‘Fear The Walking Dead’ 4×03 Had Multiple ‘The Walking Dead’ Callbacks

Fear The Walking Dead 4×03, ‘Good Out Here,’ contains numerous callbacks to The Walking Dead.

After getting off on the wrong foot, Nick offers Morgan half his protein bar.

“You like peanut butter?” Nick asks.

Morgan smiles. “I do,” he says, taking it.

That callback goes way back to The Walking Dead 3×12, ‘Clear,’ which sees Rick reunite with Morgan for the first time.

Rick, Michonne and Carl found a crazed Morgan living alone in a booby-trapped domicile, and the katana-wielding warrior helped herself to some of his food.

The moment was referenced in The Walking Dead 6×01, ‘First Time Again,’ when Morgan, having made his way to Alexandria, brings up the missing peanut butter bar:

“Michonne? Back when you were in that place, where I lived… did you take one of my protein bars?”

“No,” she answers with a smile.

“See,” Morgan says, “I could have sworn there was one more peanut butter left.”

“That’s how it is, isn’t it? You always think there’s one more peanut butter left.”

Fear 4×03 also reminded viewers of another Walking Dead season 6 episode, 6×04, ‘Here’s Not Here,’ when Nick tells Morgan to lay off the karate.

“It’s not karate,” Morgan tells him.

When Nick asks what it is, Morgan goes to answer and stops himself. “It’s just not karate.”

Morgan’s training was explored in that bottle episode under the tutelage of lone cheese-maker Eastman (John Carroll Lynch), who bestowed upon Morgan his “all life is precious” philosophy.

The bo-wielding Morgan references that philosophy, and Eastman, in 4×03, when he tells Nick “I don’t kill.”

After doing his best to impart those same lessons on Nick, Morgan tells him who he lost — wife Jenny and son Duane, both killed off screen in The Walking Dead — indirectly referencing Walking Dead characters like Glenn and Ben of the Kingdom:

“It was my wife, my son, and my friends. That’s who I lost. Before I lost myself,” Morgan says.

He then references Eastman, who he credits with his mindset:

“I know where you are, Nick. Because I was there. I didn’t know how to make it stop. I didn’t know if I wanted it to stop. Didn’t think I could ever find my way out. Then I met someone. A man didn’t have to help me, but he did. He gave me something, Nick. He told me — he showed me that all life is precious, and that helped. It still does.”

“This is part of it,” Morgan says, giving Nick ‘The Art of Peace’ — the very same book handed down to Morgan in 6×04.

Eastman’s teachings rippled through both series, having a major impact on both, but Nick’s path towards redemptive peace took an unfortunate and tragic turn in the closing moments of ‘Good Out Here.’

How that development will affect Morgan and his fragile mentality remains to be seen.

Fear The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9/8c on AMC.