WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Fear the Walking Dead Season 6, Episode 15, "USS Pennsylvania," which aired Sunday on AMC.
Since debuting in Season 6's "Welcome to the Club," Dakota has spiraled into Fear the Walking Dead's most surprising antagonist. As an innocent-looking teenage girl, Dakota has racked up an impressive kill list, including fan-favorite John Dorie. Now, in the penultimate episode, "USS Pennsylvania," it's clear Dakota's sided with the new big bad Teddy. However, her rise to true villainy remains one of Fear the Walking Dead's most tragic character arcs.
Dakota's life began with a lie. Her mother, Fear's former villain Virginia, had her young. As such, Virginia's parents masqueraded as Dakota's birth parents, and Virginia has her sister. When meeting Morgan and the other protagonists, Dakota is fearful of her "sister." She wants to escape by killing Virginia, claiming that Virginia will just hunt her down if she doesn't. Overall, she appears innocent in Virginia's ruthless dictatorship.
However, things take a turn after Cameron, one of Virginia's Pioneers, spots her sneaking out of Lawton -- and Dakota kills him. A suspicious John Dorie later recognizes Dakota's knife as the weapon used to murder Cameron when taking out walkers on a bridge. She defends her actions while pointing the gun at John. Despite his assurances to keep her secret, Dakota shoots him dead. When Morgan approaches, Dakota turns her gun on him. She confesses to saving Morgan after he nearly died in early Season 6.
While John's murder was in cold blood, saving Morgan points to Dakota's humanity. However, she admits she only saved Morgan so he could kill Virginia. In the end, her motive for keeping him alive was selfish. And if she didn't still need his help, Dakota likely would've shot Morgan on that bridge too. She later confesses to Alicia that killing is easier than it seems.
Eventually, Virginia tells Dakota that she is her mother. Dakota is furious, demanding to know why she bothered bringing her into this world. Considering Dakota already felt like an outsider, learning her mother didn't take full responsibility for her only makes matters worse. After Virginia's death, Morgan allows Dakota to stay. Still, Dakota's murderous past prevents the group from accepting her, despite her insistence that she can redeem herself.
Being broken and desperately in need of a "family" makes her an easy target for Teddy. Although she initially arrives at the Holding to reportedly save Alicia, she's quickly swayed by Teddy's talk of acceptance. He renames her Sue and ensures her she's important to a greater reason. Dakota admits to Alicia no one ever gave her anything to believe, including her own mother. As such, Teddy fulfills that need. When Alicia raises a gun to Teddy's head, Dakota's quick to have his back.
In Fear the Walking Dead Season 6's penultimate episode, Dakota is fully converted to Teddy's cause and willing to die for him. She attempts to stop Morgan and Strand from stopping the nuclear missile launch. While she's unsuccessful, it marks her graduation to full villain. Strand even calls her a "sociopath." Given Dakota's behavior, it's hard to argue with Strand's diagnosis.
However, the teenager's story is nonetheless tragic. In reality, she and Teddy share a similar philosophy. The world's changed, and if people aren't with them -- they're against them. In combination with a neglectful mother and lack of support, it's easy to follow Dakota's path from an underconfident teenager to a cold-blooded killer.
Fear the Walking Dead stars Lennie James, Rubén Blades, Colman Domingo, Danay Garcia, Maggie Grace, Garret Dillahunt, Jenna Elfman, Alexa Nisenson, Karen David, Austin Amelio, Mo Collins, Zoe Colletti and Christine Evangelista. New episodes air Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on AMC.