Fear the Walking Dead
"Fear the Walking Dead" characters Adam (Shawn Hatosy, left), Travis (Cliff Curtis, 2nd left) Madison (Kim Dickens, 2nd right) and Daniel (Ruben Blades), pictured here in a scene from episode 4, will have to deal with the military's "Cobalt" plan in the Season 1 finale. AMC

With just one episode left before “Fear the Walking Dead” wraps up its first season, the remaining survivors have a lot to deal with going into episode 6, titled “The Good Man.” With the National Guard officially working against the citizens of L.A. rather than for them, the survivors will need to escape the city before operation “Cobalt” goes into effect.

In the penultimate episode of the hit AMC drama, Daniel Salazar (Ruben Blades) practically went mad trying to figure out where the National Guard had taken his sick wife. In order to get the answers he wanted, he kidnapped his daughter’s pseudo-boyfriend, Andrew Adams (Shawn Hatosy), a soldier. Salazar wanted to know the location of his wife, but took a moment to inquire about the code word “Cobalt,” which keeps coming through Adams’ radio. That’s when the soldier reveals the horrifying truth – that the survivors are only safe until 9 a.m. the next morning.

It turns out that “Cobalt” is a command code that will initiate a military evacuation of all Los Angeles-based soldiers… and only Los Angeles-based soldiers. That’s right, the military is abandoning the city of angels, and is either unwilling or unable to take refugees along for the ride. So, what’s to become of the remaining survivors, including Travis (Cliff Curtis), Madison (Kim Dickens) and their family? Unfortunately, “Cobalt” includes procedures that will allow for the “humane termination” of non-National Guard citizens. Adams tells the show’s lead characters that they only have until the following morning, presumably when episode 6 will take place, to make sure that they are as far away from any National Guard soldiers, or the walkers in the area will be only 50 percent of their problem.

Luckily, there may be hope yet for the survivors from an unlikely source – the very same facility that Salazar was torturing a soldier to get to. Inside are both Nick (Frank Dillane), who seems to be befriending a new well-dressed man with a plan, and Liza (Elizabeth Rodriguez) who is getting some special treatment on the vanguard, thanks to her role as a nurse. In fact, according to a teaser clip for the upcoming episode, Liza’s credentials with the National Guard somehow earn her a seat on the military side of operation “Cobalt,” which she uses to secure seats for her son and ex-husband as well. As for where that leaves Madison, her daughter and the Salazars, fans will just have to tune in to the “Fear the Walking Dead” Season 1 finale to find out.

"Fear the Walking Dead" airs Sundays at 9 p.m. EDT on AMC.

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