Fear the Walking Dead’s Mysterious Key Could Have Disastrous Implications

Introduced in early Season 6, Fear the Walking Dead revisits the mysterious key, a major plot point that could have serious consequences.

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Fear the Walking Dead Season 6, Episode 12, "In Dreams," which aired Sunday on AMC.

While the majority of Episode 12, "In Dreams," focused on Grace entering a strange dream sequence, it also revisited a significant plot point first brought up in early Season 6 -- the key. Since taking it off a bounty hunter, Morgan's been wearing the mysterious key around his neck. However, in the conclusion of "In Dreams," he reluctantly hands it over to Riley, a high-ranking member of The End is the Beginning cult, and this decision could have some disastrous consequences.

In the Season 6 premiere, the cowboy hat-wearing bounty hunter Emile came looking for a man named Walter. His job was to retrieve a key in Walter's possession. With his mission completed, Virginia hired Emile to hunt down Morgan. After a brutal battle, Morgan kills Emile with the bounty hunter's own axe. Morgan not only keeps the weapon but also scoops up the mysterious key despite not knowing its purpose or why it's important enough to kill for.

Later in the season, the key is linked to the doomsday cult. A scene features two characters standing outside a massive beached submarine where they spray paint the cult's slogan "The End is the Beginning." It's revealed they are waiting for an unnamed person to arrive with the key. Based on what Riley says in Episode 12, that person was the bounty hunter Emile. Riley tells Morgan they hired a man to retrieve the key and, when he didn't surface, they sent two more "friends" after him.

Riley closes in on Morgan with a group of lackeys. Morgan kills most of the men, but Riley flees only to return, proclaiming, "I told you I was going to get what I came for." At gunpoint, Riley demands the key. Morgan asks him what is opens and why he wants it, but Riley refuses to answer. Instead, he responds, "It doesn't matter. It's inevitable. No matter what you do." Grace encourages Morgan to hand over the key, solely based on what she learned in her dream. Morgan is hesitant but ultimately gives the key to Riley anyway.

The submarine likely contains missiles. When Teddy, Riley and the doomsday cult were introduced in Fear the Walking Dead's last episode, it shined a terrifying light on their slogan. "The End is the Beginning" references the actual end of human lives. Teddy and the cult maintain the belief that everyone Top Side (above ground) is living the "old way." They fear death rather than seeing it as an opportunity for others. Wes' brother, a cult member, confirmed Teddy wants to destroy everyone above ground. If the submarine does, in fact, contain missiles, it presents an easy way for him to enact his nefarious plan.

The question of how Walter came into possession of the key remains a mystery. It's possible he was an ex-member of Teddy's cult. Perhaps after learning of the leader's plan, Walter fled with the key to prevent the world's devastation. There are still a lot of unknowns regarding the beached submarine. However, Morgan's decision to give Riley the key proves to be a serious problem. Morgan might not know precisely how bad the situation is, but Fear the Walking Dead seems to imply disaster awaits the protagonist if they don't stop the cult.

Fear the Walking Dead stars Lennie James, Rubén Blades, Colman Domingo, Danay Garcia, Maggie Grace, Garret Dillahunt, Jenna Elfman, Alexa Nisenson, Karen David, Austin Amelio, Mo Collins, Zoe Colletti and Christine Evangelista. New episodes air Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on AMC.