The Walking Dead Season 2 Discussion *Spoilers*

[mr.peany]

^ geez...



Also why are some people turned into walkers and others ripped to shreds? Why did Sophia only have the one bite? She was small enough that even one walker should have ripped her open. Unless she managed to stumble away somehow....

So many questions!

I've always wondered this. It permeates through Zombie-lore as well. What stops the Zombies from devouring their prey whole? Whilst some are simply content with inflicting a flesh wound??

 

[RJDiogenes]

No assumption necessary. The page we can see is titled "LUKE 8"

I guess you have better eyes than I do.

 

[O'Dib]

^ geez...



Also why are some people turned into walkers and others ripped to shreds? Why did Sophia only have the one bite? She was small enough that even one walker should have ripped her open. Unless she managed to stumble away somehow....

So many questions!

I've always wondered this. It permeates through Zombie-lore as well. What stops the Zombies from devouring their prey whole? Whilst some are simply content with inflicting a flesh wound??

That's easy, and I think someone already covered it. If you get bitten by a sole zombie and manage to get away, you'll turn as a fairly intact cadaver. If you get crowded, you'll be all gone before you get an opportunity to turn.

Some of the less attractive zombies out there may have survived more severe attacks, or get injured while chasing/eating the livelier human specimens. Some might be further along in the process of decomposition, but that has to halt at some point for the apocalypse to remain viable, right?

 

[Scout101]

Best to ignore that portion of it. Actual science as it applies to zombies is a bad mix for interesting stories.

They're in Atlanta, just picture rotting meat in 100 degree temps and ask yourself how long they'd last before they just start exploding like firecrackers...

Been liked to already here, but again, this pretty much shows you why the whole thing isn't worth trying to work out seriously, just can't happen, or sustain itself:
http://www.cracked.com/article_18683_7-scientific-reasons-zombie-outbreak-would-fail-quickly.html

 

[FreezeC77]

^pretty much yea. Just ignore real world/biological reality when it comes to zombies.

Why is it in this show the speed of the zombies never stays constant? Sometimes they're able to almost keep up with people at a running pace, other times there's packs just stumbling after people who are moving slowly.

 

[AvBaur]

The producers have actually explained both the zombie speed and the decomposition rate. (although their explanations may not hold up to scientific scrutiny)

Speed: The "fresher" the zombie is, the faster it is. Recently deceased zombies that weren't severely mutilated can move almost a fast as a healthy human, whereas the older ones move very slowly.

Decomposition: Instead of decomposing more and more, the zombies at some point become "mummified". They get drier and stiffer, but they don't rot away completely.


Can't find a source for this right now, but I'm pretty sure this is what I read in some interview with Frank Darabont last year.

 

[Tosk]

^And they don't even stick to those "rules" all the time. Drama is the only real key to how fast each Walker moves.

 

[Scout101]

Yep, like any show. In star trek, the shields are always exactly as strong as the plot requires them to be.

 

[Kosh Naranek]

I had wondered about those points. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust....At some point would not the Zombie hordes damage themselves to the point of most of them not being able to move far at all?

I kept thinking that if the surviving humans hunkered down like H and his bunch on the farm, could they not wait it out? It would take years of course and then survivors might run upon a suprisingly well preserved specimen.

Mummified? That would make them harder to hack into but would not the brain become tough and leathery then?

I am over thinking this...

 

[Tom]

I had wondered about those points. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust....At some point would not the Zombie hordes damage themselves to the point of most of them not being able to move far at all?

I kept thinking that if the surviving humans hunkered down like H and his bunch on the farm, could they not wait it out? It would take years of course and then survivors might run upon a suprisingly well preserved specimen.

Mummified? That would make them harder to hack into but would not the brain become tough and leathery then?

I am over thinking this...

In Southern climates the zombies would not last long the heat will decompose them fast so the survivours could wait it out and not have to worry about herds of Zombies. There would also need strict controls and daily checks to make sure none of the survivours have died and if they have to shot them in the head or burn the corpes ASAP.

 

[Sindatur]

Zombies, like Space ships move at the "Speed of Plot"

 

[Ryan8bit]

I want to know whether Herschell's theories are based on wishful thinking and delusion, or if he has any reason to believe he may be onto something.

At best, he's there to make people actually think about if the zombies are just sick people, even though they aren't. He's sort of like the foil to emphasize that zombies aren't people and that his particular religion is bunk, even though he presents what seems like good cases for them.

I was wondering which way they were going to go with the religion. Like, it's funny... Rick prays to Jesus to help find Sophia, and to give him a sign. The sign was the deer, and it led them to the farm and the barn where Sophia was. That's a pretty backwards granting for a wish, and it's particularly cruel.

 

[Scout101]

Careful what you wish for, I suppose. He got exactly what he asked for. God's a busy man, you gotta be more precise with your prayers if you want a specific outcome...

 

[the G-man]

In Southern climates the zombies would not last long the heat will decompose them fast so the survivours could wait it out and not have to worry about herds of Zombies. There would also need strict controls and daily checks to make sure none of the survivours have died and if they have to shot them in the head or burn the corpses ASAP.

That reminds me of the ep in the first season where the 'street gang' was actually a group of attendants caring for the residents of an old folks' home. At some point, given how elderly and infirm the residents were, combined with the closed surroundings, those attendants were going to have their hands full.

 

[Beagleman]

Do we know that everyone who dies automatically becomes a zombie or does one have to be directly infected by one first?

 

[Sindatur]

Do we know that everyone who dies automatically becomes a zombie or does one have to be directly infected by one first?

No, the show hasn't actually stated that, but, many believe that's what the CDC guy whispered into Rick's ear. And truly, the plague had to start somewhere, so it makes sense that it started from people who died of natural causes (Or at elast non-biting causes) and came back and started biting people.

I'm pretty sure we've seen Zombies who haven't been eaten on, so, that would account for them, too. Did the church going Zombies have evidence of being infected with chew marks?. I wouldn't be surprised if they went in to pray, and took something to put themselves to death and then turned when they passed away.

 

[timothy]

well I finally got caught up on the last 2 episodes a lot secrets came out which is what we needed. now the bad news we gotta wait till febuary till new episodes.

 

[J.T.B.]

I've stayed away from this thread for spolier avoidance and haven't read back too far, so sorry if I'm re-stating things covered before.

Decomposition: Instead of decomposing more and more, the zombies at some point become "mummified". They get drier and stiffer, but they don't rot away completely.

That makes some sense. But, walking, pushing on doors, popping out and scaring people expends energy. Where does the zombie energy come from? Even if the body consuming itself releases some energy, it is a closed system and would have to run down sometime. Probably pretty quickly, since the zombie default mode seems to be "shamble about."

Do we know that everyone who dies automatically becomes a zombie or does one have to be directly infected by one first?

No, the show hasn't actually stated that, but, many believe that's what the CDC guy whispered into Rick's ear. And truly, the plague had to start somewhere, so it makes sense that it started from people who died of natural causes (Or at elast non-biting causes) and came back and started biting people.

Yet we've seen bodies pretty well decomposed with no signs of life, like the one Carl took the bag of knives from.

My take on Herschel: He represents the "old world," which is gone, and not being able to let go of that has unhinged his mind. Whether the plague can be cured is one thing, but even a country vet should have enough scientific training to know you can't "restore" decomposed tissue. Crude as it was, Shane's meltdown should snap everyone out of following Herschel, and I expect he will be marginalized.

On Shane: I can't stand Bernthal's acting, but things did come together for the character at the end. He represents the id-driven, survive-at-all-costs "primitive" man, though the performance has been so mumbly and aimless it was hard to tell before. He doesn't have the human qualities we normally want in a leader. Rick does, and Rick showed he has a strength that Shane doesn't have in the final scene. But the question will be, does that even matter anymore? Is Rick's more "civilized" leadership still valid, or is it time for strongest to take charge and the weak to do what they're told? Ralph or Jack?



Justin

 

[Silvercrest]

I still pick Ralph and I prefer to think I would do so no matter what desert island I was shipwrecked on.

If you have to live like an animal due to circumstances, that's one thing. If you have a choice and choose to abandon your humanity just because it's easier, that is wrong. And it's pretty obvious these characters still have that choice.

 

[Lookingglassman]

Great ending. Can't wait until February!