‘The Strain’ Recap: S3E7 ‘Collaborators’

Fet’s Family Backstory

As we’ve said before, The Strain does flashbacks right. Like early episodes of Lost, it gives characters depth that helps move the story forward. This episode isn’t a flashback of Setrakian or Eichhorst, but not even a member of the principal cast. The flashback is of Fet’s grandfather, which informs the audience of why he is the way he is with his father.

Fet and his father were introduced to us having a strained relationship because instead of being an academic (like his father), engineering student Fet ended up “just an exterminator.” His father seemed disappointed with his son’s career choices. Turns out it’s much deeper as a result.

First off, Fet’s last name isn’t even Fet. It was changed to avoid embarrassment from Fet’s grandfather’s involvement in WWII as a collaborator. Fet’s grandfather ended up committing suicide from his shame and his father devoted his life to academics. Fet’s father was disappointed with his son because he chose to be an exterminator, which is what Fet’s grandfather did during the war. It made Fet’s father think that the same darkness in his grandfather was in him as well. After discovering his dead father’s body (after he omitted suicide after being stung by the Strigoi), Fet had to forgive his father to free himself.