In the Season 7 premiere of “Fear the Walking Dead,” a new community is discovered, providing hope for two groups on opposite sides. What led to this momentous discovery? How will it impact both communities moving forward?
The “Fear the Walking Dead Season 7 Premiere Recap With Spoilers: “The Beacon”” is a recap of the Fear the Walking Dead Season 7 premiere episode, “The Beacon.”.
In the Season 7 opener of Fear the Walking Dead, the spoils go to Victor. Season 7 Episode 1, “The Lighthouse,” contains spoilers. Victor Strand (Colman Domingo) is living big in the nuclear zombie apocalypse in the aftermath of the dramatic finale to Season 6, when Teddy (John Glover) confined Alicia (Alycia Debnam-Carey) in a bunker and brought about “the beginning” with 10 nukes that exploded throughout Texas. Strand’s selfish survival instincts led him to The Tower, a Houston high-rise structure where he and post-apocalypse historian Howard observed the enormous disaster (Omid Abtahi). Victor Strand, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, saw “the end” as just the beginning.
Fallout
A shambling snarling walker saunters across a bomb-shattered landscape. A hazmat suit-clad survivor finishes it off and rummages through its belongings, using a clicking Geiger counter to check for radiation.
The survivor takes a stride across the fiery forest’s smoke and ashes. The stranger removes his mask and breaths deeply inside his mobile fortress — a makeshift shelter made out of an old van: it’s Will (Gus Halper), someone we’ve never seen before. A book titled “Protective Action Guides and Planning Guidance for Nuclear Events” is in his hands.
Will examines a map with red “Xs” scribbled all over it. He cuts a new notch in the van’s door. Another day in the nuclear zombie apocalypse has passed.
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Decontamination
Will scavenges once again amid the day’s bright orange haze. On the map, there’s still another red “X.” Except for walkers that haven’t been killed by Teddy’s explosives, the dead desert is entirely empty.
Then there’s life. As a group of people wearing gas masks and protective gear searches the area, Will cocks his rifle. Will’s quest leads him to a lighthouse staffed by a lone walker who is running low on supplies. Back on the road, Will cries as he roasts half-eaten roadkill. A walker attempts to devour him, but the gas mask gang shoots it down. “Who the heck are you?” says the narrator.
The flash of a camera, a photograph taken by a stranger in hazmat gear who says nothing. “Are you the ones who have been stripping the corpses?”
Another person attempts to snare Will. He runs and falls on a fallen limb, knocking himself out. Will is startled awake by the sound of grinding scissors and cloth ripping. Will is stripped and hosed down in a cage by strangers. Decontamination.
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Spaghetti with a dash of Scotch
Will takes a luxurious elevator to the top level of a skyscraper, where he manages to escape. In this museum of antiques, he pulls a sword to protect himself, but the clicking of a rifle stops him dead in his tracks.
Victor Strand is on the other end of the line, giving a history lecture about the sword Will is supposed to give over.
Strand looks down his visitor over a rare bottle of scotch whisky served by Howard. In return for answering a few questions, Will devours a dish of spaghetti.
What’s your name, by the way? Will. Will, what were you up to before? Before the dead began to walk or someone opted to blow them up? Both.
Senator Elias Vazquez had Will as an adviser, managing his public relations and campaign strategy.
What part of the world did you originate from? Before the settlement that shielded Will and his party from the bomb, they were in Oklahoma. But things went wrong, and Will was forced to leave. The senator was not able to make it. Will has been out there for around 50 days.
So, what did you see? Have you seen anyone?
“There isn’t much. There aren’t many, “Will responds.
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I have everything I need
Will described people stripping the dead, according to Strand’s scouts. Will says, “Stalkers.” “That’s how I refer to them. They were creeping up on the deceased a couple of times when I saw them.”
Why are they acting in this manner?
“I haven’t worked out that aspect yet.”
What are their names?
“There are no more faces to be found. It’s simply a bunch of masks.” Will, on the other hand, has a query of his own. “How long has it been since you’ve been outside?”
“Why should I go when I have all I need right here?” replies Strand, caressing his glass in his opulent castle.
Strand will demonstrate. He takes Will on a tour of salvaged treasures from department shops, residences, and museums. “Anything worth saving is here,” Howard says of the people and objects Strand’s Rangers have discovered.
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History in the Making
Indoor mini golf, art, and yoga are among the modest amenities enjoyed by the tiny community. Strand protects stray animals if they are valuable.
A series of Polaroid images of every walker the Rangers have met hangs on the wall.
Will inquires, “Are you searching for someone in particular?”
Strand responds, “Some of my residents still have loved ones out in the world.” “I believe in bringing things to a conclusion.”
“I was referring to you,” Will clarifies. “Is there somebody you’re looking for?”
“I have everything I need right here,” Strand assures him.
Strand’s community flourishes on the rooftop, which has a garden and solar panels. After “the big disaster,” everything fell into place.
“The world saw fire, ash, and destruction. Growth, vigor, and a new dawn were bestowed to us.” When Strand arrived, the only person in the house was Howard. It’s now a Tower with a view of a kingdom.
Strand remembers, “We stared out over the horizon together and watched as the world was devastated in front of our eyes.” “We believed we’d reached the end of the road. We were still standing when the dust fell. Also, this location.”
The fallout was diverted away from them by weather patterns, leaving the Tower as the only location to live for kilometers. “”What we’re doing is nothing less than constructing the foundations of a new society,” Howard says. We’re on the verge of creating history.”
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Instinct
Strand is self-assured — and as selfish as ever — because he credits his intuition for their survival. Strand’s instincts are what lead him to call off Will’s tour and have him escorted out of the Tower.
Strand replies, “You’re simply not what I’m searching for.” “Will, it’s nothing personal. It was just a gut feeling.”
Will claims that he won’t be able to make it out there. “Sorry for the inconvenience. Please accept my apologies “Strand agrees. What is the purpose of the tour? “I had to check whether you agreed with my viewpoint. You don’t have it.”
Will gives over something he discovered out in the wild, something designed to assist humans in carrying huge loads. “I believe you will need this more than I.” It’s a medallion of Saint Christopher.
“How did you come upon this?”
“I warned you. It’s out there.”
“Where?”
Will responds that he discovered it on one of the deceased and took it in the hopes that it would bring him good luck. Strand strikes a bargain. “Take me to where you discovered this, assist me in locating the owner of this necklace… and I’ll save you the horrors of a life out there by allowing you to settle into our little house.”
Deal.
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The Winners
Strands Rangers will be escorted into the woods with the following warning: “You do not need to be concerned about those who were killed in the explosion. The ones who perished as a result of radiation are the most deadly.”
It’s not exactly spaghetti and scotch out here. Will claims that he is not accepted in his own country. “Let’s just say I didn’t choose to leave. Since then, I’ve been trying to find a way to make amends to those folks.”
Success, according to Strand, is the finest kind of retaliation. “Don’t waste any time attempting to make things right. Concentrate on proving them incorrect. That’s how you get the job done. If you get a job in The Tower, you’ll notice that you don’t have to recall anybody from your past. The winners are the ones who write history. I’m going to make certain that’s us.”
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Stalkers
As the rain starts to fall, the search becomes more risky as toxins are drawn from the air by the water. Will takes the Rangers to an underpass for shelter, which has been their home for the last 50 days.
They take pictures of another walker who is completely nude. “Was it the work of the folks you told me about?”
Will says, “Stalkers.” “What exactly are we doing out here? You must know whom that medallion belongs to.”
Will corrects him: Strand said that his tower had everything he needed.
“I do.”
“What brings you out here to seek for her?”
Strand sits up straighter. Smiles. “I never said I was on the lookout for a lady.” He gathers his Rangers by placing his hand on his sword.
“Gentlemen,” Strand declares, “I feel we have been duped into coming here.”
He gets up close and personal. “Can you tell me where she is?”
Will inquires, “Who?”
“Alicia.”
Will sneers. “Answer me,” says the narrator.
They are ambushed by Stalkers and retreat for shelter. Will’s leg is clipped by a bullet. The shootout summons walkers from the ashy haze. As the Rangers fire on the Stalkers, Strand pulls Will to safety inside his vehicle. An interview takes place against the backdrop of Strand’s Rangers being ripped apart by walkers. “Can you tell me where Alicia is?”
“I told you I didn’t know,” she said. Strand pushes his fingers into the cut on Will’s arm. “I have no idea who it is!”
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Forgiveness
Will’s medical supplies reveal his true identity: they came from The Franklin Hotel, where Teddy had taken Alicia. Strand adds, “I was right the first time,” confirming his suspicions. “I don’t need your assistance. I’m going to make the trip myself.”
Will urges him to come to a halt. “If you do this, she’ll never forgive you.”
Strand inquires, “What makes you believe that’s what I want?”
“Because I recognize you, Victor. She informed me. And I believe you want to make amends with her.”
“It was a good attempt. However, this is not the case.”
“Then why did you put yourself through so much simply to discover her?” Will approaches him with a question.
“I want to prove to her that she was completely incorrect about everything. That’s how I come out on top.”
Strand storms out of the vehicle, giving the wounded Will barely enough time to lock the doors before being overwhelmed by the dead.
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It’s Well Worth Saving
Strand takes a journey to the ancient lighthouse and takes a look around upstairs. He’s not far from The Franklin Hotel, according to a map. The sound of footsteps and a cocking rifle emerges through the fog. Will is the one who tells Strand to take his hand off his sword. Will adds, “There’s only so many places to hide around here.” “I understand.”
He threatens Strand with a pistol, forcing him to ask his own questions. “You attempted to assassinate me twice today. You abandoned the luxuries of your modest dwelling. You sacrificed each and every one of your guards only to locate Alicia and tell her how awesome you are? Victor, I’m sorry, but I don’t believe you.”
“You knew who I was the moment you saw me, yet you still lied. Why?”
Will says, “Because Alicia claimed you weren’t exactly trustworthy.” “I was putting you to the test. To see whether you were worthy of being saved.”
He’s curious as to why Strand believes that showing Alicia the Tower would alter her mind about him. Strand claims that the Tower “succeeds because of me.” “These are my options. My gut feelings.”
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Ignore Who I Am
Strand’s manner, according to Will, isn’t one of leadership. Will adds of Alicia, “I learnt more about it through her.” She was adamant about not being in the bunker. “That madman who threw the bombs on us had her imprisoned. She was imprisoned alongside his thugs, and she might have turned into a cynical jerk like you. However, this is not the case. Why do you think that is? Because she was aware of Vasquez’s knowledge. You can’t lead by yourself. You must believe in yourself if you want others to believe in you.”
“If you think she’s so beautiful,” Strand retorts, “why aren’t you with her?”
Will is interested in learning more about the medallion. Strand takes his time handing it over. “To tell you the truth, I needed this just as much as you,” Will admits. “She requested me to do something, but I was unable to comply.”
“Can you tell me what she asked you to do?”
“It doesn’t make a difference.”
“How come you didn’t do it?”
“With the exception of her, it would have protected everyone there.”
Strand believes Alicia’s decision to expel him was a mistake.
“Every day since, I’ve been seeking for a way back. I didn’t believe I’d be able to locate it. Then I awoke in your tower, thinking that maybe if I gave you to her, it would be enough. However, with what I’ve seen today, I’m not sure she’d recognize you.”
“I don’t believe she would,” Strand says.
Strand reveals to Will that he was the one who presented Alicia with the medallion. He’s already aware of it, and he knew it would pique his interest.
“I gave it to her as a reminder of who she was. Because I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to do the same.” The strand becomes softer. “I think we both delivered on our promises.”
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There’s something in the fog.
Strand extends his hand and gently requests to view the medallion. Strand takes advantage of Will’s surrender and twists his arm, slamming him against the wall and grappling him for the pistol. Will becomes victorious and retrains his weapon on Strand. “You’ve done it three times already, Victor.”
Will steps forward to open the door. “I figured that if I took you there, it would bring us closer together. She, on the other hand, is better off without you. It’s true for everyone.” As Will freezes, a swarm of walkers emerges from the fog, shambling towards the lighthouse. Strand yanks him back inside and shuts the door behind him. They’ve been entrapped.
Will informs him, “I know them from the bunker.” “I’m sure something awful occurred.” Strand is concerned about Alicia’s safety.
“That’s not going to work. We were in a tunnel. We have enough food for a ten-year period. The air and water were both filtered. That structure was designed to outlive us all.”
Strand inquires whether he has seen Alicia — anywhere. He didn’t see all of them, but he didn’t see them all.
Strand, axe in hand, replies, “Let’s find out.”
Will fills a sputtering machine with diesel. He dashes upstairs and sets fire to the lighthouse’s beacon, illuminating Strand’s path through the walker-infested fog.
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The Beacon
As the beacon’s light fades, Strand’s sword cuts and hacks through the tiny army of walkers. As the dead encircle Strand in the dense, murky fog, Will frantically attempts to switch it back on. In his quest for Strand, Will sets out with a light in hand, chopping down the dead. He’s there, sprinting out of the shadows with a life-saving kill. Will repays the favor by shooting his rifle at a walker preparing to slit Strand’s neck with its fangs.
“Was she…?” says the narrator.
“I didn’t see her,” Strand replies as he helps Will to his feet.
They need to go to the hotel as soon as possible.
“Wait. Why did you come to my rescue? You had the option of walking away, but you chose to remain.”
Will tells Strand, “You still care for her.” “You don’t sprint into the fog like that to make a point to someone. You do it because you care about them and want to help them.”
“All right, then, let’s go do it.”
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Padre
They go a short distance to the ruins of the renowned Franklin Hotel. It’s all that’s left of it. They break open a door and descend into the bunker’s dimly illuminated corridors. Outside of a decontamination door, a vacant chamber. There was no indication of life anywhere.
The bunker’s residential areas are searched by Will and Strand. Empty. The self-sufficient shelter is deserted. What went wrong with everyone? Its 128 survivors had vanished without a trace.
“Whatever occurred, it was a long time ago. Before Teddy’s scouts located the area, it was myself, Senator Vazquez, and a few other staff members. Scouts assassinated everyone while I was cleaning the air filter. I remained up till we were all shut up here in the service corridors.”
Will shouts Alicia’s name. There was no response. Will and Strand enter a conference room with a rotted-out tree in the middle, similar to the one in The Holding, the subterranean parking garage transformed into one of Teddy’s bunkers, where a strung-up walker was surrounded by growth.
There are no evidence that the Franklin was assaulted by Stalkers. What went wrong? There’s a mural on the wall that wasn’t there before. It’s an Alicia and a walker artwork. A letter with the words “WILL” is pinned to a podium.
“Did she do it herself?”
“Yeah,” Will answers as he reads the message. “I believe she did,” says the narrator.
A single word appears in the note: “PADRE.”
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Something More Beneficial
Strand inquires, “What is Padre?” “It doesn’t make a difference.” “Why not?” you could ask. “Because it’ll very certainly result in her death.” “Is it a human? Place?” “I’m not sure. I’m not sure. Nobody is aware. It’s possible that it doesn’t exist at all.” “‘It?’” Will explains, “Something better.” “At the very least, it’s a possibility. I figured if I discovered it first, she wouldn’t have to, but… if something bad happens to them, or to her, it’ll be my fault.”
Will was supposed to be there. He should’ve thought of a method to make amends with her.
Strand realizes, “You loved her.”
Will sneers. He sneezes. “It makes no difference. After all, it’s all for nothing.”
“It wasn’t all for nothing, however. You were correct “Strand explains. “It wasn’t a case of proving a point to her. It was all for the sake of demonstrating something to myself. That I didn’t need her services. However, I do. You, too, share this sentiment.”
Perhaps that is the goal. Perhaps they’re intended to track her down. Together.
Strand cracks a smile. “Or maybe she’ll track us down.”
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The Tower
Their horse pulls four walkers who are tethered to a cart carrying the beacon by a rope. The signal is installed at The Tower, and the spinning light of the beacon flashes out into the dark and lifeless city, visible for up to 15 kilometers.
Like moths to a flame, walkers flock to the beacon. Strand, Howard, and Will stare out the binoculars on the roof.
“She’ll be able to see it. She’ll go along with it. She’ll locate it, I’m sure “Will agrees.
Strand says that Alicia is “the closest thing I have left to family.” “You aren’t the only one who is smitten with her. I never got the opportunity to tell her, but I wish I had. If we were able to locate her. And she could have reminded me of the guy I tried to be once.”
Will adds, “She can still do it.” “She can assist you in becoming him.”
Strand claims he should never have left this area in the first place. He didn’t trust his intuition, and he almost died as a result.
“I’m not going to let it happen again. It has the potential to demolish all I’ve created here.”
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All for nothing
Will assures him that he will improve The Tower. “You’ll both do it. Together.”
“You said that you are unable to lead on your own. You’re mistaken, “Strand informs him. “There’s no other option.”
Others have tried and failed to establish places like this before him, but they always failed for the same reason. “Love.”
Strand adds, “Attachments don’t make you powerful.” “They annihilate you.”
Will knows that the light isn’t intended to entice Alicia to The Tower.
“No. It’s to keep her and everyone else at a safe distance from each other.”
Will informs Strand that it isn’t going to work. “She’ll track down this location. She’ll find a way to communicate with you.”
But he’s mistaken. Strand pushes Will over the roof and looks down at his body on the ground. “No, she isn’t going to do that. After this, she won’t have anything to do with me.”
Strand agrees to send someone down to snap a photo for the wall, and Howard thanks him.
“No one is hunting for him in here.”
“Someone out there,” Howard speculates. “That’ll bring in more people than the deceased. Maybe even some of the folks you used to hang out with. Morgan Jones is a popular figure.”
Strand insists, “I’m not concerned about him.” “Or anybody else for that matter. Anyone attempting to contact me will have to pass via them.”
The beacon’s light beams down on a zombified Will, now a member of Strand’s army of walkers. The episode has come to an end.
Fear the Walking Dead Season 7 premieres new episodes on Sundays at 9/8c on AMC. For all things TWD, follow the author @CameronBonomolo on Twitter, and stay tuned to for coverage throughout the season.
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