The Diviner

The world building reaches a boiling point in this really eventful episode, and the dialogue is even more impressive. It's crazy how much chemistry Kim Dickens & Colman Domingo have, they are by far the best actors on the show. But honestly, everyone is so talented.

Madison and Walker look upon a nearly depleted reservoir. She insists they keep the water situation a secret in order to maintain peace at the ranch. Walker suggests they buy water from a trading post in Mexicali. At El Bazar, run by The Proctors, they find Strand who owes debts to them. Madison uses Walker's gold to buy his freedom. Strand offers a long-term solution with the Gonzalez Dam.

At the ranch, the natives are overseeing the water distribution, leading to tensions. The militia see Nick as Troy's successor and he cautions them to bide their time. Alicia tries to head-off water disputes but ends up starting a riot by revealing the water crisis. The natives try to take possession of the main well but Nick, armed with the ranchers' last pistol, leads a sit-in. Later, the Nation attempts to dig a new well which eventually leads both them and the ranchers to working together to find water.

"The Diviner," the tenth episode of the third season of "Fear the Walking Dead," escalates the dire circumstances at the Broke Jaw Ranch as resources dwindle, pushing the community to the brink of collapse. The episode skillfully explores themes of desperation, leadership, and survival, revealing the cracks in the community's foundation and the extreme measures people are willing to take in times of crisis.

As the episode unfolds, the critical shortage of water emerges as the central conflict, driving the plot and the characters to desperate actions. Madison's leadership is tested as she tries to maintain order and hope among the increasingly restless and suspicious residents. The discovery that the water supply is far less than anticipated forces Madison to make difficult decisions, which include secretly planning to allocate water in a way that could incite further turmoil. Her manipulation and hard choices highlight her complex role as both protector and leader, willing to bear the burden of potentially unpopular decisions.

A particularly striking scene involves Alicia's discovery of the true state of the water supply, leading to her confronting her mother about the secrets being kept from the community. This moment is significant as it not only stresses the growing rift between Alicia and Madison but also underscores a pivotal shift in Alicia's character from a somewhat naive survivor to a pragmatic realist. Her evolution is painted against the broader backdrop of a community grappling with the stark reality of their survival.

Furthermore, the episode introduces a mysterious new character, a Native American man claiming to be a "diviner" who can find water, adding a mystical element to the narrative. His presence injects a sense of hope and highlights the desperation and gullibility that can arise in dire circumstances. The tension culminates in a gripping scene where the ranch's residents are divided over whether to trust this newcomer, leading to a chaotic and dramatic conclusion that sets the stage for future conflicts.

In conclusion, "The Diviner" is a well-crafted episode that effectively builds tension and develops key characters, particularly Madison and Alicia, by pushing them into new moral and ethical territories. The episode's handling of the community's crisis provides a compelling look at the human condition under pressure, offering a mix of suspense, drama, and a touch of the supernatural. The themes of leadership, trust, and survival are interwoven seamlessly, making this episode a crucial pivot point for the season.

Paco Cabezas did a great job at directing this episode. The previous episode had us follow two plot arcs, the Ranch and the Dam. The Ranch was the most important with Troy getting exiled after attacking as he didn't want to give in to Walker. The Dam arc was just a build up for things to come. We continue where we left off with Madison telling Walker of the low amount of resources the community has and they work on a solution. We also get to follow Victor Strand again after being absent in the previous episode, last time we saw him was when he burnt down Abigail and talked to the Russian astronaut via a radio.

Walker tells Madison of a trading center in Mexico of where you can get anything you need, it's a place that will play a big part of the second half of Fear's third season. Eventually, later on they come to the settlement and it's an impressive trading center inside a huge stadium called El Bazar. We'll find about it more later but before the apocalypse it was driven by criminals and still are but another group of criminals called The Proctors which is a motorcycle gang that has many charters across USA and Mexico, they will serve as the main antagonistic group for the rest of the season.

This episode is slower paced than the others as there needs to be character and plot development, introducing a new community and new side and minor characters. There's a lot of world building, I love world building but I can understand that too much of it isn't for everyone. The cinematography is as usual great, the new sets is incredible and realistic. I praise the music all the time in this season, just for one reason, it's bloody fantastic and so is this episode.