The final scene in Fear the Walking Dead season 5, episode 4 confirms a connection between the people who took Al (Maggie Grace) and what happened to Rick (Andrew Lincoln) on The Walking Dead.
In season 9 of the AMC series, The Walking Dead finally said goodbye to its lead character, Rick Grimes. However, Rick's story didn't end in a way that many fans expected. After making a heroic sacrifice, Rick miraculously survived, only to be taken away by the mysterious helicopter that had been in contact with Jadis. The exact motives of the organization associated with the helicopter remain unknown, though it has been revealed that they have an interest in important people, who they categorize as either an "A" or a "B" (Rick is a "B"), though what this means isn't perfectly clear. Rick's story will continue in a series of Walking Dead movies.
It looks like audiences may get answers about the people who took Rick much sooner than expected. In the Fear the Walking Dead season 5 premiere, Al discovered a map that featured the same three-ringed symbol found on the helicopter that took Rick. After she was captured, it appeared that there could be a connection between Al's kidnappers and the group that abducted Rick. This connection was confirmed in the show's latest episode: in the final scene, the same black helicopter reappeared, just as it was flying away.
The episode ended on an ominous note as one character suggested that the helicopter may be leaving because it has what it came for. If what it came for was Al, it could mean that it may be a while before she is reunited with Morgan (Lennie James) and the others. It would also suggest that Al is either an "A" or a "B", the two types of people the group seems to be on the lookout for.
Excitingly, the focus on finding Al in Fear the Walking Dead season 5 could lead to more immediate answers about this organization, some of their members, their base of operations, and exactly what they're trying to accomplish, which are things that The Walking Dead never explored. It could even go a step further by providing some of the setup for the Walking Dead movies, which makes what's happening right now on Fear the Walking Dead so important to the wider universe.
It's certainly surprising that Fear the Walking Dead is diving so deeply into one of The Walking Dead's biggest mysteries, so it will be interesting to see just how much the show is willing to reveal in the coming weeks.