The Walking Dead

[AWK]

Alternatively, the virus may activate even while the person is alive, but it may take longer, whereas lack of oxygen/death accelerates it.

The reason I say this is because Shane was acting weird prior to his death.  Staring off in the distance like a mouth breathing retard, slapping his head repeatedly, etc.  Granted, Shane's been becoming unhinged for some time now, but the last episode was pretty extreme.  There were points where Shane was excessively drooling for no apparent reason.

With that being said, if Shane was infected and the virus does turn the living at a slower rate, then why aren't the others showing signs?  Maybe they're immune?  Or the time frame in which a living person will turn is dependent upon that person's genetic predispositions, metabolism, etc.?

Part of me says that the dormancy period theory is more likely, but the one thing that gets me is that if a living person is bitten, they turn.  Technically, I guess they die first and then turn, but still, the virus doesn't remain dormant in their system after being bitten until a later point at which they die.  So what would be the difference between inhaling the virus and contracting it via a bite?  Why does a living person who is bitten die and then turn, but a living person who has supposedly inhaled it does not turn until they die from something else?

Maybe a bite causes two viruses or the zombie virus and an infection.  The virus is dormant, but since the bite also adds a deadly virus the bitten dies quickly and turns. 

[Buzz Killington]

Yes...discussions of what occurs in the comics, even if secondhand info is involved, qualifies.  Please don't spill any more beans without a warning.  Thanks.

[bird35]

I believe after killing the two guys in the bar Rick shot them each in the head.   IMO, Rick knows people turn into zombies after they die.   

[Saniflush]

I believe after killing the two guys in the bar Rick shot them each in the head.   IMO, Rick knows people turn into zombies after they die.

Exactly.  These were done with the killing fury that Rick had not shown up to that point.  Something has changed.

[Tiger Wench]

My problem even before this story line began to emerge was this:  if being bitten/zombie blood makes you turn, then what about all the blood that has gotten all over these people as they have hacked zombies to death?  They have been slavered on, splattered head to toe, covered in guts, etc.  NO WAY has zombie blood not crossed a membrane barrier -the mouth, nose, eyes.  Yet no one had, before now, turned without a bite.

So now that's happening.  Why?

My theory is blowback.  The way Jarhead and I worked it out, if you are bitten, you get the virus in your system via the bloodstream in vast quantities, and an infection ensues.  You die of the infection and then reanimate.

But if you get a secondary contamination - for example, blood splashed in your eyes or mouth as you slam a hatchet down on a dead cranium - then your body is able to fight it off in small quantities.  But when you die, the body's defense mechanism no longer protects you, and the virus takes over. Then BRAIAAAAIIIINS...

Both Shane and Randall had been up close and personal to zombies many times.  Neither of them had died of a head wound.  The two dudes in the bar won't reanimate because Rick shot them both in the head.  Otherwise, they probably would have.  Same thing goes for Dale.

Jarhead remembers in the comic (and I do, vaguely) that Rick goes back to where they buried Shane and smashes his head in to prevent him from coming back.  The TV show only slightly followed the comic for this story line.  In the comic, Shane was attacking/raping Lori and Carl actually shoots and kills Shane outright to save his mom.  He had not yet reanimated when Rick goes back to smash him, so that is definitely a deviation.

Kind of reminds me of The Stand.  Killer flu, some are immune, some aren't.

In one of the book series that Jarhead, Sani and I read (Monster Hunter International), all members of the Monster Hunter teams are decapitated prior to burial.  Most have been bitten by or exposed to vampires during their careers, and they would reanimate as a vamp after they died unless they are headless.  The virus stays dormant until death.  That's where I got my theory.

In the MHI books, a person killed by a zombie also reanimates immediately.  SO it could happen. 

[Saniflush]

You raise a good question.......When did they stop wearing protective gear when they killed zombies?  I remember they had lab aprons and face shields on after they got rick out of the tank in season 1 but then Rick and Glen rubbed the shit all over them trying to get out of the city. 

[djsimp]

Exactly.  These were done with the killing fury that Rick had not shown up to that point.  Something has changed.

So, thinking back, the ones that have died but not by zombies since the CDC have been shot in the head; including the old fart in episode 11.

[Vandy Vol]

My theory is blowback.  The way Jarhead and I worked it out, if you are bitten, you get the virus in your system via the bloodstream in vast quantities, and an infection ensues.  You die of the infection and then reanimate.

But if you get a secondary contamination - for example, blood splashed in your eyes or mouth as you slam a hatchet down on a dead cranium - then your body is able to fight it off in small quantities.  But when you die, the body's defense mechanism no longer protects you, and the virus takes over. Then BRAIAAAAIIIINS...

Possibly...but then this makes me wonder what Jenner said to Rick at the CDC.  The fact that he whispered it to Rick coupled with the fact that Rick's actions can be inferred to show his knowledge of when/why people will turn suggests that, if Rick does know, Jenner was the source of that information.  Rick's knowledge can't be from any source other than Jenner, as I can't recall him having any other conversations with anyone who had been studying the virus.

What Jenner said to Rick was relatively short.  "Everyone has the virus and will turn at death" seems more like what he would have been able to say to Rick in that short amount of time.  "People will immediately die and turn after being bitten, but if you get a secondary contamination via porous membranes that come into contact with zombie blood or saliva, then your body will fight off the infection until you die of other causes, and then you will turn" seems like too much of an explanation for Jenner to convey in the few seconds he whispered to Rick.

Additionally, if Jenner did in fact tell Rick about this secondary contamination, then wouldn't he change his actions regarding how he interacts with zombies?  Go back to wearing aprons, masks, etc.?  Or, at the very least, if he just assumes that he and several others have already come into contact with it and are doomed, wouldn't he try to protect those who have not yet been in contact with it?  Especially his own stupid fucking son that keeps running off in the middle of the night and playing with zombies.

The theory makes sense based upon who's turned so far and how, but it doesn't really match up with the length of the message that Jenner relayed, nor does it match up with Rick's subsequent actions in dealing with zombies.  But, of course, Jenner could have said something else that was completely wrong, and Rick could just be a moron.

[Snaggletiger]

I've never even seen this show but I know everything about it. 

[AUJarhead]

I've never even seen this show but I know everything about it.

I'd tell you there's a woman on it that Sani wants to do naughty things to, but I guess every show is like that, so it wouldn't really help.

[djsimp]

wes mentioned that its an airborne virus. This would make sense to me with all that everyone else has said. This would make it more possible that everyone had from the start; it just took someone dying naturally and turning to make the zombie infestation to begin.

[Snaggletiger]

I'd tell you there's a woman on it that Sani wants to do naughty things to, but I guess every show is like that, so it wouldn't really help.

She won't shit right for a week.

[Saniflush]

I'd tell you there's a woman on it that Sani wants to do naughty things to, but I guess every show is like that, so it wouldn't really help.

Not true. I have not seen one on The Biggest Loser that I would do. I bet they all give great head though.

[djsimp]

Not true. I have not seen one on The Biggest Loser that I would do. I bet they all give great head though.

Got a lot of fat on dem jaws.

[Saniflush]

Got a lot of fat on dem jaws.

Negative..... Fat women give the best head cause they GOT to.

[Kaos]

You know, when she's not all Walking Dead hubbed out, Lori isn't bad looking.  She needs to eat some sammiches, though.






Let's keep her around and clean her up a bit.  Get her to stop being such a bitch.  She killed Shane, you know.  She led him on, maybe either wanted him to make Rick grow a pair or kill him off, either way she wins. 

[GarMan]

Not true. I have not seen one on The Biggest Loser that I would do. I bet they all give great head though.

You wouldn't hit that?  Liar!

[Kaos]

You wouldn't hit that?  Liar!

I'd hit it.  With a 2x4.  And if it tried to get up, I'd go get a shovel and hit it again.

Gross.

[djsimp]

You know, when she's not all Walking Dead hubbed out, Lori isn't bad looking.  She needs to eat some sammiches, though.

Did you catch any of the Prison Break series? I think she was the prison doc.

[Jumbo]

If they all turn into Zombies before season 3 what the fuck we'll we be watching???