Troy led a zombie horde to destroy the ranch in Fear The Walking Dead 3×12 “Brother’s Keeper” because we can’t have nice things in the apocalypse.
This week’s episode of AMC’s Fear The Walking Dead was bonkers! Troy (Daniel Sharman) made his way back to the ranch and brought some friends with him – a horde of zombies. The exiled Troy initially returned in the middle of the night to warn Nick (Frank Dillane) that something was coming that would “obliterate” the ranch, something he wanted Jake (Sam Underwood) to see. The three have it out, and while trying to de-escalate the situation and prevent Jake from shooting Troy, Nick shoved Jake down a hill serving him to the zombies below. Of course, Jake is bitten. They attempt to save him by amputating his arm, but Jake bleeds out and dies. When he reanimates, Troy is the one to end it once and for all. Filled with guilt and half-insane from no sleep, Troy tells Nick he should kill him. He tosses a gun at him and tells Troy to “kill himself.”
RELATED | Fear The Walking Dead Roundtable 3×11, “La Serpiente.”
Luckily, once Nick and Jake saw the horde they were able to radio to Alicia (Alycia Debnam-Carey) back at the ranch to warn everyone. Alicia and Ofelia (Mercedes Mason), again, step up and get things done. After some debate between the ranchers and The Nation, everyone agrees to arm up and work together to defend themselves. The women lead the way in setting up a makeshift barrier of RVs and trailers, which is where everyone makes a stand against the dead. Things quickly go south as they’re overrun. Alicia has to shoot one of the militia as a mercy kill once he’s swarmed, and it obviously shakes her. They direct everyone to retreat to the pantry (an underground bunker) and lock themselves in. They’re safe, but for how long? Nick wants to save them, but it won’t be easy.
We are still trying to process everything that happened in Fear The Walking Dead this week. Thankfully, we have our roundtable to help work through it!
Sonya (@sonyairyna): TV junkie, writer, TWDFamily, contributor to Undead Walking
Max (@FTWD_Memes): I’m a Paramedic, FearTWD addict and the other half of FearSource
Mallory (@girl754): Admin of @outcastfiends, mod of fan communities, TWD fan since the first episode.
Peter (@waymu): A lover of great music, films, and television.
Ivy (@IvyDC_): Deputy manager, HUGE FearTWD fan and co-owner of FearSource
Valerie (@valderie): Graduate student, TWD fan, and contributor for TV After Dark
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1. Troy and Jake are parallels to Cain and Abel – it’s why the episode is called “Brother’s Keeper”. Were you expecting Jake to be the one to go?
Sonya (@sonyairyna): I was not surprised at all that Jake was the one that didn’t make it. Troy is the ultimate survivor and I don’t think anything will kill Troy, except Troy. Jake was not equipped to live in the post-apocalypse world. Anyone can be bitten by a walker, so there was not necessarily anything he could have done to stop that. But it’s been clear that he’s been struggling since Jeremiah’s death. He wasn’t capable of making the tough calls necessary to really lead the ranch.
Max (@FTWD_Memes): I was expecting Jake to die, He was way too much of a good guy to survive in the apocalypse. He was either going to die in an accident or end up sacrificing himself for others.
Mallory (@girl754): To put it mildly, Jake was always clearly the more level-headed of the two and I expected he would last longer. Despite the fact Jake was well aware of Troy’s problems and continually took care of him, I did think he was also quite ready to pull the trigger to save everyone even though he loved his brother. It was a very “only the good die young” moment and I was very sad to see him go. Alicia summed it up beautifully when she said, “You’re the last good man I know.”
Peter (@waymu): I was indeed very shocked. I was hoping Troy would be kicking the bucket.
Ivy (@IvyDC_): Yes, definitely. I just thought he would die on the finale, but this is FearTWD and anyone can die at any time and Jake’s death proves it. He reminded me a lot of Travis to be honest, but good guys don’t last in the apocalypse. He believed something’s gotta matter more than guns in a world where people are ready to kill you for the last drop of water. This world wasn’t for him and, yes I’m incredibly sad we lost him, but I think finally he found his own peace. R.I.P., Jake…
Valerie (@valderie): I was surprised that this was his time. I didn’t expect him to last long (as it has been made abundantly clear – the nice folks don’t last long!) but this still feels a little soon to me. That being said, it was an interesting death. It wasn’t the bite that got him which I expected, it was the fact he bled out from the amputation. Also, losing his arm reminded me a lot of Rick Grimes in the comics!
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2. Who is at fault for Jake’s death?
Sonya: This may be a controversial stance, but I think Jake was responsible for his own death. He knew exactly what Troy is. He should have killed Troy instead of exiling him. Exiling him was a way to avoid the pain and responsibility of his brother’s death. Instead of making the hard call and executing Troy, he allowed Troy to be exiled hoping that Troy wouldn’t survive or that he would kill himself. In that world exiling someone is really killing them, just without the guilt. Especially considering they left him with one bullet and just a few supplies. As Ned Stark said in Game of Thrones, “The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword.” Jake passed sentence on Troy but wasn’t willing to swing the sword. Ultimately, that got him killed.
Max: I blame Nick more than Troy. Troy had a plan to get Jake out of the ranch to keep him safe. Nick had no reason to interfere between the two brothers.
Mallory: It was Troy and his plan. He acted as though he was on one of those Wilderness retreats when he concocted that insane Unabomber Manifesto styled scenario in his notebook. Nick pushed Jake off Troy, but I don’t see it as his fault. If Troy hadn’t set off that horde in the first place, they wouldn’t have been there and Jake would still be alive. It was such an awful time to see him die. He really seemed determined to find a more peaceful life with Alicia, but he wasn’t looking for and didn’t deserve the “rest in peace” option.
Peter: Both Nick and Troy. Neither of them did any sort of activity that may have guaranteed Jake’s safety or survival. They were both reckless.
Ivy: I definitely blame Nick! Troy didn’t do much for Jake’s death, he’s super crazy but he didn’t want his brother to die. Let’s be honest Jake would never pull the trigger. He’s not a killer. Nick should’ve let them deal with this without interfere between them.
Valerie: Troy is ultimately the cause of Jake’s death. He was the reason Jake was out there, he was the reasons all those zombies were there, Jake was fighting with Troy when he was bitten, and Jake couldn’t get back to the ranch to potentially stop the bleeding because of what Troy did. However, Nick is not without fault either – he is the one who pushed him.
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3. Alicia and Ofelia BROUGHT IT this week. They both stepped up when no else did and saved lives. What were your favorite moments from each in this episode?
Sonya: I love that the women on this show are really the ones who are calling the shots. And both Ofelia and Alicia are such strong characters. It was great to see them working together. I loved seeing Alicia fighting off walkers and saving Ofelia because I think that her skills are often under-utilized. And I loved seeing Ofelia show a little bit softer side earlier in the episode.
Max: I loved Alicia making plans for the future with Jake. This may have been the moment she has been the most hopeful for her future since the apocalypse began. Ofelia showing how she is capable of leading and making decisions was amazing.
Mallory: Along with bringing it for the entire episode, I really enjoyed watching their discussion about the horde coming. It was very much as though they were playing a sly game of strong woman chess with each other. There doesn’t seem to be a genuine trust developed between them yet. Ofelia saying, “Why did they go alone?” and Alicia responding, “It doesn’t matter.” Ofelia then saying, “We scout in packs. Safety in numbers is protocol.” Alicia answered, “I trust Nick and Jake to stop it. Have a little faith, Ofelia.” It was a brilliant scene, so that was my favorite moment from each of them.
Peter: I enjoyed watching both Alicia and Ofelia step up during the big showdown against the zombies at the end of the episode. They’ve got good leadership skills, the people trust and listen to them, and I hope we can see more of it.
Ivy: OH, these two are my biggest weakness. They both have such an amazing developments! I loved when Ofelia told to Alicia “They’ll follow you, lead them” and Alicia immediately started saving lives. Ofelia is the leader of the Nation, now when Walker is away with Madison, and it’s a really great thing when they both, Alicia and Ofelia, decided to unite forces and fight for the ranch together. Ofelia left Alicia at the hotel, yes, but now when other people’s lives depend on them, they’re gonna make a new bond and I think there’s one great badass duo just around the corner!
Valerie: We all need to bow down to our new zombie killing queens, Alicia and Ofelia. How fantastic was that end scene!? They remained rational throughout the entire ordeal, mobilized quickly, protected their people, and cracked skulls. They both have my vote for taking over the ranch! A bonus moment I loved was Alicia putting Coop out of his misery as the horde descended upon him. You could tell it really affected her, but she did what had to be done to help him and end his suffering.
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4. Nick and Troy are so strangely intertwined. What do you make of their relationship?
Sonya: I love the interactions between the two of them! They are fascinating together. I think that Nick has an almost frightening depth of understanding when it comes to Troy. More than anyone he understands Troy’s motivations and actions, even when Troy doesn’t understand them. Troy is almost the personification of the demons that Nick fights every day, which is why he’s both attracted to Troy and repelled by him. I think Nick sees himself in Troy and knows that he’s only one or two choices away from becoming him. And I think that’s what he fights against the most. But he wants to help Troy because he sees Troy so clearly. He wants to help Troy fight those demons too.
Max: Nick and Troy have such a strange relationship. They both see themselves as the black sheep of their families. Nick and Troy find comfort in each other since they both reflect each other’s craziness. Nick even stated he is as sick as Troy.
Mallory: They relate to one another on a very deep level since they’re both so damaged. I thought it was so well defined during Nick’s conversation with Alicia. When she said, “You like him and share the same self-destruction.” He replied, “Maybe I’m as sick as he is.” Nick didn’t become a heroin addict by accident. Heroin is an extraordinarily self-destructive drug and that mentality didn’t leave him just because there’s no heroin in the apocalypse. I’m sure he had addict friends who were just as deranged as Troy and Nick bonded remarkably well with them too.
Peter: I think Troy is Nick in the future if Nick loses his way. They see each other in one another and that’s why they’re so attracted to each other.
Ivy: Well, they’re too alike. Alicia and Jake are the perfect ones and Nick and Troy are always the ones who messed up everything. Nick even said to Alicia he’s as sick as Troy is. I think that’s one of the reasons why Nick cares about Troy: if Troy can be fixed, Nick can be fixed too.
Valerie: I think they’re two sides of the same coin. They’re immensely similar, which is what causes them to butt heads so often, but that’s also what draws them to one another. They understand each other in ways no one else can. And for once – Nick isn’t the big broken screw up in the group.
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5. In the apocalypse, there is no rehab or therapy. What future do you see for Troy, who is losing his sanity and putting others in danger?
Sonya: I don’t think Troy will make it out of season 3. He was always walking that fine line between sanity and insanity and now that his anchors, Jeremiah and Jake, are gone I think he will either kill himself or commit suicide by walker. I don’t think he will be able to survive in that world.
Max: If he makes it through the season, I think he will end up wandering the desert alone. Madison and Nick might try to convince him to stay with them, and he might for a while, but I don’t think it’s in his nature to join another group.
Mallory: He has been calmed down to a point by certain people such as Madison. Despite that, his moments of sanity are astoundingly minimal. In the apocalypse, they only have each other to turn to for rehab or therapy. I don’t see much future hope for him in terms of any real recovery as he’s been this way since childhood. However, I’m very curious as to where his character will go, especially since it’s unlikely the group will accept him back even if he helps save them. His brand of crazy could make him a leader in another group, especially if they are violent misfits such as himself.
Peter: When Madison gets back, hopefully, she executes Troy like she should have ages ago. Troy has put so many families in great danger – especially her own -, and there’s no coming back from that in her eyes.
Ivy: Madison and Nick will want him to stay with them, I think. I’m still not sure if Madison only uses him or she cares about him, but Nick killed Jeremiah and it’s his fault Jake’s dead and Troy is completely alone, so I think they’ll try to convince him to stay with them. But he won’t get any better, that’s for sure! He’s too crazy and messed up and he can’t be fixed.
Valerie: I don’t think he’ll survive the season, if Madison and Walker don’t kill him upon their return then I’m sure the two groups will try to have some sort of trial to judge him again and he won’t be so lucky to be exiled, he’ll get a death sentence. The only way I can see him getting out of that is if Nick lies for Troy, and claims Troy saw the horde and came to try to warn the ranch – but I don’t imagine many people will buy that lie.
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6. For a season so light on zombies, this week made up for it. How long do you think Alicia, Ofelia and everyone can last in the bunker if Nick and Troy can’t save them?
Sonya: Well they have food, and they may have water or other things to drink stored in the pantry as well. But there are a lot of people in that space so I don’t think that everyone will be able to survive very long in there. But I also don’t think that Alicia, Ofelia and Crazy Dog will just sit around and wait for Nick and Troy to clear the ranch either. They’re going to try and find a way to get everyone out on their own.
Max: I give them a day. They are running out of air, infected people may have run inside too. The possibilities of how they could die sealed in the bunker. Not to say the ranchers and the Nation have not been on good terms and now they will be stuck in a small room together. I’m almost positive that there will be some animosity between the two groups due to the stress of the infected breaching the compound and the despair of losing their home and loved ones.
Mallory: I’m not sure if Nick and Troy can save them that easily, but they’ll be there faster and can do something to lead some away and/or kill some. Madison and Strand should be there soon. That huge, noisy truck could be their salvation.
Peter: Probably not long. There’s lots of people and a disproportionately low amount of air. I give them a day, tops.
Ivy: Day or two top! The infected are everywhere, they’re running out of air and let’s not forget the lack of water… Also, the ranchers and the natives are still enemies and I think that’ll be a problem too. The ranchers made this bunker for themselves and I don’t think they’ll leave the natives to use them as a protection just like that… Here’s the moment where Alicia will step up as a leader and I’m sure she’ll manage the situation with the ranchers and the natives.
Valerie: In theory, they have a decent amount of supplies, but they’re still low on water and there’s no telling when Madison and co will be back. And once they get back, they then have to make their way to the bunker to free everyone. Do they have air circulating down there? If not then they’re not lasting long even with supplies. It would be interesting if some of the older members of the camp die while in there, and watch them have to cope with that while they’re trapped.
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7. We’re already halfway through the backend of season three. What do you want to see going forward?
Sonya: This has been such an intense season! I really want to see Daniel and Ofelia reunited. That reunion has been a long time coming and I need to see the survivors find a little happiness, even if it’s short-lived. I would also really like to see Luciana turn up again. I am still hoping that she will make it to the dam, or maybe to the trading post. But I think Luciana would be a big asset to Lola at the dam. I hope that she and Nick are reunited as well. Luciana had a very grounding influence on Nick. She is an excellent match for him and I’d love to see them together again. I hope that ultimately Madison abandons the ranch. The ranch was always a lost cause. Now that Madison, Strand, Daniel, Ofelia, Nick and Alicia have been brought back together I hope that they realize the ranch isn’t the haven they wanted it to be and they move on.
Max: This season has been so good. I loved the family being at Broke Jaw Ranch. Going forward I would like to see more of what’s going on at the dam. Hopefully, the original group can unite again.
Mallory: I’m still curious to see what happens at the dam. There could and probably will be a huge uprising there and it’s possible the group could move there as well. I’m interested in what Nick and Troy’s characters do moving forward, along with Olivia and her father’s reunion. She’s not the daughter he left. She’s taken on some of his characteristics and I don’t see him liking that at all. Additionally, I really want to see what happens with Strand. His character had me mesmerized the minute he appeared on screen!
Peter: I mainly want to see the Daniel and Ofelia reunion! Hopefully, everyone moves to the dam, as it offers more protection and they have unlimited water. It’s a smart place to be!
Ivy: I’m definitely looking forward to the Ofelia and Daniel reunion. I want to see what will happen with the ranch, cause from what it looks like it’s doomed. I wanna see how Alicia will react to Jake’s death. Also, where’s Luciana? I don’t think we’ll see her till the finale ,but when we do, I have a feeling we’re gonna be in complete shock and I can’t be more excited for this moment!
Valerie: I want to leave the ranch, it reminds me too much of Herschel’s farm from season 2 of The Walking Dead, and I’m starting to get a little tired of this setting. I expect our core group to retreat to the dam, as it’s secure (for now!) and has supplies. Madison, Alicia, and Daniel can defend the dam for Lola. It’s not the perfect solution, but one that makes sense right now. And damn! All I want is that reunion between father and daughter!! Daniel and Ofelia are both such different people now, they’ll be like strangers meeting for the first time.
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Final Verdict: “Brother’s Keeper” was the best episode of Fear The Walking Dead yet!
We are still trying to catch our breath after this episode! The attack on the ranch was the payoff we’ve been waiting for, and we’re sure it was for you, too. Daniel Sharman’s Troy infuriates us in such a fun way. We love to hate him for what he does, and he plays an unravelling sociopath in such an interesting way. We want him to go away, and also stay and continue to mess everything up, so we are both relieved and genuinely annoyed that he’s still alive at the end of 3×12. The exchange between Troy and Nick was intense, and Nick’s end-of-episode line of “We need to find a way to save everyone you tried to kill. You’ll sleep when you’re dead” was so badass.
As our roundtable panellists predicted not just once, but twice, the ranch was hit by a horde, and the damage was staggering. To our delight, Alicia and Ofelia further rose to the occasion, positioning themselves as strong, level-headed leaders. Alycia Debnam-Carey and Mercedes Mason were incredible in these roles. Watching them fight alongside Crazy Dog (Justin Rain) was a jaw-dropping scene, and so very far away from where both of these women were at the start of season one. It has been wonderful to see their development. Towards the end of the episode, Ofelia tells Alicia to go to the bunker-pantry, to which she protests. Ofelia responds “Alicia, they’ll follow you. Lead them.” We hope this holds true!