Fear the Walking Dead Season 8, Episode 4 recap “King County”

There are simply three words that can be said about episode 4 of the final season of Fear the Walking Dead; Emmy for Lennie. Lennie James brought the house down with this Morgan-centered episode.

This is by far the best episode to date of this final season and we see Morgan going through it. Even Madison knew this was something he needed to take care of.

It’s the one thing, if anything, that hindered Morgan from being a father to Mo. The reason why he let PADRE be the one to raise his daughter.

He couldn’t protect her in the way that she needed and Morgan knew why. Anyone who has watched Morgan’s story on The Walking Dead knows about his troubled and heartbreaking past.

The way he lost both Jenny and Duane. Men like Morgan are a rare find and he loved his wife in such a boundless way.

He lost his son Duane devastatingly to his own wife. He had never been able to put his son down and for years he has roamed.

Morgan came to King County knowing he had to take care of his part of his past. He wanted to go alone knowing the tribulation that would bestow him upon returning.

But Mo had something to say about that. The Trickster found a way for her dad to not do this alone.

She tricks Grace into going to Morgan with an SOS message, as she hid in the back of the truck. Even Dwight and Sherry tried to put a wrench in their plans, wanting to take Morgan back in exchange for their child Finch.

They were dead set on it and even Morgan couldn’t fault them for the karma that came back to bite him. In the end Dwight, had a change of heart.

There were so many things in this episode that came full circle, like Morgan telling his new family about his old one. Which is something that was very hard for Morgan to do.

His past is something he was constantly running from. But he knew he couldn’t run any longer.

Mo needs him. Back in his Kingdom days in The Walking Dead, even Carol begged to him to stay.

There were people who wanted and loved him, but it just wasn’t the right timing. We all loved the Rick Grimes callback.

As we remember in the main show, Rick gave Morgan his rifle to put down his family. Rick knew all about battling your past, and losing a wife.

It’s great to see him recognized so many years later in the place it all began. Hearing Grace tell Morgan that Rick gave him that gun for a reason…so use it…pure chills.

Grace and Morgan share so much love for each other but they’ve had to spend so many years apart. Not because they wanted to, but because they had to.

We’ve all loved Grace and Morgan from the start, but their relationship has never seemed to take off the way it deserved, due to constant unforeseen circumstances. The two of them had to sacrifice everything to keep their daughter safe and protected, which included their devotion for each other.

Both working for PADRE, they had to move on and keep themselves in line so that Mo got a shot in life. A chance to live.

But what life was she really living? They have created these children of little feelings, purely robotic fighting machines.

Even when Mo and Grace kiss, she had that typical gross kid response, but you could tell she had never really seen adults do that. Grace even kisses her which she is unsure of.

She had never seen love or received it and it pains you to see. We sadly came to learn that Grace has succumbed to radiation sickness again.

She has cancer and after all this time they’ve lost as a family, it is not the news Morgan wanted to hear.

Fear the Walking Dead season 8, episode 4 recap – “I’m paying the price for chasing the dead Morgan, and I don’t want you to do the same.”

Even with it all, Morgan’s mind is still on the past. He is hell bent on putting his son down.

Not only is it the right thing to do but it’s the only thing to do in his mind. In order to feel worthy of his happy ending, he has to put his past behind him with no opened doors this time.

Morgan was soon dealing with just that choice moments later, when Duane was about to bite Mo. His past vs. his future.

Every time he looks into the barrel of his gun, that’s exactly what he sees. Jenny, Duane…and shooting either breaks the man inside.

Morgan does what he’s needed to do for so long and takes down Duane in the effort to save Mo. To be the father she needs and deserves, and for Morgan, this changes everything.

Burying his past means no looking back in the present or their future. At the end of the episode there was a beautiful family moment between the three.

Whatever time was left for Grace, she wanted to spend it with her family. They may not be able to make up for all the lost time but it’s how she wanted to live the rest of her days.

She had even been collecting things through the years for this moment.

Sadly in TWDU happy endings are rarely a case. Just when there was some serenity for them, a walker came out of nowhere nearly getting Mo.

The tumultuous cries of screaming for her dad were heartwrenching. Grace performed the ultimate sacrifice in saving her and was tragically bit in the fight.

Before any happy ending can ensue, they have to get Grace help. Usually, a bite on the torso means a sure death but they have a secret weapon most don’t, June.

Can they get to June in time to save Grace? Find out next week on an all-new Fear the Walking Dead on AMC.

What did you think of Fear the Walking Dead season 8 episode 4? Share your answers in the comments below!

Fear the Walking Dead season 8 episode 5 will air on June 11 on AMC.