MovieChat Forums > The Walking Dead (2010) Discussion > The zombie bite. How does it work?

The zombie bite. How does it work?

posted 5 months ago by aavfreak (2979)
14 replies | jump to latest

There used to be a ton of discussions on this topic back in the IMDb days and I'm curious after all this time what the current consensus is.

Here's what we know as in-universe fact from the show:
1. Everyone's infected. Everyone turns after they die.
2. A zombie bite is 100% fatal.

So, it follows that if you get bit by a zombie, you die and you turn. However, why do you die? There are two schools of thought on this:
1. The bite activates the latent infection, causing death, then turning.
2. The zombie mouth contains bacteria that causes a fatal infection, killing the victim, then turning.

As far as I know, the answer to this is not conclusively shown on-screen within the show.
Which do you believe and why?

[–] PaladinNJ (20652) 6 days ago

The second one is the accepted explanation.

[–] aavfreak (2979) 6 days ago

That has always seemed to be the consensus and the view I held for the longest time. However, after rewatching and revisiting other forums, I'm now convinced that there is not enough on-screen evidence to say one way or the other.

There are two basic arguments against the second one. The primary argument is that even though the bite may be filled with bacteria, we don't know of any that are 100% fatal in the way the show depicts it. If it's just run of the mill infection, then antibiotics should be able to cure at least some percentage of bite victims.

As far as I've been able to tell, there is no certain proof for or against either theory.

[–] mergaqui (113) 6 days ago

So if there is a special bacteria in the zombies is this bacteria what turns people into zombies in the first place? If so then antibiotics should be able to clear up not just those who are bitten but those with the latent infection as well.

[–] aavfreak (2979) 6 days ago

There's no explanation for what turns people into zombies. The closest we got was the CDC episode when Dr Jenner told Rick "we're all infected." But no actual pathogen was identified. It could be supernatural for all we know.

The only things we know for sure from the show are what I listed in the original post. Everyone turns after they die and bites are 100% fatal.

The only exception we see to this is when Rick cut Herschel's leg off immediately after he was bitten, with the idea that whatever is in the bite was excised before it circulated through his body.

[–] mergaqui (113) 5 days ago

Wasn't that the only time we've seen them amputate to stop the transmission? If it worked on Herschel it seems like they would do it on everyone who is bit on a limb.

[–] aavfreak (2979) 5 days ago

It's the only time I remember seeing it. But much like the other tactics on the show, like Michonne's zombie pets or covering with guts, it's not used consistently.

Now that I think of it, I don't know if we see anyone get bit on a limb after Herschel.

[–] Porsche911 (2889) 6 days ago

#2
But also #3
Eaten alive by a horde of zombies and your remains come back as the undead.

[–] [deleted] 6 days ago

What remains? Much too many people are mauled way too little.

[–] aavfreak (2979) 6 days ago

Yep, that was a common complaint during the first run.

That and the completely moronic time the one zombie ate all of Lori, except for a scrap of hair. Then was sitting idle and lethargic as though it ate too much Thanksgiving dinner. And all he had to show for it was a small pot belly.

Ugh.

[–] Tina (601) 5 days ago

There really is no explanation in this series why a zombie bite kills you. I've seen characters turn from a bite from a freshly turned zombie that died from a zombie bite also. It makes no sense whatsoever.

[–] aavfreak (2979) 5 days ago

Yes, that's one of the arguments against the theory that a zombie is rotting corpse with a mouthful of bacteria that causes an infection that kills you.

That's why many side with the narrative that the bite from a zombie somehow activates whatever is latent within the living. It fits better with what we see on-screen in the show, even though it's never actually verbalized in the dialog.

[–] Tina (601) 5 days ago

Or is just bad writing.

[–] aavfreak (2979) 5 days ago

Bad writing? In The Walking Dead? Unpossible!

[–] Tina (601) 5 days ago

Believe it. They shouldn't have added that twist to the show.