Victor Strand (character)

Victor Strand (also known as Strand), is a fictional character in the television series Fear the Walking Dead portrayed by Colman Domingo. The character was created by Robert Kirkman and Dave Erickson.

Victor has been well received by fans and critics. Initially a member of the recurring cast, Domingo was upgraded to series regular after season one.

Character biography
Victor is a mysterious character who has acquired great personal wealth as immediately indicated by his suit and jewelry, He appears to already have some knowledge of the outbreak and how it manifests itself in humans. It is unknown how long he was imprisoned at the temporary hospital set up in Raynard Community College before Nick arrived. He is calm and does not panic when confronting the walkers, even when he was trapped at the end of a locked corridor as a herd approached. He appears to have adapted quickly to the new world, telling Nicholas Clark that the only way to survive a mad world is to embrace the madness. Victor has a good sense of judgement, quickly as weak, yet believing that Nick has the skills to survive, identifying his heroin addiction as a precursor to the behavior necessary for survival. He appears to have some elements of a sociopath.

Season 1
In a military cell, Strand bribes a guardsman to save a feverish Nick from being moved. Strand later recruits Nick for an escape plot. The group drives to the National Guard's headquarters to rescue Liza, Griselda, and Nick. The group infiltrates the base after Daniel distracts the guards by leading a horde of walkers from the arena. Travis, Madison, Daniel, and Ofelia go inside, while Alicia and Chris stay behind. Meanwhile, the walkers breach the perimeter defenses and swarm the base. Travis' group reach the holding cells and set the detainees free before reuniting with Nick, Liza, and Strand. They try to escape through the medical ward, where they discover Dr. Exner has euthanized all of the patients. Dr. Exner tells them of an escape route before presumably committing suicide. Before they can escape, the group encounters Adams, who shoots Ofelia in the arm. Enraged, Travis brutally beats Adams and leaves him for dead. Strand leads the group to his oceanside mansion, where he reveals to Nick that he owns a yacht which he plans to escape on, called the Abigail.

Season 2
The group evacuates to the Abigail as the military bombs Los Angeles, in an attempt to contain the outbreak. Out at sea, the group comes across another boat full of survivors, but Strand refuses to pick them up. Strand informs the group they are heading to San Diego. Alicia mans the radio, only to hear distress calls, and she strikes up a conversation with another seaborne survivor named Jack. Madison becomes concerned at how Strand refuses to sleep, and Daniel tells her he is suspicious of Strand's motives. Once they are far enough out to sea, the group holds a funeral for Liza and buries her at sea. Strand threatens to throw overboard anyone who disobeys him. The group docks on a nearby island to escape pursuit of the unknown ship. They soon have to leave because George poisoned his entire family as part of a suicide pact, and the group are forced to leave the remainder of George's family behind on the island. With the news that San Diego has been burned down, it is revealed that Strand intended to go to Mexico the entire time. On the way to Mexico the boat's cooling system is clogged up and Strand orders Travis to fix it. They meet a woman named Alex and a boy who is badly burned. They agree to be towed behind the boat, but in the middle of the night Strand cuts the rope.

Development and reception
Domingo made his debut in the first-season episode "Cobalt". For the second season, Domingo was promoted to a series regular, and would later become a prominent character. Matt Fowler for IGN described him as a weird, suited "Randall Flagg" type character.

Domingo's performance was praised in the episode "Blood in the Streets". Matt Fowler of IGN stated that the best part of "Blood in the Streets," which was the exploration of Strand's backstory. Or at least, via flashbacks, important notable moments that helped explain Strand's wealth, yacht, and passage to Mexico. Along with a couple of character layers that helped round the guy out as something more than a direct, coarse, logic-monster.