With season 1 of The Last of Us redefining the post - apocalyptical literary genre andseason 2 set to deliver even more heartbreakand horror , it ’s meter to spotlight the real stars of this nightmare world : the infected . These are n’t your typical undead . They ’re the upshot of nature get going scallywag , a terrifying mutation of humanity itself . And there are 7 different type of infected in The Last of Us zombie land .
The Last of Us has created a chilling hierarchy of repugnance , each stage of infection more antic and lethal than the last . Born from a substantial - world fungus and regulate by time , decay , and suffering , every infected type tag a grim chapter in the development of Cordyceps . In this breakdown , we ’re ranking every type of zombie in The Last of Us by their terror story , mutation traditional knowledge , and sheer brat factor .
mesa of mental object
Runners (Image via Naughty Dog)
1. Runners
Key Characteristics
degenerate , feral , and horrifyingly human , runner are the early degree of infection . Turned within 48 hours , their judgement are already lost , but their bodies still move in human - esque fashion . Their faces spasm with fading emotion ; their cries vocalise like agony . Killing one feel less like combat and more like mercy .
In HBO ’s The Last of Us , they ’re even deadly . The Cordyceps beehive - intellect associate them — ill-use on a fungal tendril , and they swarm from miles away . Though weaker than Clickers or Bloaters , their speed and number make them mortal up near . In the secret plan and the show , Runners were the first sign that the infection is look at over the world .
Runners (Image via Naughty Dog)
2. Stalkers
Caught between Runners and Clickers , Stalkers are the worst of both worlds , affected role , work out , and utterly terrify . Infected for 2 weeks to less than one yr , they ’re in the transitional phase where Cordyceps starts overtaking the brain and distorting the consistency . They do n’t holler or tear blindly . Instead , they bushwhack in the dark , breathing in ragged gasps , their guttural growl crawling under your skin . You wo n’t take heed them get until it ’s too late .
InThe Last of Us Part IIand HBO ’s series , Stalkers are even more worrisome , half - fused with walls , their bodies tangled in fungal nest , with tendril snaking through muscle and pearl . Their faces are divide wide , let out the early salad days of Clicker infection . They thrive in tight blank space , using the environment to haunt , hide , and ambuscade . One wrong stride , and secretiveness turns into a snapping jaw in the dark , ending everything before you even bed what hit you .
3. Clickers
More than a year into infection , the Cordyceps carve up their skulls clear , leaving them unsighted but far from lost . Clickers navigate using speech sound , their eerie click bounce off walls , a warning that death is near . Make a noise , and their shrieking lunge will be the last thing you ever hear .
In both the games and series , Clickers act the point of no return , organic structure heave beyond humanity , their fungal - plate heads collapse with tendrils . Their movements are jerking , unpredictable , and their attacks are truehearted and wolf . In the show , the prosthetics and sound pattern make every encounter with the Clickers even more nerve - wrecking .
4. Bloaters
year of fungous rottenness have forged these walk tank car , their body sheathed in armoured plating , their strength enough to rive a valet in one-half . Bloaters do n’t hunt . They decimate . And if you think distance saves you ? Their volatile spore bomb turn over the melodic phrase into a death zona .
The Last of Us Episode 5 unleashed the Bloater in all its nightmare aura , break from the ground like a boss fight made anatomy . That moment was n’t just action ; it was a shivery promise : the longer the infection spreads , the bad these abominations will become . The show ’s practical effects magnified every guttural roar , every bone - crushing bearing , making it clear — this is what the ending of humankind search like .
5. Shamblers
Shamblers are a mutate variance of Bloaters introduced inThe Last of Us Part II . Found in wet , fungous - racy environments , these terrifying creatures are bloated with acidic pus that incinerate everything it touches . They do n’t just squelch their dupe , they unfreeze them with erosive rage .
Though Shamblers have n’t seem in the show yet , they ’re a perfect fit for time of year 2 ’s Pacific Northwest setting . If the show ’s plan squad leans into their grotesque nature , we could see a new wave of trunk horror that will leave alone audiences horrified and captivated . Their acidic attacks and tedious movements could add an unsettling level to the dreadful world of The Last of Us .
6. The Rat King
The Rat King is a horrifying outlier , a twisted optical fusion of multiple septic bodies . First appearing in The Last of Us Part II , it ’s the result of unchecked Cordyceps infection , where disjoined bodies merge into a single monstrous infected body . The infection has overtake them completely , making the Rat King both unstoppable and nightmarish . The Rat King first appeared in a Seattle hospital after over 20 years of infection .
monumental , virtually indestructible , and spill other infect , the Rat King represents the last stage of the Cordyceps mutation . If any creature from The Last of Us could inhale honest Cthulhu - level horror , it ’s this abhorrence . While it has n’t yet appear in the show , its potential comer call a Modern grade of affright that will leave audience in virginal apprehensiveness .
7. The Cordyceps Network
The show introduce a game - changing repugnance component that redefine the infected scourge : a fungous connection that relate every demon across the wasteland . Disturb one mycelium strand and you trigger a coordinated assault from dozens of infected at once . This hive mind transform them from mindless zombies into a tactically intelligent horde that hunts with terrific preciseness .
This evolution elevate the septic from simple monsters to an overwhelming United States Army of septic zombies . The show ’s adaptation creates relentless tension where every step could alert the full meshing . It ’s no longer about survive random encounters but escape an ecosystem that actively trace you .
What Fans Expect from The Last of Us Season 2’s Infected
The Last of Uschanged the intact zombie horror genre by making its infected tragic symbols of a fall existence . With season 2 adaptingPart II , expect Cordyceps mutations to reach terrifying novel level . From the predatory intelligence operation of Stalkers to the corrosive brutality of the Shamblers , each variant step up the natural selection repulsion , pull adaptation to ever - germinate threat . The infected are n’t just enemies ; they ’re the avatar of nature ’s relentless reclamation . As the franchise move on , one truth remains : human race is n’t fighting zombies , but evolution itself .
TLoU S2E5: Finally, Spores Are Here Bring Show Closer to…
MonsterVerse Watch Order Guide: Watch Godzilla and Kong Movies in…
Squid Game S3 Teaser Trailer Breakdown: Gi-hun’s Returns with even…
TLoU S2E4: Truce Between Seraphites (Scars) and WLF (Wolves) Explained
The Last of Us S2E4: Who Are Isaac, Hanrahan, and…
The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 4: Release Date,…
Marvel’s Thunderbolts: Both Post-Credits Scenes Explained
The Last of Us Season 2: Who Is Seraphites (Scars)…
Now You See Me 3 – Does the Heart Diamond…
The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 3: 8 Ways…
Stalkers (Image via Naughty Dog)
Clickers as seen inThe Last of Usshow (Image via HBO Max)
Bloaters (Image via Naughty Dog)
Shamblers (Image via Naughty Dog)
The Rat King (Image via Naughty Dog)
Cordyceps mushroom zombies (Image via HBO Max)
