Fear the Walking Dead: If [SPOILER] Dies, We Riot

Fear the Walking Dead's fourth season has been WILD. We're only six episodes in (there's one more until the midseason finale, and then another eight later this year), and already a major character from the series' first iteration shockingly died in the third episode, the series' ostensible protagonist is M.I.A., and now it looks like a major character from the new iteration might be a goner, too. And someone we thought was dead actually isn't.

Whew! Let's back up.

Two episodes ago, we were told John Dorie's (Garret Dillahunt) beloved companion Laura (Jenna Elfman) -- real name Naomi -- was dead. One episode ago, we got the backstory that showed John and Naomi fall in love only for Naomi to leave, because leaving is her thing. She's like Paul Rudd in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Then in Sunday's episode, we learned that not only is Naomi alive, but she's with the Vultures and is driving the "Just In Case" Land Rover that belonged to Madison (Kim Dickens), who is still missing and unmentioned in the "NOW" timeline.

As John ran to reunite with Naomi, revenge-crazed Alicia (Alycia Debnam-Carey) took a shot at her but hit John in the abdomen instead.

Naomi quickly tried to tend to him, but he didn't look so good as the episode ended.

John better not be dead. He's the best new character and Garret Dillahunt's performance is delightful. He brings a shot in the arm of hope to the grim show, and we're not ready to lose that yet.

Fans on Twitter aren't ready to lose him, either.

I wouldn't worry too much, Ciera. Showrunners Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg told Entertainment Weekly point blank that John Dorie is not dead. Way to pull us up from your own cliffhanger, guys! This was just a heat check. They know we care about John Dorie, so they were messing with our hearts because they could.

Fear the Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9/8c on AMC.