~Zombie Physiology~ Unraveling the Mystery Behind the Puppet

[Electric Jesus]

I decided to do some thinking about the actual physiology of zombies, and made an interesting discovery regarding their "Function."

Before we decide what EXACTLY a zombie is, we must first look at the big picture. A zombie is a dead humans brought back to "life," or at least an active state of being. However they are surely not "living" dead, at least not in that crude sense.

Humans require oxygen in order to survive. However, the fact that zombies can crawl from out of water shows that they don't need oxygen to survive. This distinct characteristic shows us that they don't require their respiratory systems in order to live and function.

as we know from Turned, zombies can definitely see and hear. However, they are capable of surviving with their entire heads gone, which shows us that they do not require a brain to function (however short a time that may be.)

It could be that 115's electrical properties creates pseudo-neurons, allowing the cells in a zombie to work together like a single organism without a brain.

Let's move on to some specific senses, shall we?

It is thought that zombies are capable of finding humans by utilizing their unique "zombie-vision" as seen in Turned. This makes sense. However, this is ironically disproven by the fact that ALL zombies are capable of seeking out prey, even those without eyes.

Whether zombies are incapable of perceiving pain, or simply don't react to it, is unknown. However we can be sure that their lack of a reaction to being shot, stabbed, and otherwise brutally F$&@ed up demonstrates that their sense of touch is of no use to them.

as the ears and nose are also located on the head, which they are perfectly capable of functioning without, they are not a major contributing factor towards their ability to hunt.

As far as we know, zombies have one goal: kill humans. Not "eat humans," just to kill them. You have noticed how they slap the s&@# out of us then leave, right? They have never been seen eating ANYTHING, so we can assume that they have no need for sustenance.

It can be deduced that zombies do in fact eat humans when not directly under the influence of the controller. If the controller wants a group of 4 people dead, the zombies will beat them up one by one and then feast when all are dead. However if they encounter a random group of 4 about whom the controller does not care, the zombies will be allowed to feast as they normally would.

Zombies are attracted to meat, even though they don't eat it. That rules out an attraction involving taste. The next logical sense is smell. However, they still follow it with no heads (and by extension no noses.) So something else draws them to it.

Also they seem to be attracted to the appearance and sound of Monkey Bombs. The same applies, as they still chase it when deprived of sensory organs.

Alternately, they don't respond to humans who have zombie blood. Why? Supposedly it disguises their smell, but we know that headless zombies can still locate humans without a nose, so it doesn't affect smell.

These anomalies are likely explained by the controller trying to make their game more interesting. In twrms of the primitive uncontrolled zombie's behavior and physiology, they make no sense, but Sam or Richtofen could bend their behavior to their will for the sake of their game.

so, what do we have here? An organism capable of surviving nearly any conditions, which requires no food, water, nor air to survive. they take in no energy, and yet carry out functions such as running and crawling for an unlimited amount of time. How?

They can because they're puppets.

The master of the zombies (currently richtofen) uses his power to manipulate them as puppets. They have no instincts to carry out basic life functions. They carry out one function and one function only: kill whomever the master wants them to. They are just minions. Empty shells made to work like a computer, capable of running a single program with no alterations continuously. UNLESS they are not being directly influenced. When left alone they act like normal primitive animal predators.

That's all I really have to say. I just wanted to show to the best of my ability exactly how they are puppets, and how they aren't really "living" dead at all. That's all.

[KeredNomrah69]

Loved it, A+ lol. One things missing that would help out though, element 115.

Has anyone done a full work up on the 115? I highly doubt that it hasn't been done but "element 115" pulls up pages of posts and that's only the general zombies thread. Being as your posting about physiology which deals with chemical as well as physical processes it would be extremely enlightening to see this side.

This could have to do with there energy source and of course the actual way of them being controlled. The more I type about this the more I think of the element 115 and its many uses like teleportation, reanimation, and what possible connection to the "Aether", souls, and the link of consciousness control through the element itself in subjects. From what I've vaguely read the box also has a connection with the person controlling the zombies? Either way that depth goes beyond the title of the thread but thought I would rant about it while I was thinking about it ;)

[MysteryMachineX]

Just one criticism: Taste. While we have never seen zombies eat people, we have substantial evidence that they do. They just have a strange priority of fatally wounding everyone before dining.

[Monopoly Mac]

The Jumping Jack crawler took a jump out of Russman in the Die Rise cutscene so the normal zombies most likely bite and eat as well.

[Electric Jesus]

Well my idea is that since the zombies are essentially an empty shell put to work, they obviously lack the cognitive ability to use weapons or tools in their endless hunt of human prey. So the only way they know how to attack is by swinging their arms wildly and biting, two of the most basic offensive functions for any animal. Anyone with a pet will know they bite when attacking. Now ask this: is your adorable little kitty-cat hungry for human flesh? Nope. It's an animal instinct. Since zombies are essentially animals that makes sense.

Also crawlers are genetically engineered in order to maximize effectiveness of these two main offensive powers, as that is all their primitive minds are capable of. This makes sense when you see their obviously intentional massive claws and gaping mouths full of countless razor sharp teeth.

So yeah. I personally believe they don't actually eat the humans. Biting them just happens to be a naturally effective way of killing them.

No theory is final though, so I thank your contributions and by no means declare them to be false. This is just what makes sense to me.

[MysteryMachineX]

Well my idea is that since the zombies are essentially an empty shell put to work, they obviously lack the cognitive ability to use weapons or tools in their endless hunt of human prey. So the only way they know how to attack is by swinging their arms wildly and biting, two of the most basic offensive functions for any animal. Anyone with a pet will know they bite when attacking. Now ask this: is your adorable little kitty-cat hungry for human flesh? Nope. It's an animal instinct. Since zombies are essentially animals that makes sense.

Also crawlers are genetically engineered in order to maximize effectiveness of these two main offensive powers, as that is all their primitive minds are capable of. This makes sense when you see their obviously intentional massive claws and gaping mouths full of countless razor sharp teeth.

So yeah. I personally believe they don't actually eat the humans. Biting them just happens to be a naturally effective way of killing them.

No theory is final though, so I thank your contributions and by no means declare them to be false. This is just what makes sense to me.

There's a radio in Die Rise that specifically says that the zombies eat people.

http://s7.postimage.org/3seh0pmbf/Great ... ding_3.png

[ETEl2NAL407]

Stu's secret deals with "the flesh" and it seems as though he had eaten "the flesh". I don't have a direct quote ready, but I believe Stu was experimenting with cannibalism or something.

Though, he's not a zombie, this hints that "eating the flesh" has something to do with the zombies. I agree with everything you point out because they don't ever stop to eat you, but then other elements of the game contradict such actions. Hinting that they should be eating you.

It's a bit confusing.

[Lenne]

Nice read, EJ!

Good job. :3

[Electric Jesus]

It's funny, I was actually planning on performing thread necromancy on this thread soon.

Also yes, I have noticed that since I made that post. I would think that zombies by default eat humans, but if the controller is targeting a specific group they will simply aim to kill until all are dead. Then they will eat. They don't eat humans on the actual maps, which follow the characters and locations that the controller is targeting for destruction. They kill whoever the controller wants dead, and eat anything else.

[Guest]

The Buried intro shows someone being eaten.

Edited July 17, 2014 by Nightmare Voyager

[thegoldenspork115]

When playing Grief mode. You throw that piece of...rotten meat is it?...idk. But yeah. That thing. And the zombies run towards it. So it's either a sense of smell thing or their taste buds are screaming for it.Yet they don't actually eat it.

And the green fumes that you see when you have Vulture Aid. The zombies run away from that.

Just some more interesting things to think about.

[Electric Jesus]

The Buried intro shows someone being eaten.

Yes, but that's in a random location and a random insignificant person being eaten. Richtofen isn't exercising any control over those zombies, so they just do what animals do (which includes eating.) The zombies that we see in-game don't eat until all of the controller's targets are dead. The controller manipulates the zombies to ignore their animal instincts because acting on them would be counter-productive to his / her goals. If all the zombies were attracted to a downed player like a monkey bomb, the other survivors could easily just kill them all and revive.

A lot of the time it just boils down to the controller wanting X, so X happens. These are very powerful beings we are talking about here.

Zombie blood is thought to work by disguising your smell, and potentially your appearance. Yet as we know, headless (therefore eyeless and noseless) zombies can still find humans. So the zombie blood disguises them in some way other than smell. The same applies to Meat. What kind of meat is it supposed to be anyway? Zombie meat? no, they wouldn't be attracted to that. Human meat? maybe, but why would they want that more than a live human?

Honestly I think these two just come down to Richtofen forcing them to play along with the game. He has actively acknowledged that they are in a video game, so he probably just forces them to walk away from you when you have zombie blood, or forces them toward the meat.

Actually my bad, origins samantha controls zombie blood. But the same physiological facts apply. Samantha likes her little games too.

[Abel]

Of course they need their brains to survive... And Richthofen does not control the Zombies. Zombies control themselves.

[Electric Jesus]

I mean that they can survive for short periods without their head. This means that they are capable of functioning temporarily with no brain or sensory organs. Of course it kills them eventually, but I believe that's just because Sam / Richtofen keeps them functioning after they are de-brained. Normally the controller of the zombies doesn't literally "control" them conpletely; mainly they just manipulate / influence them. However, as a headless zombie, a zombie is literally being used as a puppet and is directly under the controller's influence.

So yes, they need their brains to "survive," and when they have no brain they are capable of functioning only because the controller is manipulating their lifeless body.

[Abel]

I mean that they can survive for short periods without their head. This means that they are capable of functioning temporarily with no brain or sensory organs. Of course it kills them eventually, but I believe that's just because Sam / Richtofen keeps them functioning after they are de-brained. Normally the controller of the zombies doesn't literally "control" them conpletely; mainly they just manipulate / influence them. However, as a headless zombie, a zombie is literally being used as a puppet and is directly under the controller's influence.

So yes, they need their brains to "survive," and when they have no brain they are capable of functioning only because the controller is manipulating their lifeless body.

I don't understand why you still think there is a "puppet master/controller". There is no doubt that there is some communication between the Zeds and there's no doubt there is something that triggers them. I don't completely disagree with your theory either, because I do think that there would be a Creature capable of having the power to influence and control other Zeds. Just not the way you're thinking.. Like through the Aether. No.

[thegoldenspork115]

The zombies clearly have a "puppet master". Have you not witnessed the events of moon? Look at the colors of the eyes. It's all there. Every zombie we have ever killed was being controlled by someone. Or "something", for that matter.

I've thought that was something already accepted as fact.

[PINNAZ]

Nice breakdown EJ & cool idea for a thread. I doubt think I read this the first time round.

The Physiology that Treyarch have given Zombies is a little different to the stereotypical zombie I guess. As you said originally, gameplay wise, they don't eat you, they only kill by striking their arms. Yet, the wall drawing in Verruckt shows an arm being eaten, though this may be a human eating a Zombie arm as we are later hinted at in the Tranzit TV, the Die Rise opening cinematic & the Die Rise TV. Also Stuhlinger has numerous quote about eating zombie sandwiches or something like that.

Another strange aspect is their sight. Zombies have no eyes. No eyeballs at all. Only beams of light. Yet, in turned we get to see their supernatural vision.

Anyway, love the threads you make like these EJ. Hopefully a few more over the off season.

[Guest]

Nice breakdown EJ & cool idea for a thread. I doubt think I read this the first time round.

The Physiology that Treyarch have given Zombies is a little different to the stereotypical zombie I guess. As you said originally, gameplay wise, they don't eat you, they only kill by striking their arms. Yet, the wall drawing in Verruckt shows an arm being eaten, though this may be a human eating a Zombie arm as we are later hinted at in the Tranzit TV, the Die Rise opening cinematic & the Die Rise TV. Also Stuhlinger has numerous quote about eating zombie sandwiches or something like that.

Another strange aspect is their sight. Zombies have no eyes. No eyeballs at all. Only beams of light. Yet, in turned we get to see their supernatural vision.

Anyway, love the threads you make like these EJ. Hopefully a few more over the off season.

 

We may see through zombie eyes in Turned but why the light, maybe it is a way of something else seeing through them.

[Electric Jesus]

But consider this: Let's say the O4 are in der riese, and Sam wants them dead. She doesn't send zombies from China to take them out there! She only exercises control over the ones in her target's immediate vicinity. Any zombies outside the range of effective use would likely just roam around doing normal zombie activities, such as eating. They only don't eat when they are being used for a more specific task: killing. Otherwise they are irrelevant to Sam, and she does nothing to control them. They might still have yellow eyes, though. That's mostly just an indication of control.

However, on buried we see the occasional blue-eyed Richtofen zombies after completing the Maxis side. He isn't in control. So the eye color simply represents the presence of someone inside a zombie. Richtofen is restructed to being present in only one at a time, while all other controllers have been omnipresent. They could very well see through the eyes of zombies, as richtofen says on TranZit something like "I see everything at the same time." So richtofen isn't literally "inside" the blue zombies in buried, but he can only see through those.

Also note that zombies on turned act differently. Their change in behavior is non-canon I suppose because it is player-influenced. However, they cannot be beheaded. This is clearly just a gameplay mechanic, but the in-game explanation for it could be along the lines of what I was saying earlier with the puppets. Headless zombies are dead, but Richtofen just makes them run a few more steps to mess with you. In turned, he chooses not to exercise this power, for whatever reason.

[Guest]

Notice how we see the same zombies, not new batches yes this can be just because of laziness or maybe the zombies can be brought back even when killed.

[Electric Jesus]

I think it would just be impractical to have a million different zombie models.

One thing to take into account is that 115 reanimates dead cells. It doesn't necessarily reanimate the entire organism. So how do the cells then manage to work together to walk like a human (sort of)? If the organism is still technically dead and doesn't require use of a brain (as we've seen before) maybe each reanimated cell can communicate with the others through use of 115's electrical properties? The cells of the deceased organism are able to cooperate even when they lack a central nervous system. Maybe it's by simulating its function through the use of pseudo-neurons. It would explain some of the inconsistencies created by their ability to survive without a head. Maybe they don't need a head because all of their cells can communicate with each other individually.

[Black Hand Smith]

Really Nice post. I like the way you organized the senses of the Zombies. I think you deserve some brains

[Electric Jesus]

Oh stop it, you're making me blush :3

I think I'll add some of the information from the subsequent discussion to the OP.

[thegoldenspork115]

Well maybe @Abel could enlighten me?

[Electric Jesus]

Another thing that I have absolutely no explanation for is the gradually increasing health. It could just be a gameplay mechanic with no real explanation. Also, Their health resets with each map, so it really seems to be just a gameplay mechanic. Of course a lot of hameplay mechanics are explained by the whole "game within a game" deal. We play a game about an omnipotent being playing a game with human survivors.

Let me put another thing into perspective for those of you who don't have a lot of knowledge of guns.

When you fire a high calibur bullet at a person there are 2 types of damage they refer to: Crush and Tear factor. Every bullet impact creates a thin cylinder through the human, and any flesh or organs in that area are completely ravaged. The interior surface area of that cylinder is also torn up. With any decent calibur bullet (44 magnum round, 50 cal sniper, 7.62, etc) in other words most of the ammo typed in zombies, you can do devastating damage to any live target.

Don't even get me started on shotguns. when they say "12 gauge" it basically means that 12 lead balls of the diameter of the barrel equal 1 pound. So the lower the gauge, the more powerful it is. Firing two barrels of a 12-gauge double barrel shotgun at the same time is sending almost a quarter pound of shot through them. And yet on very high rounds, they can take that to the head and survive.

Additionally, as I said in another thread, zombies don't get blown over by explosions. In real life, if an explosion sends you flying 20 feet (for example) you are being hit by a shockwave that packs the same amount of force as a solid object sending you that far. So Every grenade, every noob tube, every RPG is basically like hitting all of a zombie's internal organs with a bus. And yet they survive.

It's just amazing when you really think about how much damage they can sustain before re-dying.

Another question: Since they clearly don't need any organs to survive, as you can shoot them in every organ including their brain and they survive, when they DO die, what is the cause of death? It can't be blood loss since they don't require oxygen or blood and their hearts don't work.