Fear The Walking Dead, the spin-off series to AMC’s The Walking Dead, is jam-packed with terrifying moments and gruesome scenes. Following a group of people from the onset of the apocalypse, we see humans who have turned into flesh-eating zombies, and the dead who reanimate. The show has been running for 5 seasons, and continues to captivate viewers.
As the group has traveled from a boat to a farm, a baseball stadium to an old manufacturing facility, and more in between, there have been glimpses of hope alongside the terror. But as we look back, here are the 10 most terrifying scenes thus far.
Nick Steals A Morphine Drip
What’s so terrifying about this scene was that it was so terrifyingly real. Even in the midst of the world coming to an end, Nick, a drug addict, was still looking for his next fix. He just couldn’t kick the habit. And when he happened upon Hector Ramirez, who was dying and hooked up to a morphine drip, he shockingly stole the drip and inserted the needle into his own vein to get some relief.
It just goes to show that regardless of the circumstances, an addiction is an addiction. Luckily Nick eventually cleaned himself up. But he still played on the edge through the entire series until his unfortunate demise.
Morgan Stepping Through The Land Mines
Viewers were likely at the edge of their seats, terrified for Morgan as he walked through Tess’ land mine-filled front lawn trying to get an inhaler to the woman who’s son was having an asthma attack. When the group noticed his foot sitting directly atop a land mine, he had to stay very, very still to avoid setting it off, at which point he would no doubt be blown to smithereens.
The scene lasted a terrifyingly long time, but eventually, Morgan took his foot off and the land mine didn’t go off thanks to Tess remembering how to remotely switch off the device using knowledge her husband had given her.
When Travis Faced Walker Michael
Taking place completely under water, Travis bravely suited up in scuba gear to check out what was going on with the boat and discovered an undead Michael, a survivor from flight 462, with his arm stuck in the intake valve. Travis then had to find a way to kill the undead man while under water and release his arm from the valve so the Abigail’s filtration system would begin working once again.
This remains the only major underwater walker scene and kill thus far in the show, and it’s still one of the most terrifying. Land, sea, air – you’re not safe anywhere.
When Madison Locked Celia In A Cellar With The Dead
Highly religious, Celia believed that the walking dead were the next evolution of humanity. She wasn’t just stockpiling them like Hershel was in The Walking Dead in hopes that a cure was imminent. She believed that they should continue to be loved, nurtured, and fed in their current new stage of life.
Still, it was terrifying when Madison decided to use these beliefs against her and, when Celia took her to see her “children,” as she called the dead, Madison locked the cellar gate behind her. This is someone who had just provided a home and safe haven for Madison and her group. Equally terrifying is that Celia didn’t seem worried in the slightest about her predicament, and simply accepted her fate as the hungry dead approached.
How Comfortable Nick Was Walking With the Dead
When we saw Rick and Glenn first douse themselves with blood and guts and walk among the dead to try and escape unnoticed, they were utterly terrified. Yet when Nick did this in Fear the Walking Dead, it was as simple as rubbing moisturizing cream on his face and walking about aimlessly with a pack of strangers.
What was so terrifying was how comfortably and at ease Nick seemed when teetering on the edge, walking among death. He knew at any minute that one of them could discover he was human, turn, and eat him alive. But he showed no fear.
Watching Chris’ Descent
Chris started out as a typical brooding teenage boy, angered by his parents’ divorce and his father’s new family and stepchildren. And as the apocalypse began, Chris was shown to be weak and terrified. But after killing one living but injured man begging to be put out of his misery, a switch seemed to click in the young man.
He became a terrifying psychopath, shooting first and asking questions later. When he killed an innocent farmer in cold blood who was just trying to protect his farm from intruders, that was the last straw as we realized there was no coming back for him. Chris then took up with the wrong crowd, and it led to his eventual demise.
When Alicia Killed Mel
Handsome and charming but also devious, it was Mel who led his group to take over the baseball stadium and ultimately caused Madison’s death. So when Alicia saw an opportunity to kill him, she took it. But what was most terrifying is the manner in which she did it.
As he tried to flee in their ambulance, Alicia blew it up with a grenade launcher. Miraculously he survived and came crawling out of the car, severely wounded. As he begged Alicia to spare his life, she calmly impaled him through the head while he was still very much alive.
When Nick Died
It was a terrifying scene in and of itself, but mostly terrifying because Nick was a fan favorite character from the very beginning of the series. What was also so terrifying was the fact that it was the young girl Charlie, who shot him from behind.
Nick saw that the girl shot him and recognized her before falling to the ground, blood pouring out of him. As he sputtered and fought for his life, we saw the troubled young man pass in a not-so-gruesome but very terrifying way, at the hands of a girl who would otherwise be too young to even drive a car much less wield a gun.
Travis Beating Derek And Brandon To Death
After the death of his son Chris, Travis went beserk. He totally lost it, understandable from a man who felt he didn’t protect his teenage son (who was clearly far beyond trying to protect). All he needed was his bare hands to literally beat the two men responsible for his death.
It just proved that in this world, the most terrifying things aren’t the walking dead, but rather the living. And it was especially terrifying since, among all of the characters on the show at that time, it was Travis who was the moral compass, and the one who fought hard to retain his humanity. So much for that.
When Madison Locked Herself In The Stadium
In this touching, sad, and shocking scene, when the baseball stadium that had been the group’s home for some time was surrounded by Ennis and The Vultures who tried to take it over, or take the group down, Madison made a split second decision to sacrifice herself. She lured the now oil-soaked walker herd inside and shut the door, containing them so they couldn’t hurt her children, but ensuring her certain death in the process.
Most terrifying was when she took a flare and held it up as they approached her, ready to ignite them as soon as they came close. While we thankfully didn’t have to see Madison get ripped apart, innards gushing out, it is all but confirmed that there was no way out, and if she wasn’t mauled by the hungry herd, she went up in flames along with them.