Season 7 of Fear the Walking Dead was kind of puzzling. The first half of the season set up an all-out war between Morgan and Strand, but the second half didn't really deliver. The minimal conflict was lackluster and left fans disappointed. However, the season did successfully cut down the series' ensemble cast. Howard, John Dorie Sr. and Wes all died, and Charlie will likely be dead to start Season 8.
Killing off so many characters was necessary to refocus things for Madison's reinvention in the farewell season. It also gave the series some of its credibility back. Plot armor had grown to an all-time high in Season 7, so seeing some characters actually face the consequences of their actions was a breath of fresh air. However, the return of character deaths has some fans worried about who could die in Season 8. In fact, recent comments from Lennie James have fans worried that Morgan Jones could be a casualty in the coming season.
Morgan Jones Had a Trying Journey In Fear The Walking Dead
Morgan Jones is one of the longest-featured characters in The Walking Dead universe. He first appeared in The Walking Dead pilot when he encountered Rick Grimes in King County, Georgia. Morgan appeared a few more times before becoming an integral part of Rick's group in Season 6. But after the Savior War in Season 8, Morgan left everything behind and started a journey to find himself. That's when he crossed over onto Fear the Walking Dead and became one of its series leads.
Morgan's character has had tumultuous journey. He had just seen his wife die in the pilot, and his son died not long after. When that happened, he became grief stricken and crazed. His only purpose was to kill walkers before meeting a man named Eastman, who taught him Aikido and helped him find peace. After that, he became a pacifist for a while before losing himself again and becoming a killer. He then left Rick's group because he was disappointed in himself. On Fear The Walking Dead, he's done much of the same. He was peaceful for a time, then became a hunter, and currently, he's worried about protecting his wife, his baby and his group.
Why Morgan Could Die in Fear The Walking Dead Season 8
In a recent interview with SFX magazine, Lennie James, who plays Morgan, addressed his hopes for Season 8. He said, "This final season, for me, was, 'What does Morgan live for, or what does Morgan die for?'" That began to worry fans as he continued, "If he achieves what he set out to do -- which was to take care of the people that he cared about most -- where does that leave him?.. And that's what I wanted for Morgan. I wanted his finale to be an answer to those questions."
James' words don't necessarily indicate that Morgan will die in Season 8, but the fact that he chose to say, "What does Morgan die for?" is a bit foreboding. The Season 8 trailer showed him returning to King County, Georgia. So, his character will be coming full-circle. He failed to protect his wife and his son during the outbreak, and those memories will be close at hand when he returns to King County. If and when trouble arises, he will certainly be willing to sacrifice himself this time around in order to keep Grace and Mo safe.
Additionally, with The Walking Dead's spinoffs already in the works, it doesn't feel like Morgan has much of a place. Rick and Michonne have their series, and Negan and Maggie are paired up for a spinoff. Daryl is also all on his own, which leaves Morgan without a definite place. While a reunion with Rick would be nice, it might be better for his character to find purpose and sacrifice himself for his friends, just like Rosita did in The Walking Dead finale.
Fear the Walking Dead Season 8 debuts May 14, on AMC.