‘Fear The Walking Dead’ Season 4: Showrunners Reveal Why That Character Had To Die In Episode 3

Episode 3 of AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead Season 4 saw the shocking death of a main character. However, Fear’s showrunners were quick to announce the reason for this death.

SPOILER ALERT: This article contains information about Episode 3, titled “Good Out Here,” of AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead Season 4. Please proceed with caution if you have not yet viewed this episode and wish to avoid spoilers.

This week’s episode of Fear the Walking Dead concluded with the death of Nick Clarke (Frank Dillane). Leading up to this shocking death, some fans were wondering if the episode would reveal that Nick’s mother, Madison Clark (Kim Dickens), had died and that was why Nick kept looking at the flowers that reminded him of her. However, by the end of the episode, this turned out not to be the case, and fans are still unsure of where Madison is now.

According to Fear the Walking Dead’s showrunners, Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg, the decision to kill off Nick was taken out of their hands. Instead, it was the actor who plays Nick, Frank Dillane, who approached the previous showrunners because he wanted to pursue other acting projects. As they revealed to TVLine, it was then that AMC decided to kill off the character.

“Frank [Dillane] actually had approached AMC and the producers during Season 3, asking to leave so he could pursue other projects. So it was actually in the works before we came on board, and it was one of the first things we were tasked with as we were mapping out the season.”

For Chambliss and Goldberg, it was then up to them to make sure Nick’s death meant something in the greater scheme of the storyline moving forward as that is what Dillane wanted for his character.

It may have seemed cruel to have Nick killed by Charlie (Alexa Nisenson), the child he had become to look over and protect. However, for the showrunners of Fear the Walking Dead, it had more to do with retribution. As far as they were concerned, Charlie is a product of her environment, the harsh post-apocalyptic world she now lives in, and because Nick had killed Ennis (Evan Gamble), she took it personally. To her, it was as if Nick had killed one of her own family.

Now, moving forward in Fear the Walking Dead Season 4, Nick’s death will likely ricochet through those with which he traveled. In particular, his sister Alicia (Alycia Debnam-Carey) will be devastated. However, Fear’s showrunners also suggest Nick’s death will also have an impact on Morgan, a character who is already grappling with the death of loved ones at the hands of an opposing side. Although, fans will just have to tune in to find out how this will affect everyone in upcoming episodes of Fear the Walking Dead.

Fear the Walking Dead returns to AMC on Sunday, May 6, at 9 p.m. ET. Zap2It lists the following synopsis for Episode 4, titled “Buried.”

“Al’s questioning uncovers some surprising truths about the group’s past; John Dorie receives unexpected news.”