Z Nation - S4E5 - The Unknowns

Previously on Z Nation, “A New Mission: Keep Moving”

BITES AND MORSELS

During their journey towards the East, Roberta and crew are ambushed and pressed into service by a mysterious force. Over and again, they are literally boxed in until needed to clear out a section of this strange, facility of its Zs. While they all put theirs brains together to form an escape, a survivor suffered the worst luck one could find in the post-apocalypse.

ZOMBIE ROLL CALL

Aww, Lucy has a boyfriennnnnd! Had? Does one use past or present tense when it comes to the undead? In any case, Lulu became quick friends with a Z named Carson O’Keefe during their stay in the Home Depot from Hell. Alas, as many of us know, love is fleeting in the post-apocalypse however Carson made sure Lucy’s life will go on by sacrificing his rotting body while fighting a Zona soldier and freshly turned Z.

As for the labyrinth of concrete and steel Warren and the others were trapped inside, next to nothing was explained about their captor(s), why so many zombies hung out in the structure and what the hell they were meant to find in the first place. For all any of us knows, all the survivors could have been held against their will by the Nazgul from the sound of that sleep-inducing frequency.

No amount of horrifying screeches was going to stop Murphy from eating his own scabs, as the madness he contracted from Zona is still going strong. Alvin may not have had much choice on Mount Casey, but if he did, Murph should have stayed on the mainland. All the chocolate lava cakes, autonomous cars and croquet in the world isn’t worth a wee bit of autosarcophagy.

ALL’S WORSE THAT ENDS WORSE

Well… this episode was all kinds of creepy!

The oddness of a hidden enemy using them as fodder for their clandestine goals was fairly unnerving, notably the use of body cams and tight spaces to elicit that oh so lovely feeling of claustrophobia! If there was a silver lining to the group’s kidnapping and forced labor, it confirmed for the umpteenth time that the ladies are backbone of this show. Time and again, their strength and resolve pushes the team through all manner of opposition. Yet on a few occasions, their stalwart leader needs support.

Everyone has figured that Warren can still be trusted yet her time in Zona and persistent vision have compromised her somewhat. While 10K, Doc and Murphy can do so little, Lily and Lucy have stepped up in a big way. At one point during their imprisonment, Roberta suffered the onset of a panic attack and despite being isolated from one another, Lily was successful in calming Warren and revealed more of her experiences before latching on to this band of misfits. The zombie apocalypse didn’t play favorites for anyone, but some people like Lily had a truly harrowing ordeal in the early years. Before joining the Marines, Lily endured the terror of knowing her entire family was turned and compelled to eat her alive, so she kept herself safe in the trunk of their car for nine days. Thanks to Mueller’s proclivity towards meditation, Lily was able to calm her storm and impart what she learned to Roberta (and the others indirectly) when she needed it most. Her C.O. would have been proud.

Concurrently, Lucy has taken up more responsibility for the group and isn’t relegated to being their walking, talking Z detector. There’s a tinge of confidence in Lu since her reunion with Warren; perhaps their psychic link provides a transference of qualities between the two. This dynamic has appeared to temper her relationship with Murphy, at the very least Lucy is tolerating her father’s presence. Although she let her true feelings known once everyone discovered Murph was bit yet again. Without the vaccine (as we know it) coursed through his body, chances are high Alvin may go full Z. It all hinges on Roberta, who is lured by her vision of a black rainbow once more.

NOTES OF THE DEAD

• The tractor trailer in the beginning totally had a Maximum Overdrive vibe to it. Last thing the world needs are aliens controlling what viable technology remains! First wayward cheese wheels and now this…
• So what was Lucy doing when the rest of the gang was being used to clear out Zs or repair fixtures?
• That half-zombie that attacked the Zona goon. Hello, stuff of our nightmares!
• When it comes to bulk foodstuffs, Puppy Chow beats Pedigree. Got it. Oh, and it’ll never be mistaken for the far more palatable version that’s been gobbled up by kids for decades now.
• No one is going to think twice about Murphy eating a bird, feathers and all? I guess once you’ve seen everything, barely anything will surprise you - especially when it comes to Alvin.