The events of the Fear the Walking Dead season 6 finale has given the spinoff series a chance to catch up to the main show. Fear the Walking Dead is set approximately seven years ahead of The Walking Dead, which is about to enter its eleventh and final season. Since Fear the Walking Dead kicked off with the start of the zombie apocalypse, it was naturally a few years behind The Walking Dead, which had already been on the air for a few seasons. However, the writers used a two-year time jump in season 4 to bring the two shows in line with each other, thus making it possible for Morgan (Lennie James) to cross over and have his story continued.

Then, The Walking Dead leaped forward by six years in season 9 and showed viewers how Alexandria had transformed in the time that had passed offscreen. Ever since Fear the Walking Dead and the main show have been years apart. It was still able to add crossover characters like Dwight (Austin Amelio) or Sherry (Christine Evangelista), but this only worked because they left The Walking Dead before the big time jump.

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More crossovers could become possible if and when Fear the Walking Dead narrows the gap again. Overcoming what has grown into a seven-year time difference will be challenging to be sure, but Fear the Walking Dead’s nuclear apocalypse could have set the stage for such a massive time skip to occur. The launch of ten warheads will leave a huge mark on Texas, one that may take years for the areas affected to recover from. Because of the fallout, ash, and risk of radiation poisoning, it seems only sensible for Morgan’s scattered group to take shelter until it is safe to come out. This could take one or two years, or possibly longer. Regardless, a considerable time jump feels both likely and necessary for the main characters’ survival. It’s just a question of how long it will be.

A reanimated Riley watches as a CRM helicopter flies away on Fear the Walking Dead

The first few episodes of Fear the Walking Dead season 7 can gradually reveal how each of the characters dealt with the nuclear apocalypse. Isabelle (Sydney Lemmon) could have taken Daniel Salazar’s group to a secure bunker somewhere where they might have access to supplies she previously secured for the CRM. June (Jenna Elfman) and John Dorie, Sr. (Keith Carradine) may have what they need living in Teddy’s secret underground base. On the other hand, Dwight, Sherry, Morgan, and Grace (Karen David) may be in much more difficult situations. They may need to find long-term places to take shelter in and hope they can ride out the nuclear apocalypse.

Picking up seven years later would enable the series to make further use of Walking Dead characters too. That may very well be the outcome the showrunners want, especially since Fear the Walking Dead can provide new homes for a few of its characters when the main show ends. While a time skip can be good for crossovers, it would be bad news for Morgan’s group, and Alicia (Alycia Debnam-Carey) in particular. Forced into isolation from her friends by Teddy, it may be years before Alicia can finally see the surface or her Fear family again. Similiar to Rick in Walking Dead, Alicia may return to find a changed world where everyone she knows has moved on without her.

More: Why Fear TWD Season 7 Needs A New Leader (& Daniel Should Be It)