Spoilers below for Fear the Walking Dead’s penultimate Season 7 episode, so be warned if you haven’t yet watched!
While Fear the Walking Dead’s latest episode on AMC didn’t exactly end on a horse ride off into the sunset, its closing moments did indeed in just such a metaphorical way, with Alycia Debnam-Carey’s Alicia Clark heading out to find potential followers after all of the other protagonists set out in rafts. It was an act of self-sacrifice in a way, since it remained largely unclear why she hadn’t yet turned following her walker bite, and the actress confirmed after the episode aired that the installment “Amina” was indeed Alicia’s swan song. It was quite an emotional message, and one that drew responses from other FTWD vets, including Debnam-Carey’s fictional mom Kim Dickens.
Alicia’s fate certainly seemed to be set in stone this season, all things considered, though Kim Dickens’ return to Fear the Walking Dead had fans optimistic that she would be around when Madison Clark arrived anew. But Alycia Debnam-Carey’s farewell message on Instagram confirmed that won’t be the case. Here’s how she started things off:
To my dearest @feartwd family, tonight marks the end of an extraordinary and life changing journey of playing Alicia Clark. Where to begin… I will never be able to fully express the kind of journey I have had working on @feartwd for so long. It has gifted me so much. It has been the most extraordinary training ground as an actor where I’ve been given the chance to grow and learn. I’ve had the honour of working with so many inspiring and talented people. It provided new opportunities, such as directing and it has bonded me to such incredible fans that have supported me along the way.
When it comes to the talented and inspiring people she worked with over her seven seasons on Fear, Kim Dickens almost certainly ranks near the top of that list. And it was Dickens’ comment on Debnam-Carey’s post that really drove home the reality that the horror drama’s O.G. mother-daughter duo won’t be reuniting after all.
Here's how Kim Dickens responded in a comment beneath her former co-star's post:
So many great memories! Love you, blessed to have shared in this journey with you. Go get ‘em!!♥️
It’s not the most complicated response, and isn’t anywhere near as loaded with retrospect and sentiment as what Alycia Debnam-Carey had to say, but they hit just as hard all the same. If Debnam-Carey’s words buried the hope that the two long-separated characters would see each other one more time, then Dickens’ words were the flowers on that grave. As much as nothing within Fear the Walking Dead seems like a sure thing from one point to the next — I’m still mourning John Dorie Jr., y’all — I would have bet all kinds of money on Alicia and Madison having at least one more conversation before more permanent tragedy invaded these characters’ lives.
Following her presumed death back in Season 4, Madison was at the heart of constant fan theories, and the confirmation that she would be returning in Season 7 (and for a series regular role in Season 8, no doubt) seemed like Fear the Walking Dead would give its fans and its characters something that’s been so highly requested for years. Theoretically, there’s still a minor chance that the mother and daughter could see each other once more when Season 8 arrives, assuming Alycia Debnam-Carey would decide to return for a cameo appearance, and also assuming Alicia lives long enough for it to happen.
But the way the actress put it in her social media post, I can’t help but think we’re all shit out of luck in that respect. As Debnam-Carey put it:
I was 21 when we began this crazy journey but now at 28, after 7 years and 100 episodes, I decided it was time for me to move on as an actor and as a person. As is the nature of our jobs I needed to seek out new challenges, new opportunities and carve out a new chapter for myself. I have been so lucky to be a part of something so awesome for so long but I hope you can understand and respect my choice to further expand and grow. I wouldn’t be here without you all and I am so grateful. I had a lot of conversations over the years with our showrunners @goldbergian and @andrewchambliss and I think we found a fitting way to conclude Alicia’s story. It is beautiful, hopeful and elusive.
To be sure, it already appeared as if Alycia Debnam-Carey was heading for an exit, even without the bite, given the actress recently joined the Hulu series Saint X, in a bit of recasting. That said, it was unclear whether she would just be missing or dead when that news was announced, and I guess we know the answer to that now. Unless we don’t? Fear’s gonna do what Fear’s gonna do.
Check out Alycia Debnam-Carey's full post below.
Fear the Walking Dead will air its Season 7 finale on AMC on Sunday, June 5, at 9:00 p.m. Check out our 2022 TV premiere schedule to see what new and returning shows are on the way soon.
