Zombies


 * For the most Notable Walkers in the TV Series, see Notable Walkers.
 * For other Themes, see Themes.

Definition
Zombie: A dead human corpse that has been resurrected, retaining some characteristics of a living person.

"These things ain't sick! They're not people! They're dead! Ain't got to feel nothing for them, 'cause all they do, they kill! These things right here!"

- Shane to the group about what zombies are.

Origin
The zombie concept originates in Haitian Voodoo culture. The word "zombie" is derived from the Haitian-Creole word "zombi" meaning "spirit of the dead". Within voodoo culture, a zombie is created when a poisonous powder, refined from a type of fish, is issued to a living victim orally by a Bokor, or voodoo priest. The victim's vital signs decline to the point that, though not completely dead, they seem to be dead and are buried by the public. Afterward, the near-lifeless body is exhumed by the Bokor, and becomes a mindless drone, or zombie, under complete control of the Bokor.

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Evolution
Zombie characteristics have evolved over the years through various cultures. In Western Culture, zombies were portrayed as being flesh-eating in the 1960's. Released in 1968, George Romero's Night of the Living Dead reinvented the zombie genre, making zombies more dangerous and fearsome than ever by bestowing zombies with the ability to spread their undead affliction by biting victims, and even extensively devouring victims. Throughout the years, Romero produced more zombie movies, evolving the genre further by making zombies stronger, faster, and more intelligent.

"Walking Dead" Zombies
Zombies within the Walking Dead universe are Robert Kirkman's version of George Romero's "Night of the Living Dead" zombies Robert Kirkman wrote that "Romero's evolving zombies are his spin. Mine just keep rotting." Kirkman's zombies are relatively weak and unintelligent as individuals, but are dangerous in large numbers, and are the main antagonists within the post-apocalyptic world of The Walking Dead. Zombies out-number humans about 5,000 to 1.

Reanimation
Following classic Romero rules, the dead corpse of anyone that dies for any reason will reanimate as a zombie, unless the brain of that individual is badly damaged or destroyed. When a person dies, the virus they carry reactivates critical areas of the brain that support necessary vital systems, resulting in reanimation. Because only a portion of the brain is reactivated, the reanimated person retains only a physical resemblance to their former self.

According to the CDC's Dr. Edwin Jenner in the TV series, a corpse can reanimate between three minutes and eight hours after death. It was also once hinted by executive producer, Glen Mazzara, that the time it takes for a corpse to reanimate depends on how full of life the person was before they died.

Zombie Virus
Everyone on the planet within the Walking Dead universe somehow contracts a mysterious virus that, for reasons unknown, brings the dead back to life. It is unknown how the virus is spread, but it is likely air-born given the fact that everyone seems to be infected. It doesn't appear that anyone is immune to the virus, or that any type of antidote exists.

Robert Kirkman wrote:
 * The rule is: WHATEVER it is that causes the zombies, is something everyone already has. If you stub your toe, get an infection and die, you turn into a zombie, UNLESS your brain is damaged. If someone shoots you in the head and you die, you're dead. A zombie bite kills you because of infection, or blood loss, not because of the zombie "virus."

Zombie Bites
When a zombie bites a victim, the victim contracts a deadly illness, ultimately resulting in the victim's death and reanimation. Zombie scratches can also infect a victim with a deadly illness. It seems that while the nature and potency of illness resulting from a zombie attack varies somewhat on a case-by-case basis, all infections are untreatable and always deadly.

Symptoms of infection:

 * Fever
 * walk like an elder
 * Hallucinations
 * Vomiting
 * Pale skin
 * Dialated eyes
 * Delirium
 * Soreness (e.g. Jim in the TV Series episode, "Wildfire")
 * Fluid discharge

The only way a victim can survive a zombie bite/scratch is to quickly amputate the part of the body that has been affected. The length of time that an amputation must be performed in to successfully save a victim from the illness taking hold is unknown, and seems to vary based on the circumstances of the situation. In the comic book, is the only character known to have survived this process while both  and Allen died of either blood loss, bacterial infection or clots (unknown due to a constant lack of professional opinion). In the TV series, is bitten on the leg by a zombie in the first episode of season three. Attempting to save Hershel's life, amputates Hershel's leg, and it is later revealed that Hershel survives the event.

Killing the Undead
Because a zombie is derived from a human form, it is limited physically by many of the same constraints that a human has. But because a zombie is, by definition, dead, it slowly rots and decays like other dead organisms. Over time, flesh and muscles deteriorate, and the zombie becomes less and less formidable. Though unconfirmed, it is assumed that a zombie will eventually deteriorate on its own until only a human skeleton remains. A zombie may be neutralized by severe damage to part or all of their body. However, in the Walking Dead universe, zombies are only truly killed by destroying the brain. Zombies do not seem to be significantly affected by damage to vital organs that would normally kill a living person. Though a zombie can be dispatched via decapitation, it is unclear how long a decapitated zombie head will stay active, or if it can sustain indefinitely. Zombies can also be used as camoflage to guard against other zombies.

Physiology
One can only speculate about many facets of zombie physiology. When a living person eats or drinks, the body breaks down ingested substances and converts it into energy. When a zombie eats, it is unknown if consumed substances are converted into energy or if it simply passes through the body, or if it is retained by the body indefinitely. In fact, zombies seem to not require several vital systems normally required by a living person, including respiratory, circulatory, and digestive systems. It is noted that zombies have the ability to detect scents and differentiate between the living and the dead. However, it is unclear if the respiratory system and other aforementioned systems are activated during reanimation and utilized in some capacity, or if some other mysterious forces drive the zombie to function as it does.

In the TV series, Season 3 episode 3, it is revealed that zombies starve, but at a significantly slower rate than humans. When a living person goes into starvation mode from lack of nourishment, their body begins breaking down fat tissue, followed by muscle tissue and converting it into energy. Eventually, the body will begin breaking down the tissue of vital organs and the person eventually expires when those organs cease to function. In theory, if a zombie cannot find a food source, they can also break down body tissue and convert it into energy even though they are dead, until they basically wither away to nothing.

Disclaimer: Zombies are fictional beings, and many of their inner-workings cannot be rationally explained through traditional science.

Intelligence
Though zombies retain a physical resemblance to the living, cognitive similarities are almost non-existent beyond low-level functions, though there are examples of behavior that suggest zombies may retain small fragments of memory of their past lives. Zombies have enough intelligence to walk upright and to use their bodies to break objects and obstacles. They do not seem capable of climbing ladders, using door knobs or opening doors that swing inward, and display very limited problem solving capability and understanding of simple tools, such as using a rock to break a pane of glass. Mostly, zombies are void of any emotional expression and thought, showing animalistic traits of anger and hunger when stimulated. Zombies seem to be drawn to noise, presumably because they attribute the source of the noise to be caused by possible prey. Zombies also tend to form groups and stick together, and mimic the actions of other zombies, giving them a mob mentality.

Eating Habits
Zombies prefer to eat living things: insects, animals, and people. If living food isn't available, zombies will eat meat from dead corpses unless, in the case of humans, the corpse reanimates as a new member of the undead. Though zombies seem to hunger for flesh, they don't seem to require it. Whether or not ingested food is digested, passed through the zombie's body, or simply retained is a topic of speculation. As zombies are dead, it is assumed that their bodies will continue to rot even if they are well-fed. If no sustenance is available, though slower than humans, zombies will starve, ultimately contributing to the rate of decomposition. If the zombie loses the ability to feed, they evidently lose the desire to do so - a behavior observed in Michonne's pet walkers.

Movement
Compared to humans, zombies have rather limited mobility. Unstimulated, zombies stand still or shuffle around rather slowly. However if they are pursuing a possible victim, zombies can move somewhat more quickly, roughly equivalent to a very light jogging pace. Often times zombie mobility can be impeded by an injury sustained before or after reanimation. Injuries often cause a zombie to shuffle awkwardly or even sometimes drag a damaged appendage as they move. Due to limited intelligence, zombies have difficulty overcoming various obstacles. Zombies can ascend and descend stairs, but they cannot do so gracefully or quickly. As zombies do not require sleep or nourishment, they are constantly active and always ready to respond to stimuli.

Nicknames
While the term "zombie" does exist within The Walking Dead universe, it is seldom used. In the comic book, when Rick's group discover the prison, both Rick and Tyreese discuss how it still sounds funny to use the word "zombie". "Zombie" is never used in the TV series; when interviewed, Lauren Cohan stated that Romero movie zombies never existed in the popular fiction of the TV Walking Dead universe. The characters within The Walking Dead TV series and comic books come up with their own monikers and categorizations for the undead.

Walkers
'Walker' is the most commonly used term for a zombie, appropriately named because they tirelessly walk around in search of prey. 'Walker' is a broad category that can apply to any zombie. Simply put: Walker = Zombie.

Roamers
Roamers are known to "roam" around looking for food. They are the most commonly encountered type of zombies. The term "roamer" is used most frequently in the Comic Series.

Lurkers
Lurkers are the zombies that just sit around playing "dead" until something approaches them and they bite. Lurkers can be the real threat because they can appear to be a dead corpse. One of them was responsible for Allen's death and Dale losing one of his legs. In the TV series, Hershel was bitten by a walker that appeared deceased. Oftentimes, lurkers have suffered some type of major injury or are otherwise in some kind of weakened state, preventing them from walking around. The term "lurker" is used most frequently in the Comic Series.

The term "lurkers" is also used by some in Woodbury.

The Herd
As described by Eugene in the comic book, a herd is when a group of walkers act with a mob mentality. One zombie might brush his hand on a door knob and another will see this and mistake it as an attempt to get in. Then he will beat on the door to get in, and the first zombie will see this and try to get in. This will spark a chain reaction. An example of this is in the start of the season 2 finale where a zombie sees a helicopter and follows it to Hershel's Farm.

Biters
Alice, Dr. Stevens' assistant in Woodbury, mentioned that her original group of survivors referred to the zombies as "biters," because while some do lurk and some may roam they will all bite and to classify them into separate groups is a silly practice. 'Biters' is what Woodbury call the zombies, as seen in the novel and comic series.

Floaters
Floaters are zombies that became bloated after spending a long period of time in water. One was first encountered by the TV survivors at the Greene Family Farm where it was found trapped in a well. Fearing that shooting the floater might result in polluting the well the survivors decide to pull it out. This proves to be futile as it gets stuck on the lip and splits in half, the bottom part of its body (and most of its innards) falling back into the well.

Lame-Brains
The term 'lame-brains' was first used in the TV episode "Nebraska" by Dave and Tony, strangers that walk in the local bar not far from the Greene Family Farm. The pair indicate that they are from Philadelphia, implying that the term 'lame-brains' may have been more widely-used in and around the Philadelphia region. It is implied that 'lame-brains' is a broad category for all zombies, equivalent to the term 'walkers.'

Geeks
In the TV Series, Daryl, T-Dog, Shane, and Glenn have been known to call zombies "geeks." This name is also used by Molly from the video game. She says she calls them geeks because, just like carnival geeks, they will eat anything. This name isn't used in the comics.

Monsters
In the Video Game, Chet and Clementine call the zombies, "Monsters", Rick also calls the zombies "Monsters" once in the Comic Series. This name isn't used in the TV series or Novel series.

Meat Puppets
This name is used by an unnamed savior. Since he is part of The Saviors, it is presumed that the nickname is a common one amongst the group. The name most likely originated from the fact that the zombies' intelligence levels are very low, so they are just considered mindless puppets of meat.

Empties
This name is used by Paul when he first meets Abraham and Michonne. Being saved by them as he was sleeping in an abandoned car when zombies surrounded the vehicle and attempted to get in.

Creepers
The name is used by Merle Dixon in the Season 3 episode, "Walk With Me". Merle uses this term when he is about to kill multiple walkers.

FAQ
Q: Can humans ever win, and rebuild civilization?

A: The short answer is 'yes.' If somehow humans were able to survive long enough for all the walkers in the Walking Dead universe to become incapacitated due to decay or outright death, humans could rebuild civilzation. However, there is still a possibility that one or a group of humans could die unexpectedly when no one is around. As there is no cure, and everyone that dies reanimates as a zombie, the threat of another zombie apocalypse taking over the world will always loom.

Q: Do zombies eat animals? If so, would we see 'zombified' animals?

A: Yes, and No. In the Walking Dead universe, zombies will eat any live creature they can get their undead hands on. However, animal remains will not reanimate.

Q: Can zombies be killed by fire?

A: Yes, fire can damage zombies and incapacitate them. If a zombie's head is exposed to high heat from a fire, their brains can suffer enough damage to effectively kill them.

Q: Can the victim of a zombie bite be saved by cauterizing the wound?

A: Probably not. This might be possible in theory, but the victim's wound would have to be cauterized immediately after the would is sustained for the operation to have any chance of being effective.

Q: Can zombies breathe? If not, how do they smell?

A: Yes. Though unconfirmed, one would assume that zombies must breathe somehow, as respiration is required to make growling noises, and to utilize the sense of smell.

Q: Do zombies feel pain?

A: Yes - assuming zombies have a functioning nervous system. However, it doesn't seem that zombies react to pain the same way living people do. One could speculate that the electrical signals sent to the brain from afflicted areas normally interpreted as pain by a human brain are presumably interpreted simply as damage notifications by a zombie brain.

Characters That Have Turned
The following are characters from either the comic book series, novel series, the game or the TV show of The Walking Dead. The video game section shows all characters that can potentially turn undead, regardless of player choice.

Characters That Turned (Comic Series)

 * Hannah
 * Jim
 * Shane
 * Shawn Greene
 * Julie
 * Chris
 * Rachel Greene
 * Susie Greene
 * Mike
 * Terry
 * Andrew
 * Penny Blake
 * Dr. Stevens
 * Otis
 * Caesar Martinez
 * Carol
 * Tyreese
 * Abraham's Daughter
 * Duane Jones
 * Jessie Anderson

Characters That Turned (TV Series)

 * Summer
 * Hannah
 * Jenny Jones
 * Leon Basset
 * Wayne Dunlap
 * Amy
 * Jim
 * Dr. Candace Jenner
 * Shawn Greene
 * Lacey
 * Duncan
 * Mr. Fischer
 * Mrs. Fischer
 * Louise Bush
 * Annette Greene
 * Doug
 * Sophia Peletier
 * Randall
 * Shane Walsh
 * Sean
 * Lieutenant Welles

Characters That Turned (Webisodes)

 * Hannah
 * Judy
 * Palmer's Children
 * Harris
 * Lenny
 * B.J.

Characters That Turned (Video Game)

 * Sandra
 * Police Officer
 * Chet (Determinant)
 * B. Everett
 * Jenny Pitcher
 * David Parker (Determinant)
 * Travis (Determinant)
 * Mark
 * Brenda St. John
 * Kenny Jr. (Determinant)
 * Fivel
 * Dr. Logan
 * C. Oberson

Characters That Turned (Novel Series)

 * Bobby Marsh
 * Penny Blake
 * David Chalmers
 * Brenda Stookey

Characters That Turned (Social Game)

 * Summer's Mother
 * Jon
 * Summer

Trivia

 * In Issue 38, Robert Kirkman wrote there is "ONE zombie who's appeared no less than three different times in the book"
 * kills a zombie going into a car with a T-shirt that says, "Youngblood", (a superhero comic published by Image Comics).
 * In the TV series, the zombies are shown mainly in "Guts" and "Bloodletting" to run at a jogger's pace.
 * In the TV series, the zombies can apparently use tools. This is shown in "Guts," where a zombie is using a rock to smash open the department store doors.
 * It is also shown in this episode, that zombies are capable of climbing small scale objects such as chain fences.
 * In Season 1 of the TV series, the zombies' eyes were generally gray or yellow, but in Season 2 webisodes, their eyes are generally gold.
 * According to Robert Kirkman in Episode 2 of Talking Dead, in the world of The Walking Dead, the works of George A. Romero were never made, and thus zombies do not appear in fiction.
 * In the webisodes, it is rumored that terrorists caused the "infection." This is most likely not true, as Kirkman himself never intended to explain the source of the outbreak.
 * The term "zombies" is never mentioned in the TV series; they are simply referred to as walkers.
 * Robert Kirkman said, "I think the zombies that survive are maybe a little quicker on the uptake than the ones who don't. I think there is still survival of the fittest, even among the zombies".
 * Zombies are one of the many amputees in The Walking Dead. For other victims, see Amputated Victims.
 * Zombies seem to be somewhat tame-able. Examples of this are Penny Blake and Michonne's pet walkers. Additionally, Michonne uses her pet walkers to carry her supplies in the Season 3 premiere.