‘Fear The Walking Dead’: Will We See A Patient Zero Or Origin Story?

AMC’s hugely anticipated Fear The Walking Dead premieres in less than a week’s time. Fans are already wondering just how the show will deviate from the show it is derived from, The Walking Dead. However, the questions of a potential “patient zero” and an “outbreak origin story” are two things that are drawing Walking Dead fans in large numbers. Let’s have a look at the likelihood of either occurring in season 1 of Fear The Walking Dead.

Outbreak Origin Story

For many fans, with the advent of Fear The Walking Dead and the knowledge season 1 would be set during the time Rick (played by Andrew Lincoln) is in a coma in season 1 of The Walking Dead, there was the assumption an “outbreak origin story” would be the catalyst. Many fans have always wondered at how the Walking Dead outbreak started and why. All that we truly know about the outbreak, we learned in season 2 of The Walking Dead while the characters spent time in the CDC. We know they are all infected and upon death they will reanimate as the undead. We also know that a bite from a walker will infect the living and turn them.

However, will we see the outbreak and its origin in season 1 of Fear The Walking Dead?

Probably not. Since nearly the onset of the announcement of AMC’s intention to expand their Walking Dead universe, the crew have denied there would be an “outbreak origin” story. Greg Nicotero has stated that to show an origin story is “not necessarily important.” Even without an origin story, perhaps fans will get a glimpse of “patient zero” in Fear The Walking Dead?

Patient Zero

Considering the fact everyone is infected with the walker virus in the Walking Dead universe, it is likely the contagion is airborne. Even if this is the case, there is a very good chance there will be someone out there who is considered as “patient zero” – the very first person infected with the walker virus.

In some of the latest teaser videos and promo stills of Fear The Walking Dead you might have noticed Gloria? She is a blond, newly turned zombie whom Nick (Frank Dillane) finds feasting on the face of another person. Lately it has been suggested that this character is in fact “patient zero.”

Gloria is played by actress Lexi Johnson, and she is super excited to be a zombie on Fear The Walking Dead. While she is likely the first zombie you will see on Fear The Walking Dead, it is unlikely she is actually “patient zero,” since it has also been made pretty clear now that this particular storyline is not on the cards either. Showrunner Dave Erickson reinforced this during the TCA press tour when he told The Wrap about the show’s intentions.

“There were certain things I pitched to Robert [Kirkman] in the very beginning. That was my initial thinking. OK, we need a big swing. We need something that’s radically different. I pitched a version of Patient Zero. And Robert said, ‘eh, that’s not really what this show is.”

So what can fans expect when Fear The Walking Dead premieres next Sunday? According to Erickson, the show will focus on the people involved in the initial outbreak, something that is very important to creator Robert Kirkman. “What’s interesting to him is the characters, how do you function when the social construct starts to disintegrate?” Kirkman has also said he likes the microcosm of being involved with the characters rather than looking at the larger picture:

“To me it’s about finding water, it’s about building a fence–when you make it bigger, that’s when it gets less interesting to me.”

Fear The Walking Dead will premiere on Sunday 23, 2015 on AMC.

Do you think the “patient zero” and “origin outbreak” stories should be told in Fear The Walking Dead? Let us know by commenting below!

[Image credits: AMC / Justin Lubin]