While searching for the Al, Morgan encounters a woman named Grace while dispatching two walkers in a trap. She explains that due to a power plant meltdown the year before. Simply getting close to the walkers risks survivors becoming contaminated, causing Morgan to permanently lose his contaminated staff after stabbing a walker with it. Grace blames herself for the deaths of her friends and attempts to make amends by safely disposing of all the radiated walkers while being terminally ill with radiation sickness. Evidence of the effects is found at an abandoned campground where Annie and her brothers stayed at.
At the same time, Victor tracks down Daniel Salazar at a warehouse. Though convinced of the problem, Daniel refuses to lend his plane to Victor who he feels will only make things worse based on past experiences. After letting him make contact with Luciana, Daniel forces Victor to leave threatening to kill him the next time if he comes back.
"Fear the Walking Dead" Season 5, Episode 2, "The Hurt That Will Happen," dives deeper into the dangers and moral complexities of the post-apocalyptic world. In this episode, the group grapples with the disappearance of Althea, who was last seen chasing a story about the mysterious helicopter group. This episode underscores the risks of curiosity and the high stakes involved in their world.
The episode efficiently portrays the sense of urgency and fear surrounding Althea's disappearance. As the group searches for her, they encounter a woman named Grace, a survivor who introduces a new threat - radiation from a nearby nuclear plant meltdown. This not only adds a layer of environmental danger but also significantly raises the stakes, as they now have to navigate a landscape that is literally toxic.
Noteworthy in this episode are the scenes involving Morgan's confrontation with Grace and the harsh reality of dealing with walkers that are radioactive. These interactions are charged with tension and introduce a new dynamic to walker encounters, highlighting the show's ability to reinvent itself and keep the narrative fresh. The radiation suits and the haunting clicking of the Geiger counter add an eerie, almost sci-fi element to the episode.
Critically, "The Hurt That Will Happen" manages to balance character development with the introduction of new plot elements effectively. Grace's character adds depth to the storyline, bringing with her a background of loss and responsibility that mirrors the main group's ongoing struggle with the consequences of their actions. However, the episode does struggle slightly under the weight of its own ambitions, sometimes feeling cluttered with too many themes jostling for space.
Overall, this episode continues the season's exploration of the themes of risk, responsibility, and survival in an evolving world. While it effectively sets up new narratives and builds tension, it also leaves viewers pondering the ethical dilemmas of survival in a world where every decision can mean life or death. The combination of human and environmental threats makes for a gripping and suspenseful episode that pushes the boundaries of traditional zombie genre storytelling.
