TV Kim Dickens to return as Fear the Walking Dead series regular Madison Clark will make an appearance in season 7 before returning full-time in season 8. By Dalton Ross Dalton Ross California Dreams was better than Saved by the Bell. There, I said it. EW's editorial guidelines Published on December 6, 2021 12:05AM EST She's baaaaaaaack. Fear the Walking Dead viewers were despondent when Kim Dickens' Madison Clark was seemingly killed back in season 4 of the show, sacrificing herself during the Vultures' zombie assault by leading the walkers back into the stadium and then locking herself in so that the others could escape. But there's always a reason to be suspicious if you never actually see the body. On Sunday night's episode of Talking Dead, it was announced that Dickens is returning to the AMC drama. She will make her first appearance in the second half of season 7 (which returns April 17) and then will become a series regular on season 8 (presumably beginning in fall 2022) — a strategy that mirrors the recent return of another popular character to the Walking Dead franchise, when Lauren Cohan's Maggie showed up at the end of season 10 of TWD before returning as a full series regular for season 11. "If there were a Mt. Deadmore, Kim Dickens' face would be on it. Madison Clark is a foundational character to TWDU — heroic, complex, an everyperson who becomes a warrior and then a force of benevolence," said Scott M. Gimple, chief content officer of the Walking Dead universe. "Kim Dickens' raw talent, strength, and brilliance will electrify TWDU once more and we couldn't be luckier to have her back." Kim Dickens on 'Fear the Walking Dead'. Richard Foreman, Jr/AMC Dickens' character was originally "killed" in the "No One's Gone" midseason finale for season 4, and the star was not exactly thrilled to go. "Well, it was shocking," Dickens told EW at the time. "Obviously it was shocking to me and it was disappointing. It was heartbreaking. I have loved this character, I've loved playing this character, I've loved this show, and I'm so proud to be a strong female empowered lead of a genre show…. I also thought there were so many more stories to tell and so many more places to go, so I was initially shocked and disappointed, and heartbroken. But you know, it's in the hands of the writers and the producers and that's the fate that befalls so many of the characters in this genre." Fear co-showrunner Ian Goldberg explained the decision then to EW as one that was necessary to propel the action forward: "It really came down to the story that we wanted to tell. It's an emotional decision. As fans of The Walking Dead universe, we understand how hard it is to lose a member of this family, and there's a world in which beloved characters come and go. No one is ever safe, but yes, of course, losing Madison is a big one." But now she is back, and Madison could be stepping into a war between her daughter Alicia and former friend Victor Strand, as set up on Sunday's midseason finale. If that is the case, the latter should probably be more worried than the former. Check out a new teaser for the second half of Fear the Walking Dead season 7 above. Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more. Related content: The Fear the Walking Dead showrunners on the return of a familiar face Fear the Walking Dead showrunners on Strand going full Negan Is Fear the Walking Dead making Strand a villain in season 7?