Warning: Spoilers for Fear the Walking Dead season 7
A new casting announcement strengthens the theories about Alicia Clark dying in Fear the Walking Dead season 7. It’s been announced that the actress who plays Alicia in the Walking Dead spinoff series, Alycia Debnam-Carey, will be starring in Hulu’s Saint X show as the main character. Apparently, she’ll serve as a replacement for Victoria Pedretti, who had originally been cast in the role.
Though Alicia’s presence in Fear the Walking Dead season 7 has been limited to just a few episodes, her current arc has amounted to a life-changing journey. In addition to losing part of her arm, Alicia is now convinced that her days are numbered. Believing that she’ll soon succumb to the zombie virus, Alicia is determined to find PADRE, save her people, and take Strand’s Tower. Fear the Walking Dead is poised to further complicate Alicia’s problems when it delivers a long-awaited mother-daughter reunion that was once thought impossible. Somehow, Kim Dickens’ Madison Clark will re-enter the picture by the end of the season. After that, Dickens will regain her status as a series regular for Fear the Walking Dead season 8.
Alicia’s current situation has sparked theories that Madison’s return will be followed by one of the show’s biggest deaths. Rather than have the two Clarks together, it’s possible that Alicia will die shortly after Madison rejoins the series. After all, it is Alicia’s opinion that her death is imminent. Of course, many have dismissed the notion on the grounds that Alicia could simply be wrong about her fate. Though some of her symptoms are consistent with the zombie virus, she may be suffering from a condition related to the amputation of her arm. That being said, the reveal that Debnam-Carey is getting another show makes the idea of her character dying a lot more plausible. The actress will be playing the lead, which increases the chances of her exiting Fear the Walking Dead in the very near future.
Before, Madison’s impending return and Alicia’s importance to the series as a whole cast doubt on the theories pertaining to her death, but this announcement paints a different picture of the situation. While it initially seemed unlikely that Fear the Walking Dead would limit the storytelling potential that comes with Madison’s return by killing off Alicia, it could be that the actress has chosen to leave the series. If that’s the case, it may have become necessary for the show to craft an ending to her story.
Of course, the Saint X casting doesn’t prove definitely that Debnam-Carey is done with Fear the Walking Dead, but it certainly doesn’t inspire hope that she’ll survive what comes next. If Alicia really is right about what ails her, the show is setting up for a tragic conclusion to the fight with Victor Strand and the battle with PADRE. If Alicia dies, the series will have to once again move forward with only one member of the Clark family.
Fear the Walking Dead releases new episodes on Sundays on AMC.