Fear the Walking Dead has had various villains over the last 3 seasons, posing different degrees of danger. For season 4, we have the Vultures, but how much of a threat are they to Madison’s group?
Blessedly, we begin season 4 of Fear the Walking Dead with almost everyone reunited (Daniel has disappeared, yet again), and some 50 odd people living harmoniously in a decently established community. Apparently Madison is able to settle down within four walls without destroying it when she’s the one in charge. But of course, weevils could hardly be the biggest enemy the Fear the Walking Dead group was going to face in season 4.
The Vultures are the newest group to stir up trouble. As can be deduced by their name, this group’s way of living is nomadic, and their method of sustainability is to take from those who are dead, or close to death. Despite the dramatic atmosphere of their introduction ominous music, are the Vultures really that dangerous? How hard would it be for Madison and co to annihilate them?
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Here’s what we know of the Vultures so far: They have a clever and seemingly effective system of collecting the infected. If they’re to be believed, they don’t kill anyone to steal their supplies, they simply wait for them to die. They’re also open to accepting new people to their group. Again, if that’s to be believed. None of this sounds particularly villainous, just a harsh way of surviving. Not to mention, they didn’t attack the stadium. They’re just sitting outside, waiting.
Of course it’s entirely possible, and probable, that they set off the explosion at the last camp, speeding up the pillaging process, but that still doesn’t make them particularly threatening. Why come up with some non-violent strategy to get rid of the infected instead of just killing them? Why sit outside the stadium and wait for nature to take its course instead of storming in and taking what they want? The fact is, the Vultures don’t have the manpower or firepower to fight. They want the stadium’s arsenal because they have none of their own. They probably even meant it when they offered Madison to join them, because the more people they have, the more intimidating they are.
Assuming the Vultures are so easy to get rid of, what’s going to stop Madison from doing so and ending this storyline? We know these Vultures stick around at least for a little bit, given the group’s reaction to Althea in the ‘After,’ so how have they managed to stick around? If Madison has developed more morals in the gap between seasons, it’s possible she doesn’t want to draw first blood. Until they openly attack or antagonize, Madison won’t act against them.
Even if it’s true that Madison doesn’t want to strike first, it’s unlikely she’ll have the patience for them for very long. What’s more likely is that the Vultures have some secret trick or weapon up their sleeves that prohibits or discourages Madison from attacking. We don’t know a lot about the Vultures yet to know what leverage they could have, so for now we’ll just have to wait and see.