Inside The Head Of Fear The Walking Dead’s Victor Strand

Tonight’s new episode of Fear the Walking Dead is one which rolls on the momentum provided to the show last week. However, it also builds on and reveals some of the show’s biggest mysteries.

One of those mysteries is Victor Strand.

Strand was introduced to Fear the Walking Dead late in the show’s first season. Despite his late arrival, he was a crucial part in the group’s survival and continues to be a focal point through the second season. Even as a focal point, though, very little is known about Strand. What did he do before the world ended? Where did he get this boat? What are his true intentions?

While some of that may or may not be revealed in tonight’s Blood in the Streets episode, ComicBook.com had the chance to talk to Victor Strand actor Colman Domingo to find out what exactly is going on in that mysterious head of his. Check it out below.

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Fear the Walking Dead just keeps getting better and better and crazier and crazier each week. What can you tease about how that will continue for the rest of the season?

I think it keeps having really wild turns. Just when you think you know where it’s going, it goes into another port in a way. I think it really is symbolic of being on a boat and having an adventure that has to do with water which is so chaotic and deep and you never know what to expect. The symbolism is water which is all about change and sometimes change happens quickly and sometimes it happens really slow.

Your character, Victor Strand, is very interesting. He’s shrouded with mystery and no one truly know his motives. Some may consider him the villain of the show and others may consider him the hero. Which would you say he leans more towards?

I think he’s probably… I don’t know… Right now, I would say Strand, with his actions is a villainous hero which is probably something we haven’t seen in The Walking Dead universe. So, I think maybe we’re coming up with a whole new archetype.

Does Strand have any hidden talents or fighting ability which we’re going to discover?

Possibly. Strand is like peeling open an onion to get to the core. We’ll find out what Strand is made of. I don’t know how well his fighting ability is. He’ll hustle you with words and social climbing, economics, and I think there’s fight in him but he battles with his greatest weapon: his tongue.

Throughout this season Strand has been very firm on keeping the number of people aboard the Abigail as small as possible. Why is that?

I think he, at first, didn’t anticipate having the whole Salazar and Clark families on board. I think he anticipated one which Nick. So, now that the resources are now for seven others, that’s the compromise a little more so. I think he’s just trying to have a clear set of principles moving forward and not waiver. Once again, I think Strand is someone who has really thought this out. He’s thought, “Okay, by now, we can take care of eight people and move through in an efficient way.” That’s what he’s seen but he still doesn’t know what they’re dealing with and I think that’s a problem for him as we need to get a hold of what we’re doing and how we’re moving forward before we start adding others. That’s the general principle. It could change at some point but I think when you don’t know what you’re dealing with, it’s nice to have a set of principles.

What is it about Nick that draws Strand to him more so than any other member of the group?

I think it all started back in the holding pen in season one where it becomes a bond of obligation. I think that’s probably one of the strongest principles Strand has and the thing he values most. So, he’s obligated to Nick. They do have something and he sees something in himself in Nick and vice versa. They were two people on the fringe of society in some way and they’re probably much more alike than unalike minus the Ralph Lauren shoes and the old man clothes. Underneath, they have a lot more in common so I think they can relate to each other and trust each other.

When Strand cut Alex and Jake’s cord, is that the last time we’ll ever see those characters? Will they be back?

I don’t know! We’ll see. You never know what kind of decisions this show makes and you never know if they’ll come back or not. You can cut someone loose one day but they can come back. And when they come back, if they do come back, I’m sure there’s going to be even stronger complications.

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Make sure to come back to ComicBook.com after tonight’s episode of Fear for more of our chat with Colman Domingo!