Z Nation - S2E6 - Zombie Baby Daddy

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Previously on Z Nation, ‘Zombaby’

Starring: Kellita Smith, DJ Qualls, Keith Allan, Anastasia Baranova, Russell Hodgkinson, Nat Zang, Pisay Pao, Matt Cedeno, D.C. Douglas, Kim Little | Director: Abram Cox

THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT

There’s certainly no rest for the wicked. Since Lucy’s birth, life on the road for the gang has become increasingly hazardous. Barely escaping the zombie-infested city of Springfield, Illinois, they find respite deep in the woods. The trust between Murphy and the others has splintered as he has grown extremely protective of Lucy. Instructing Cassandra to keep them in camp, Murphy runs off with his daughter to find her some food and perhaps a roof over her head.

Meanwhile, Warren spies on Vasquez to see what he’s up to and both of them get into hot water. Addy Doc and 10K are left to deal with Cassandra, who has apparently lost all semblance of her humanity.

ZOMBIE ROLL CALL

‘Nuff said.

SNITCHES GET STITCHES

There’s been an air of mystery surrounding Vasquez since his introduction in “The Murphy”. No doubt he has his shit together by taking on the entire group when claiming Patient Zero for himself. The rapport between Warren and himself has grown with each episode - however both remained very guarded. Ironically, it’s only when the two have gaping holes and losing puddles of blood that they open up to one another.

Viewers finally get a bit of backstory about Vasquez: while laid out in a ramshackle hospital, he reveals to Roberta how someone in the Zeros organization killed his wife and child, so now he’s on the hunt for a man he can only identify by the tattoo on his hand (sound familiar?). Surely, Vasquez’s vendetta will be front and center down the line. As one member is engaged in his internal strife, another getting back in touch with his immorality.

BAD TO THE BONE

Warren is rightfully worried Murphy is becoming too distant while taking care of Lucy (quite poorly). Her safety is his priority and the dangers of the road is no place to raise a child. At first it appeared only Lucy’s screams attracted the undead, but her mere presence proves enough to put Dad and his pals in quite the bind. Murphy doesn’t always do things the right way, but he tries in the situations presented in front of him. After being pursued by zombies of various species in wavering levels of decay, Murphy somehow finds a cottage untouched by the ravages of the ZA.

Ma and Pa Cottage show they have a heart - although Lucy’s appearance almost makes the man of the house blow both barrels into her sweet freaky face. Desperate to provide her with a warm, safe home and all the rabbit milk she could drink, Murphy ensures her hearth and home with a pair of bites on the couple’s faces.

Damn. Way to rob them of free will, dude. It’s either Murphy’s way or the highway.

After the loss of Pie Girl (who he only began to like) and relinquishing Lucy, Murph returns to form as the wild card who cannot be tamed. It’s Murphy vs The World once more, and he’s not taking any more guff. Clearly he’s not above putting others to task for his benefit. While he’s making more dependents, his most ardent protector is taking her duties to heart and putting the success of the oft-diverted operation at risk.

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

When Wrecking Ball introduced z weed to Murphy and Cassandra, it seemed the former could potentially regain her humanity once more. Regrettably, Doc and Murph smoked it all up and Cass reverted to her bestial self. Given the demeanor of Murphy in “Zombie Baby Daddy”, one could allude that he liked Cass as his subservient lapdog and intentionally kept her doltish. In a sense, Cass was the only one he can relate to - although Murph is the sole reason she’s a brutish terror. Once Lucy came into the scene, there were all the makings of the zombie nuclear family. Sadly, Cass’ loyalty to her zombie maker - involuntary though it may be - would ultimately spell her downfall.

“NOBODY LEAVES”

It’s quite obvious 10K always had a soft spot for Cassandra and always hoped some of Murphy’s hoodoo could be reversed. The longer she stuck by his face, the more alienated the group became and the more distrustful she felt of well, practically everyone. It all came to a head in “Zombie Baby Daddy” with disastrous results. Addy, Doc and 10K sought to find the increasingly paranoid Murphy and retrieve Lucy, yet they were being eyeballed by Cass. Their initial plan to elude Cassandra failed and 10K took the responsibility of holding Superfreak back. He tried his best, but in the end, Cass’ mindless rage caused Tommy to make a gut wrenching decision.

It was a very difficult scene to watch. No matter how many times he was smacked, flipped, kicked, thrown against boulders and driven into the ground, 10K kept hope alive and pleaded with Cass to come to her senses. Though typically played with deep reservedness by Nat Zang, 10K showed a good deal of emotion when he provided mercy to the feral creature that once was his dear friend. When confronted by Murphy, it’s clear he bears a great deal of regret for his actions. Is it enough that will make him hang up his rifle for good? Unlikely, but such a traumatic event definitely would alter his view of the world and his place in it.
As for Pisay Pao, folks croak on Z Nation all the time but her demise will be a difficult one to swallow. Who knows… a knife in the neck doesn’t really mean anything! Maybe it’s a literal dirt nap. Soil can be good for the skin! Yeah sure, and Doc is clean and sober. If this is truly the end, she will be missed.

If viewers were to give it some thought, as Cassandra repeated while stalking the crew, nobody leaves whole. For every human kill, every hold-up for meds, every bullet taken, a piece of them is left behind. “Zombie Baby Daddy” was a harsh reminder about their increasingly fragile group dynamic and most especially, their fleeting mortality.

Expect tensions to reach intolerable levels and 10K facing his inner demons in “Down the Mississippi” next Friday at 10/9c on Syfy!

NOTES OF THE LIVING DEAD

• What the hell kind of life did Doc have before the ZA?! A bus full of Lincoln zombies trips him out? Remind me to never have whatever he’s smoked.
• How does Lucy have a full set of (nasty) teeth and no hair? She has to be part-shark. …and no Karl and Craig, we don’t need to see zombie sharks (yet).
• We haven’t seen Dr. Kurian for a while. hmmm…
• Does Addy still remember the CDC coordinates?
• No cheese wheel sighting, unfortunately.