WARNING: Spoilers for Fear the Walking Dead season 8, episode 3
The big reveal about PADRE in Fear the Walking Dead answers a major question about the inevitable ending of The Walking Dead franchise. Fear the Walking Dead season 8, episode 3, titled “Odessa,” finally exposed PADRE, a mysterious figure whose identity has been carefully kept under wraps. As it turns out, PADRE was really just the adult children of the fallen general in charge of the program.
Fear the Walking Dead built on what season 7 had already established about the origins of PADRE. It’s been known for a while now that PADRE was initiated by the government as a way of surviving an apocalyptic disaster and preserving the lives of key political figures. What the main characters didn’t know was the extent of PADRE’s power and resources. As the flashbacks in “Odessa” confirmed, PADRE guards a depot of shipping containers packed with supplies. Their purpose is to sustain the growing population on PADRE’s island. Interestingly, this discovery could have massive implications for the future beyond the end of Fear the Walking Dead.
PADRE's Supplies Could Restart The Walking Dead's Universe
Obviously, PADRE is well-stocked on supplies and will be for quite some time. The amount of resources they control speaks volumes about their importance in The Walking Dead universe. But as things stand, their impact has been limited. Unlike organizations like the Commonwealth and the CRM, PADRE has been focused on bringing people to one island, rather than expanding their influence and forming new settlements elsewhere. That means only a centralized area has truly benefited from what PADRE has to offer. If things were to change, though, numerous lives outside PADRE’s island in Fear the Walking Dead could be affected.
PADRE’s shipping containers could be the key to restarting civilization. If Morgan’s group can take down PADRE’s two leaders and seize control over their resources, they’d have the means to bring real change to the people struggling to hold in the zombie apocalypse. How people go about survival could be changed for the best if these supplies are taken and made available to other groups. If word of this spread, survivors could travel from far and wide to reach these resources, enabling new communities to form and thrive. Considering that helping people has been the goal of Morgan’s group since the end of season 4, it would make sense if this were to become their plan.
PADRE's Shipping Containers Are Vital For The Walking Dead's Franchise Ending
The value of PADRE’s resources goes beyond just Fear the Walking Dead season 8’s story. While securing their depot may indeed be what gives the show a happy ending, the ramifications for PADRE’s downfall have the potential to be wide scale – in a good way. Depending on how well the supplies are managed in the long-term, they could pave the way for The Walking Dead franchise to wrap up on a surprisingly hopeful note. An end to this era of anarchy and zombies could provide a fitting conclusion to The Walking Dead’s overarching narrative.