Fear the Walking Dead: The End Is the Beginning (Episode 6.01)

With five eclectic seasons in the rearview, AMC aired the Season 6 premiere of Fear the Walking Dead on Sunday, October 11.

And if the premiere is any indication, viewers are in for a captivating ride this season.

Initially, the introduction of the series' 70th episode is quite reminiscent of its Season 4 premiere, featuring a character "running from something" and stumbling across a fellow survivor in the woods.

Unfortunately for Walter (the runner), his time as an on-screen survivor is relatively short-lived, as he immediately encounters one of the most sinister individuals in the history of The Walking Dead universe.

While this villain seems cordial upon introduction (gifting Walter beans and accepting his company), Emile soon reveals his true colors by beheading the newcomer with an axe.

He then removes a mysterious key from Walter's corpse and leaves the site alongside his dog, Rufus.

However, the apocalyptic bounty hunter is quickly called into action once more via a radio request from Virginia.

Despite shooting Morgan in the torso, she's been unable to locate him, and is willing to pay handsomely for his head in a box.

At this juncture, viewers learn that Morgan is still alive, though his life is certainly at risk.

For the past five to six weeks, he's been on the run, scavenging for supplies and holing up in a water tower while awaiting his eventual demise.

With the bullet still lodged in his body, Morgan is suffering from gangrene, smelling so horribly that he is able to blend in amongst walkers without consequence.

During his travels one day, he encounters a former military man named Isaac, who recognizes Morgan from the videos he produced in Season 5 and seeks to assist him.

Morgan refuses Isaac's help and generally distrusts him, eventually learning that he used to work as one of Virginia's rangers.

Isaac insists that Morgan doesn't want the bullet removed because he thinks he deserves it, perhaps for failing his people in the Season 5 finale.

Unfortunately, Morgan's attempts to maintain his water tower are soon foiled by Emile, and he is forced to consider a new objective in his "final days".

After shooting the bounty hunter in the arm, Morgan sets off on a fresh path with Isaac.

In their conversation, Morgan explains that he'd been maintaining the water tower to repay someone.

Nonetheless, with his intentions squashed and his savior nowhere to be found, Morgan must now help Isaac return to his wife, Rachel, who's eight months pregnant.

Isaac assures Morgan that their location is safe, and despite the pair fighting off countless walkers in their travels, their safety still isn't assured -- the axe-swinging Emile and his dog, Rufus, are not easily avoided.

Although Morgan attempts to give himself up in exchange for the safety of Isaac and Rachel, his plan is once again foiled by the revelation that Isaac was bitten by a walker long ago, and his days on Earth are numbered. ("You're sweating." What an astute observation, Emile.)

With the help of Isaac, Morgan overcomes Emile in barbaric fashion, beheading the bounty hunter with his own axe.

In terms of the most intriguing characters in The Walking Dead universe, it's a devastating loss -- nonetheless, once you decide to hunt down Morgan (I Don't Die) Jones, it's unlikely to end well for you.

Morgan passes out after killing Emile, and upon regaining consciousness, learns that Isaac removed the bullet from his body before his passing.

Only Rachel stands before him now -- with their newborn baby girl, also named Morgan.

Before departing, adult Morgan finds the key that Emile had taken from Walter, and drops his treasured stick in favor of Emile's axe. (If savage Morgan is returning, I'm here for it.)

Meanwhile, Virginia stumbles upon a box she presumes holds Morgan's severed head, only to find Emile's instead.

Perhaps frantically, Virginia now threatens Morgan via walkie -- if he doesn't stay away to convince his friends of his death, she has the power to kill them all.

Morgan responds: "Morgan Jones is dead, and you are dealing with somebody else now", before throwing on his cowboy hat and riding off on a horse.

Welcome to the wild, wild west.

The episode concludes by wrapping a cutscene from its beginning, with a man spray-painting "The End Is the Beginning" on the side of a gigantic submarine.

This unnamed man (and his friend) appear to have additional knowledge regarding the key that changed hands twice during Sunday night's episode.

As viewers speculate, the mystery will (hopefully) continue to unfold next Sunday.

What are your thoughts on the Season 6 premiere? Where might the rest of our gang be?

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