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Season 4, Episode 13:
Blackjack
Written by Ian Goldberg and Richard Naing
Directed by Sharat Raju
Directed by Sharat Raju
Luci tries to make amends for her past while John tries to find a way off the island.
Tropes:
- Alchohol Induced Idiocy: Strand is nearly done with the truck until he notices a bottle of alcohol in the driver's seat. He risks his own life and then John's by desperately clawing to get it for himself, nearly killing them both at worst and ruining their chance at escaping the island at best.
- The Aloner: Clayton became a truck-driver, a job whose routes isolated him from the world, only to realize what a mistake it was once the world ended.
- And I Must Scream: Clayton has been stuck in his car since the hurricane and has clearly been slowly starving to death, incapable of escaping.
- Continuity Nod: Strand says he drinks to forget how he doesn’t have anybody he loves to drink with anymore, recalling Thomas Abigail and Madison Clark.
- Foil: Clayton is one for Morgan, as he also isolated himself from everybody he cared about only to regret it.
- Never Smile at a Crocodile: It’s not just the walkers John and Victor have to worry about; there’s a very hungry alligator in the surrounding waters who’s eating very well that is the biggest threat to their lives as they plot an escape.
- Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism:
- The episode contrasts between John’s unwavering idealism and optimism and Strand’s pragmatic cynicism. John fervently believes they can escape the island despite all odds, but Strand talks it down the whole time to stay safe with meager rations. Strand is wooed to join John after being moved by his loyalty towards him as a friend, but when their plan falls apart during their trip, he snaps back to his old ways and insists the plan was never going to work.
- Also between Luci and Clayton. Luci is determined to help the latter and believes she’s a failure for being unable to get him a beer as he requested. However, Clayton points out she already did the most by becoming hellbent on helping a stranger she’s just met and assures her she has nothing to apologize for. Both are rewarded when Luci happens upon one of Morgan’s supply drops that were left out of pure altruism, including a beer that proves to be a nice last treat for Clayton.
