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Image taken from The Walking Dead (2010)
Image taken from Resident Evil (1996)
Zombies in their most basic, and culturally known forms are seen as slow moving reanimated human corpses who hunger for living flesh. They lack the intelligence they once had, and instead act according to some primal hunger. While often rotting or dismembered, basic zombies have an unnatural strength to them. The actual use of the word zombie has changed somewhat drastically, the farthest use of the term “zombie” (or zombi in this case) was in a french tale titled “Le Zombi du grand Perou” written by Pierre Corneille Blessbois. Translating to “The Zombie of Greater Peru” the “zombie” is really a woman who is tricked into thinking they are an invisible spirit. Another ancient origin of the zombie is closer to the current cultural idea, this being Haitian zombies, created by specific voodoo users called bokor, they are reanimated corpses. Current representation of zombies in media closest to their basic form include the show The Walking Dead, or the video game series Resident Evil however both take their own liberties. I will be going with what I find to be the most common characteristics of a basic zombie, that being slow movement, rotting flesh, a hunger for human flesh, animalistic mindset, unnatural strength, and an ability to transfer zombie abilities through their bite specifically. While the origin of a basic zombie could be debated, most would agree a zombie bite turns the victim into a zombie. So how does the zombie rank?
The Spook is a solid 7. Zombies are rotting people, full of loud grunts and coated in both their blood, and the blood of their victims, not to mention the idea of a loved one becoming a zombie is a pretty scary thought.
Their Danger I put at a 4, which might surprise some people. Their strength, and ability to continue despite loss of limb is powerful, however, their slow speed, and lack of any thought put into their actions means it is easy to escape their bite, what makes them the most dangerous. By using longer range weapons like spears or guns, basic zombies can be easily overcome in small numbers. In my mind, even if the zombies numbers were to start out including an entire apartment building, they could easily be snuffed out if their only means of spreading is through a bite.
Transformation receives a 2, as their skin may rot, but doesn’t anyone’s when they die? Zombies only do not receive a 1 because of the strength they receive once undead.
Zombies' real strength is in their name. The use of the letter z makes them alphas, and they are so widely known at this point there would be no mistake when seeing a basic zombie. As a result of being a basic undead, it automatically receives the total 5 for public understanding.
In the end, basic zombies are pretty middling, but stand as a good jumping off point for many different variations.
Where I learned stuff for this
Where I learned stuff for this
History.com - https://www.history.com/topics/folklore/history-of-zombies
The Undead Eighteenth Century - http://www2.washjeff.edu/users/ltroost/troostzombies2011.pdf
Wikisource - https://fr.wikisource.org/wiki/Le_Zombi_du_Grand-P%C3%A9rou
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