idea he’s about the worst human being you can take anywhere.
Luciana and Nick come up to the warehouse while about a dozen mean-looking gang members give them the stink eye and visibly hold their powerful guns. Luciana gives the gatekeeper something that looks like a Ziploc full of drugs and she’s admitted entrance, but only for one cart’s worth of supplies. When she protests that the trade was worth TWO carts before, they reply “Yeah, it WAS.” Evidently before the apocalypse these guys used to make Epi-Pens.
Once inside and browsing the aisles, Nick reaches for a package of cookies and Luciana scolds him. “ONLY the important things. Medical supplies and WATER.” I knew right then and there how Nick was going to screw this up, as did you. Sure enough, despite the intimidating guards outside, despite being the exact type of people you don’t want on your bad side, Nick tried to shoplift the stupid cookies.
He’s tackled and nearly gets his fingers chopped off, but weasels his way out of it by mentioning all the wonderful pills and stuff they’ll no longer be getting if they make Luciana displeased. If I were Luciana I would have said “go ahead and chop away.” The Luciana of one day ago would have said that. But she must be getting attached to him (non-romantically, I hope). In the end, they get to carry away two carts of stuff, and if Nick hadn’t pulled his stunt they would have had one. Can’t live with him, can’t live without him.
But ah — what’s this? Nick stole the cookies to help the little girl! He’s not completely selfish after all! That’s really touching. You know what would be better? If Nick left the cookies alone so Luciana didn’t end up making enemies that are inevitably going to break through this town’s Walker wall and behead this girl. I guess it’s not so touching.
Luciana managed to get Nick back with all his limbs intact, but the community has dangers of its own. The pharmacist who seemed so trustworthy — and saved Nick’s life — is really a cult leader, and he’s also been bit. It’s only a matter of time before he loses it, and he’s in a position to take everyone down with him.
Back to the lobby of the hotel. This is the first time I’ve seen Madison make stupider decisions than Nick. She and Strand are out-of-their-minds-drunk and are making constant noise. Madison flings scotch glasses against the wall, while Strand finds the out-of-tume piano and starts banging on the keys. It’s been long enough that they should know this is the opposite of how to survive out here!
We leave Madison and Strand in a predicament of their own design, penned in on all sides of the bar by hungry Walkers and their outstretched arms. I can’t tell you for certain what happens next, but you can be assured their inebriation will instantly vanish and they’ll become expert fighters, because it’s TV and they wouldn’t survive this encounter otherwise.