Is Alycia Debnam-Carey Really Leaving Fear The Walking Dead?

This article contains spoilers for Episode 8 of Season 7 of "Fear the Walking Dead," "PADRE"

Alycia Debnam-Carey's Alicia Clark has been such a fan favorite on "Fear the Walking Dead" that many viewers, including Paul Tassi of Forbes, have even stumped for her to lead the ragtag group of zombie apocalypse survivors on the series. People have been rooting for her since she was introduced in Season 1, and watched her grow from a callow young woman to a confident and strong force of nature. However, Alicia was absent for most of the first half of Season 7 after a nasty encounter with some cultists in Season 6. Rejecting the opportunity to be their new leader, she rushed into danger instead of allowing herself to be brainwashed. 

Fans were relieved to see Alicia pop up in Episode 8 of Season 7, "PADRE," even if only in a flashback. But they soon learned that she had suffered a fate that's worse than death in the "Walking Dead" universe. With that in mind, what do we know about Alycia Debnam-Carey's future with "Fear the Walking Dead"?

At the moment, Alicia is still alive — but since she was bitten by a walker during "PADRE," her time seems to be running out. That means, based on the factors involved, both the actress and the character are likely to say goodbye before Season 8 rolls around.

During "PADRE," we found out what really happened to Alicia and Will (Gus Halper) in the underground bunker at Senator Vasquez' compound. To make a long story short, she ends up being bitten by a zombified Vasquez, and while she hacks her arm off afterward, she doesn't move quickly enough to stem the infection, and it's still coursing through her body. That means she doesn't know how much time she has left as a rational, thinking human being, and right now, the only thing that seems to be keeping her alive is her desire for vengeance. 

As the seventh season pauses for its winter break, Alicia is about to go to war with Victor Strand (Colman Domingo) for possession of his tower. Victor, his jealousy of Alicia biting at him, threw Will to his death from the top of the tower and kept him around as a walker because he knew that this would hurt his rival. Hopefully she'll live long enough to dispatch him — but if she doesn't, a zombified Alicia might be an even more formidable opponent, in a certain respect. 

Fans will find out who claims the tower when "Fear the Walking Dead" returns for the second half of Season 7 on April 17, 2022.