The latest episode of Fear The Walking Dead paid homage not only to The Walking Dead, but also to other zombie films, most notably the 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead.
Fear walking death watching an Easter egg homage to The Governor of The Walking Dead and Dawn of the Dead with a subtle Easter egg. This Fear The Walking Dead Easter Egg features Victor Strand (Colman Domingo) positioned as the Season 7 main antagonist. Although considered complex and multifaceted throughout the run of Fear the Walking Dead, Strand takes on a villain role in season 7 that mirrors the behavior of previous villains in the series’ universe.
Fear The Walking Dead Season 7 takes place after much of the Texan landscape is destroyed by nuclear warheads. In the new series, Strand has taken over The Tower, a safe secure zone created from a converted office building. Strand’s first appearance in Fear The Walking Dead, Season 7, Episode 5 “Till Death,” enjoyed his newfound power, showing him casually pounding golf balls into a crowd of walkers who were trying unsuccessfully to break into the Tower’s permitter.
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Nor is this the first time The Walking Dead has used such images to portray a villain. In The Walking Dead Season 3, Episode 4 “Killer Within” the Governor (David Morrissey) was seen driving golf balls off the walls of Woodbury on unsuspecting walkers. Additionally, these two Walking Dead and Fear The Walking Dead Easter eggs appear to be a tribute to Steve from the 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead, who also played golf on the roof of the mall and pounded balls into a zombie crowd .
While it remains to be seen whether Strand will take on the role of villain from Fear The Walking Dead in season 7, his golfing alludes directly to The Governor. Not only was it a hobby for the notorious antagonist, but he later used a club in season 4 to kill Martinez after suggesting sharing leadership responsibilities. Both The Governor and Strand’s custom golf Easter egg seem to refer to Steve from Dawn of the Dead as well, and while this character was not an absolute antagonist, he has been portrayed as frivolous, selfish, and cowardly. His golf game also showed a callous streak towards what was once living – a trait shared by all three characters.
The Walking Dead universe has often been lauded for its departure from the tropics in zombie films and shows. However, Fear the Walking Dead’s latest Easter egg homage paid tribute to one of the most popular titles in the zombie apocalypse canon, Dawn of the Dead, as well as the original series on which the spinoff is based. Fear walking death has also compared Strand’s behavior to former Redeemer leader Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), suggesting that he is indeed heading down a very dark path.
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Jack Filsinger
(9 articles published)
Jack is a writer with a diverse background in television and feature film development. He graduated from New York University with a degree in film & television with a focus on writing and producing. His writings have been published in a collection of academic papers (Mercer Street) and have received awards in both California and New York (Tony Hawkins Award for Radio Drama. DTASC, Honorable Mention). His interests include movies, television, tabletop games, and spending as much time as possible with his cat, who is just amazing.
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