Here’s why Fear The Walking Dead killed lead character Travis Manawa (Cliff Curtis). The character’s shocking exit happened in season 3.
Here is the Travis Fear The Walking Dead death scene explained. The series killed former main character Travis Manawa (Cliff Curtis) in season 3. Few could have predicted the runaway success of AMC’s The Walking Dead series when it was first announced. Based on the cult graphic novel by Robert Kirkman, the show follows a group of survivors as they adjust to a world turned upside down by a zombie outbreak. While the show weathered some behind-the-scene issues during its first few seasons — such as the firing of original showrunner Frank Darabont — the great cast of characters, soap opera plotlines, and intense gore kept fans hooked week after week. This has led to seven successful seasons, with Fear the Walking Dead season 8 on the way.
Like the comic, The Walking Dead series wasn’t afraid to kill off major characters with little warning either. The show’s continued success led to a prequel series called Fear The Walking Dead being greenlit, with the first season airing in 2015. Fear The Walking Dead introduced new lead characters, Travis Manawa and Madison Clark (Kim Dickens), a couple who tried to keep their family together in the early days of the zombie outbreak. Much like Rick Grimes, Travis was Fear The Walking Dead’s moral compass, but he gradually adjusted to the harshness of the new world. This is all the more confusing when in season 3, Travis’ Fear the Walking Dead death scene occurred.
Fear The Walking Dead also gave character actor Cliff Curtis a lead role after years of stealing movies in supporting parts. It appeared Fear The Walking Dead was setting up Travis to become a darker character following the loss of his son in season 2, but season 3 took a shocking turn. This is a breakdown of the Travis Fear the Walking Dead death scene, and other shocking character deaths featured on the show.
Travis’ Fear The Walking Dead Death Explained
The Travis Fear the Walking Dead death scene is quite abrupt. In the episode “The New Frontier,” Travis is shot in the neck while he and Madison’s daughter Alicia escape in a helicopter. Travis – who was secretly bitten before this – decides to jump out of the helicopter rather than put the other survivors in danger. Travis’s death was a turning point for Fear The Walking Dead and proved the show wasn’t afraid to take risks. His demise later empowered Madison to take charge and do what she felt necessary to survive in the new world. Fear The Walking Dead showrunner Dave Erickson later admitted Travis was supposed to last longer on the series, but his early exit allowed other characters to have the spotlight. In fact, people who watch Fear The Walking Dead feel the show took an upswing in quality following Travis’ death, and just like The Walking Dead, few of the original cast still remain.
Those following the career of Cliff Curtis offscreen probably foresaw the Travis Fear the Walking Dead death scene coming, however. It was announced in 2017 that the actor was joining the cast of James Cameron’s Avatar sequels as Tonowari, leader of Pandora’s reef people. Curtis wouldn’t have been able to split his time between filming the Avatar sequels and Travis on Fear The Walking Dead, and a significant role in a blockbuster movie franchise would always be the more tempting offer. Travis is missed by Fear The Walking Dead watchers, but his loss helped push the show in intriguing new directions.
Other Shocking Character Deaths on Fear The Walking Dead
The Travis Fear the Walking Dead death scene isn’t the only shocking demise in the series. While season 6 featured some of the most unexpected character deaths, there are more surprising fatalities peppered throughout the show. Particularly tragic is the scene during which Travis’ son Chris dies in Fear the Walking Dead season 2. Chris may not have been the most likable of the Manawa clan, but no one could’ve predicted his death at the hands of two murderers. Chris’ dramatic coming-of-age moments added a lot of down-to-earth moments to the gory series, so it remained sad to see him go. Travis’ son dies after Brandon and Derek shoot him in the head in the wake of his car accident.
Another dramatic death in Fear the Walking Dead comes from season 3 alongside Travis’ bitter end. Though Jeremiah Otto Sr. was set up to die from the get-go, how he died was unexpected. While he and Madison argue, a gun is dropped on the table. Mid-sentence, Nick picks up the gun and shoots Jeremiah in the head. This was highly unexpected, as previous episodes showed that Jeremiah was mentoring Nick, proving an allegiance between the two. In addition, Virginia’s season 6 death came through unforeseen means. She was a formidable antagonist throughout Fear the Walking Dead season 6 but was eventually captured by Morgan and given a deal that she and her daughter should be evicted to the wasteland. Before that deal could go through, June assassinated her in cold blood.
Will There Be A Fear The Walking Dead Season 8?
Despite the Travis Fear the Walking Dead death scene, the series has had seven successful seasons, and it’s not slowing down anytime soon. Fear the Walking Dead season 8 has no official release date yet. Based on how season 7 ended, though, there are some plot beats that can be predicted for the upcoming installment. Fear the Walking Dead season 8 will likely feature a battle between the main cast and PADRE. A lot of cast switching happened in the season 7 finale. So now, the main cast members to usher in the new season will be Morgan Jones and Madison Clark. In addition, the characters who appear in Fear the Walking Dead season 7, episode 15, “Amina,” will also be making a return. Among the most exciting aspects of the upcoming installment is a location change. It’s confirmed that Fear the Walking Dead will start in Louisiana, and the production team has moved from Texas to Georgia.
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