When HBO first announced their high-profile adaptation of Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us, it was made clear that not everything from the games would carry over into live-action. Neil Druckmann, creator of the franchise and one of the series’ leading producers, stated changes would have to be made to the story in the process of adapting it. Now, fans are getting their first idea as to what will be different when Joel and Ellie make their iconic trip across the country on television.
In an exclusive interview with Comic Book, series showrunner Craig Mazin revealed HBO’s take on The Last of Us will not include the infamous spores that helped spread the Cordyceps infection so quickly in the acclaimed video games:
Obviously, there are some big things that we know we’re keeping, of course, but then there are challenges from the game to the show that had to be considered. For instance, little things like the spores. In the game, there are these where you encounter spores and you need to put a gas mask on. In the world that we’re creating, if we put spores in the air, it would be pretty clear that they would spread around everywhere and everybody would have to wear a mask all the time and probably everybody would be completely infected by that point.
Craig Mazin
As Mazin mentions, both The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part II feature sections of gameplay where the players encounter Cordyceps spores floating in the air. The spores make it difficult to see clearly and are usually accompanied by loads of monsters. They also force the protagonists to use protective masks and flashlights to traverse infected areas. Mazin‘s reasoning for altering this aspect of the game’s aesthetic makes sense, and the creative went on to assure fans that he and Druckmann have come up with some sort of fitting alternative instead:
So, we challenged ourselves to come up with an interesting new way for the fungus to spread but mostly I think we just connected with the soul and spirit of the game. He, as the creator of the game, and me, as a fan of the game, we were caretakers on behalf of all the fans but also on behalf of all the people who haven’t played the game who need a television experience that is holistic and connected to itself and doesn’t feel like you ned to play a game to understand.
Craig Mazin
The Last of Us premieres on HBO on January 15th. It stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as Joel and Ellie, with Gabriel Luna, Anna Torv, and Merle Dandridge rounding out the recurring cast.
Lucasfilm is seemingly all-in on Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni. According to a new report from Bespin Bulletin, the creative duo behind smash hits The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett are working on developing another, unnamed series for the studio. The information originates from a listing on Production Weekly, which has been advertising an “untitled Star Wars project” entering production for some time. Now, however, the listing has been updated to include a working title, as well as Favreau and Filoni as active producers. It appears the series is under development as “Ghost Track 17,” and is reportedly set to be part of the “MandoVerse” franchise created by its producers within the greater Star Wars universe.
Bespin Bulletin speculates the working title could relate the series to revolving around a Queen, or some sort of royalty. As they explain, a “Ghost Track” typically refers to a song hidden on an album, and one of the most famous Ghost Tracks appears on the album Abbey Road. That Ghost Track ends up being the seventeenth track on the album, and is titled “Her Majesty,” meaning the working title likely refers a monarch of some sort. Who that could be is still unknown, considering most known royals in the Star Wars universe predate the MandoVerse timeline, which is set between the events of Episode VI – Return of the Jedi and Episode VII – The Force Awakens. The series will join several other upcoming Favreau and Filoni projects, such as Ashoka and Skeleton Crew.
You know when you’re in, like, middle school? And people are already asking if you want kids someday…
Well, maybe you don’t. At the time I’m writing this, it’s been the apocalypse for seven years and schools aren’t much of a thing anymore. If you’re reading my journal and schools are a thing again, that’s a great sign. Go us! If not, let me enlighten you.
Back when people like me were forced to receive an education, a good half of it was just adults asking us how we wanted to be adults. Or telling us how we should be adults. Or telling us how we couldn’t be adults. Ironically, kids were always a big topic. It was weird and sorta inappropriate and there was no way any of us could possibly give a real answer, but it did make us think.
Personally, I never thought I wanted kids. I had too many cousins and unrealistic dreams. No time for children. Once plant monsters started wiping out humanity it felt like any chance of starting a nice wee family was out the window anyway. Then I met Alex, and we were happy. As happy as we could be in a heavily guarded military Quarantine Zone.
Two peas in a pod, until the pod collapsed.
The QZ in Buffalo is no more. People had enough, and they tried revolting. Most of them are dead now. Their coup didn’t work, but it was noisy, and it distracted FEDRA agents long enough for a few curious infected to make their way past the walls. Alex and I saw it coming. We used his underground smuggling routes to escape unharmed, and honestly, we thought we were home free. On to overgrown pastures. We were in for a surprise.
There was a little one in the tunnels. Her cries were so loud. This is a survival guide, and truthfully, I should be telling you to move past crying children for the sake of your own life. But she looked so lost. Little blonde hairs shaking over the tears. We couldn’t leave her. Now she’s ours.
It’s been over a year, and I love her more than anything. Turns out I was right about being clueless in middle school. I am a kid person. We lost our pod, but we gained another pea.
Our little Sweet Pea.
And now that I have a family to protect, I’ve decided it’s time to bring back “Apocalypse 101”. We don’t have a QZ to protect us anymore. It’s just us, the infected, and a whole lotta land to traverse. No handouts. No rations. Nobody else holding the weapons for us. That means supplies, and knowing which ones to carry, are essential. If you don’t know what you need to make it, you won’t make it. Simple as that.
So, here it goes. I’d tell you to take notes, but you’re holding a journal, so that would be redundant.
Rule #27, Only Carry What You Need
A lot of surviving the apocalypse is sorta just doing really depressing arts and crafts. Most of what you need to make it out of sticky situations, you won’t find already intact. You’ll have to settle for grabbing parts and pieces, and learning how to put them together. That requires scavenging and braving unknown spaces. Looking for appliance hotspots like abandoned houses, grocery stores, pharmacies, and, depending on what you’re looking for, even the occasional toy shop.
By the time the QZ fell, Buffalo was pretty much entirely infected. Runners, Stalkers, and Clickers – oh my! We had to tip-toe everywhere we went. We crouched behind desks, shelving units, cars, trucks, and trees. Just to get out of the city. That was difficult, especially with Sweet Pea, but we did it. On the way, we gathered a pretty good sense of what was worth holding onto.
You can’t weigh yourself down too much. You never know when you’ll have to start sprinting, or when you’ll have to pull somebody across a flooded basement on a makeshift raft. (Sweet Pea can’t swim. It’s adorable when she asks for a push, but eventually, we’ll have to fix that). That means you probably shouldn’t grow attached to anything that won’t fit in a backpack or a strap on your shoulder. To simplify that, I’ll sum it all up in one rule.
Only carry what you need.
Food is obvious. Canned food is easy and usually still safe. Water, too. But I’m not here to break down the obvious. I’m more interested in pointing out things you might not be thinking about. For example,
Bricks & Bottles – It sounds silly, but you should never be without something that can make a little noise and cause blunt-force trauma. As we’ve already covered, infected are nasty beasts, but if you’re resourceful enough you can use items like bricks and bottles to fend them off. If you’re hiding, and they’re coming too close for comfort, you can toss one to the side and lure those dumb-dumbs away. You can also bash them over the head and hope for the best. That goes for people, too.
Binding – You will end up needing to bind objects together way more often than you anticipate. Whether it’s duct tape, sports wrap, or rope, you can use binding materials as a means of piecing together stuff for you – health kits – as well as stuff for others – Molotov cocktails. We’ll get to the specifics of weapons later, but if you’ve managed to strap a baseball bat, pipe, or wooden plank on the side of your pack (also great things to have!), you can use binds to strap sharp objects or sturdy reinforcements to them and give yourself a minor upgrade.
Blades – When you think of blades, the first thing that may come to mind is stabbing people with them. If that’s the case, I hope I don’t see you in the apocalypse. Because, believe it or not, they have some other cool uses too. Collecting nails, manual shears, or jars of tacks will allow you to keep items held together even tighter than you could with binds. Also, yeah, you can use them to make nail and smoke bombs. And shivs. And put them on the end of a baseball bat for a bit of added punch.
Cannisters – Cannisters hold things, so they’re useful. Duh! They’re also the perfect base item to make trap mines and stun bombs. Go figure.
Alcohol – The average bottle of rubbing alcohol contains 99% isopropyl, and a full bottle of liquor is usually at least 40% alcohol. Those are really great numbers for lighting stuff on fire. You can use alcohol to craft those aforementioned Molotov cocktails, or you can use them for those handy dandy health kits. It’s great for clearing out infections*. If you’ve had a bad day, you can also use the liquor to blow off some steam. Getting drunk in unsafe places is not recommended, it could get you killed. That being said, whiskey is my favorite.
Rags – Collecting materials like cloth is good for wiping away the dirt of everyday life and synching up wounds. Also, they light on fire. Love fire. Great for – (can you guess?) – Molotov cocktails.
Sugar – Did you know that sugar is a key ingredient in smoke bombs? Well, it is! Not just a sweet treat for kids. Though, we do keep it away from Sweet Pea. That’s one kid who doesn’t need it.
Explosives – Self-explanatory, but maybe not something at the forefront of your brain before reading this list. There’s a shocking amount of explosive powder and flammable fertilizer lying around cities and small towns. You’ll require these items if you wanna turn any of the previously mentioned bomb-positive supplies into, well – bombs.
Okay, moving on to the part you’re all waiting anxiously for…
Rule #27, Continued… Weapons!
It sucks, but weapons are a vital part of survival in the apocalypse. Everything out there wants to kill you and your loved ones, and you need a way to fight back. I count myself lucky I learned how to shoot on the QZ wall. I was able to teach Alex pretty quickly, and one day, we’ll have to teach Sweet Pea.
Unfortunately, I can’t teach you how to fire a gun, but I can teach you what guns you should have and what their best uses are. In my list of supplies, I mentioned it was useful to carry pipes and baseball bats as melee weapons. That stands. They might break after a few swings, but they’ll do more damage in two hits than your fists could do in twenty. I also mentioned shivs and knives. A knife will stick with you and is something you should never be without. Keep it in your boot, if you have to. A shiv is just as effective but isn’t worth much after a single use.
You might remember I discussed an array of bombs earlier. Admittedly, those are kinda fun when you’re using them on infected. As a personal treat, we’ll start with those, and then we’ll move to firearms.
Smoke Bomb – The least deadly of the explosive devices. A smoke bomb will do damage up close, but its main function is camouflage. If you’re being attacked and you feel overwhelmed, set one off to confuse the heck out of the bad guys and scram.
Nail Bomb – This one is devastating. It does the work of your typical bomb, blowing bodies to smithereens, but it’s got a real reach to it. When it goes off, it’ll shoot nails everywhere in the blast radius, tearing through flesh and giving your opponent a very small chance of staying alive.
Molotov Cocktail – Fire! I stated in a previous journal entry that flames are wildly effective against infected. Of course, they work well on humans too. These are harder to make, but if you manage to find all the supplies needed to craft one, keep them. A well-placed Molotov will get you out of any jam.
Trap Mine – Sorta like the nail bomb, but trickier. If you’re skilled enough to put one of these bad boys together, you can place it strategically around your area and lure enemies into it. Once they cross the trip, it’s off to never neverland.
NOTE: All bombs can be used strategically. Throw a bottle, get your opponents where you want them, and then BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE. Just make sure you’re not in the line of fire. Alex worries I enjoy this too much but, hey, something’s gotta keep you entertained in a post-RuPaul world. (I wonder if RuPaul is still out there?)
Pistols – The most common form of gun you’ll find lying in drawers and safes are pistols. In terms of guns people carry on them, pistols are up there. They fit in bags, purses, pouches, etc. A revolver is what you’ll see the most of, and that works fine. In military zones, you may also chance upon a semi-automatic. More bullets, and bodies, dropping in less time. These guns kill basically all people and Runners in a few shots but aren’t ideal against armored enemies. For the heavier grunts, you’ll want something like the “El Diablo”. It has a scope, and it’s powerful. Armor piercing. Fewer shots, more bang for your buck.
Shotguns – I know I said we’d avoid the obvious, but this one is fairly obvious. Shotguns do massive amounts of damage, but they’re only useful in close proximity. Not a lot of range. Don’t rely on them unless you’re comfortable looking death in the eye.
Snipers – Similar to shotguns, these are really only practical in specific situations. If you’re pinned on a roof and see one lying around, it’s perfect. Usually, you’ll know to grab one after you kill someone else who was just using it. The only time they’re good in a quick-time event is Bloaters. Snipers are great at hurting Bloaters.
Rifles – These come in two main forms – bolt-action, and assault. The former is primarily for armored enemies and the latter for large groups. Powerful precision shots, or mowing down the worst of the worst.
Flamethrower – More fire! Same usage as the Molotov cocktail, just a little more controlled and with a longer reach. Very heavy, I wouldn’t recommend carrying this for longer than is absolutely needed.
Bow – Alex is great with one of these. I hope he teaches Sweet Pea how to use one someday. Perfect for hunting (rifles are too), so they have a practical use other than just defense, and extremely quiet. If you’re good with one of these, never let it go. They supply food and death from above, and you can use them without alerting anyone to your presence. Ideal for the end of days.
I hope this list keeps you and your loved ones alive. It’s helped me, Alex, and Sweet Pea so far. I’m not religious, but I’ve been praying lately. Praying that what I’m doing here keeps families intact. Mine, especially. I haven’t had a family since, uh, since I lost contact in 2013. It feels so strange to have people I want to protect again. It gives me purpose. I hope you have purpose, too.
*(I should note it doesn’t work on the kind of infection that turns you into a mold zombie. If you contract that, you should just have someone put you down…)
It seems like it’s pretty hard to keep Oliver Queen buried. Stephen Amell, cousin of True Jackson, VP star Robbie Amell and the actor responsible for bringing Green Arrow to life on television since 2012, has taken to his social media to confirm his return as the famed archer for The Flash‘s ninth and final season. He joins a slew of surprising comeback players in what’s looking like the end of an era for The CW’s slate of live-action DC properties. Javicia Leslie, whose Batwoman series was unexpectedly canceled after three seasons, will also reprise her role as Ryan Wilder in the last episodes of The Flash.
Amell teased the news on his Twitter account, posting a GIF of his character and Grant Gustin‘s Barry Allen from an earlier season with the caption “Of course I’m coming back.” He followed this with an Instagram image of himself on The Flash set with Gustin, saying, “When Barry calls…Oliver answers…”
The last time fans saw Amell as Queen was in the Arrow series finale, where the hero perished for – what viewers thought – was the last time. It’s not currently known what kind of role Queen will play in the last Flash season, but his return does not necessarily mean he’s playing the same Oliver that died in 2020’s Fadeout. The CW shows are notorious for their exploration of alternate worlds and timelines, and Amell has already played multiple versions of his protagonist across several series. A 2022 tie-in comic revealed there was a living variant of Queen on Earth-Prime, so perhaps that’s who Amell will end up appearing as.
A statement from The Flash executive producer Eric Wallace gives the final word on why the decision was made to bring Amell back for one last ride:
As soon as our final season was announced, we knew we wanted Stephen to come back and reprise his iconic role as Oliver Queen. After all, it was Oliver who originally launched Barry Allen on his heroic path.
The Bad Batch are back and traversing the galaxy far, far away. Just as everyone expected, the premiere episodes of the animated series’ second season took the titular team of lovable rogue clones to places far and wide. What might have been a surprise, however, was where Dee Bradley Baker‘s Hunter and his comrades ended up. Spoils of War and its follow-up, Ruins of War, saw Clone Force 99 arrive on Serenno, a lesser-known planet that played a huge role in the events of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and several of it’s spin-off materials. Longtime fans of the franchise likely lit up at the mention of the planet’s name, but its status as a less-frequent setting in the Star Wars universe may have caused some confusion among casual viewers.
Serenno is a planet located in the Outer Rim Territories, placing it far away from the activities occurring in the central Core Worlds and the galaxy’s governance. As a result, Serenno essentially functioned with its own government for most of its history, making it a fairly independent location. According to legend, it was once ruled by the Sith Empire, until the eight Great Houses of the planet joined together to force the dastardly conquerors off world. The revolt was led by House Serenno, named for its patriarch, who was consequently named ruler of the planet. The people of Serenno also took to naming their homeworld after their greatest House, because apparently, a few honorary street signs wouldn’t have been enough.
House Serenno continued to rule the planet until, as The Bad Batch revealed, its societal demise following The Clone Wars. Its final leader was a man of complicated legacy and someone whose name should automatically ring a few bells for those who’ve seen the Star Wars films. Count Dooku, introduced in Episode II – Attack of the Clones and featured heavily throughout The Clone Wars series, was a member of the House Serenno family, ruler of Serenno, a former Jedi Master, and finally, the second-to-last Sith Apprentice to the legendary Darth Sidious.
Dooku was portrayed by the late Sir Christopher Lee in live-action and has been voiced by Corey Burton in animated form for over a decade. He was a major player in the events of the Clone Wars, founding the Confederacy of Independent Systems with other Separatist leaders and funding its infamous droid army with his family’s immense wealth. Tangentially, that makes Serenno one of the most important locations of the Clone Wars era, despite its minor usage in Clone Wars storytelling. It’s mentioned consistently, but has never been shown in live-action and was only the setting for a handful of Clone Wars episodes – seven, to be exact. It was also part of the plot for Star Wars: Dark Disciple, a novel based on an unproduced Clone Wars story arc, which would have given the planet more screen time had those episodes made it to air.
Count Dooku’s grand castle is the most recognizable aspect of Serenno among fans, as most scenes from The Clone Wars set on the planet played out in the villainous royal’s throne room. That room makes another appearance in The Bad Batch, which takes its time to flesh out the history of Serenno and give viewers their most comprehensive look at the Outer Rim marble yet. A native of the planet explains that Dooku was secretly using his people’s money to supplement the Separatist movement, which lead to an economic crisis they’ve not been able to recover from.
A huge benefit of projects like The Bad Batch is their placement in the universe’s timeline. The show’s existence between other major Star Wars properties gives it a chance to fill in the blanks where most audiences might not have even realized there was a space. Serenno and its past are important parts of Star Wars lore, and thanks to The Bad Batch, they have both now been threaded through multiple eras of storytelling.
“Martial law” is such a funny phrase. At first glance, it definitely looks like “marital law”, but “marital law” and “martial law” are too very different ideas.
“Marital law” is something I joke about with Alex* – if you make me a promise, you stick to it.
“Martial law” is what happened to the country after Outbreak Day – a bunch of military assholes come steamrolling into town and take over, ranting about “maintaining order” and some other “here to keep peace” bullshit.
Unfortunately, their version of “peace” is what my political science classes would have described as “militant oppression.” The Federal Disaster Response Agency – FEDRA, if you’re lazy – and what was left of the government set up military rule in every Quarantine Zone nationwide once it was clear the situation was out of hand. We’re still in Buffalo, at the “Canalside QZ”, but we’ve heard about similar set-ups in Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Denver, and Boston. Some of them are worse than others, and not all of them are still standing.
I’ve spent the better part of the last 6(!) years in QZ. Once the dust settled at UB, FEDRA raided the campus. I was huddled in that abandoned wing writing “Apocalypse 101”, the Great American Novel. According to the crumpled pages I just found at the bottom of an old bag, I made it to Rule #12 before I was forced into QZ and life regained a deranged sense of normalcy. I stopped thinking about “survival” and started thinking about keeping my head down. I watched FEDRA shoot innocents in the street. People I knew. For no real reason. All in the name of “civility.”
Now, though, it seems like I should start writing again. There’s a palpable sense of unrest in the QZ. They’ve told us there’s a food shortage, and we should only expect to receive half-rations for the foreseeable future. Anyone without the proper ration cards is on their own. Those of us they consider “able-bodied” are drafted and forced to work details inside and outside of the city. I work the wall. Shoot infected on sight. It’s pretty miserable, but these days, what isn’t?
Alex made friends with (smuggles alcohol to) one of the FEDRA agents, and when he drinks, he talks. QZ radio signals are dropping like flies. Recons say it’s hordes of infected and folks who’ve had enough. We’ve heard more and more about a rogue militia group attacking QZ’s, calling themselves “the Fireflies”. They want democracy back, and they want a cure for whatever the hell all of this is. Them and everyone else.
Thing is, if something like that happens here, Alex and I won’t be able to rely on QZ walls to keep us alive anymore. As bad as this place is, at least it’s kept out the infected. Luckily, should we end up on our own, my time faithfully guarding our hollowed grounds has taught me a thing or two about what we’d be up against. I was thinking about jotting down a guide for Alex to have, keep him safe, and then I remembered this journal. So, without further ado, my latest additions to “Apocalypse 101.” For everyone to enjoy. Six years in the making.
Types of Infected and How to Kill Them
There are really only a couple ways to be infected. You get bit, or you breathe in a bunch of parasitic spores that make you hack up a lung and turn your brain into plant-powered, flesh-eating mush. Once you’re infected, there’s no going back. That’s why FEDRA agents normally just shoot suspected infectees where they stand. False positive or not.
Runners
If you’ve got that Cordyceps in your system, you’ve got two days left of being you. After that, you’re one of them. You’ll lose control of yourself. Irritable, violent, twitchy. Skin pale, covered in lesions. Eyes glossed over, hair falling out. We call infected in this early stage “Runners“, because, well, they’re still fast. Agile. Erratic.
Runners are the easiest type of infected to kill, so long as you’re able to keep them separated. A horde of them will overrun you quick. It’s too much flailing at the same time. If you see more than a few Runners in any area, approach with caution and take them out silently.
Silence and patience are the keys to everything outside the walls.
All types of infected are triggered by loud noises; they make them go nuts. Most of them can’t see, but Runners can. Stay out of their line of sight unless you think you can take them on. Like I said, they’re pretty easy to bury. Aside from an insatiable need to eat every living thing they can find, they’re still mostly human. That means anything that could kill a person will kill a Runner. Gun to the torso, knife to the throat, baseball bat to the head. You name it.
It’s smart to clear your area of Runners because if you don’t, they’ll become something a lot worse. That being said, killing them has probably been the least enjoyable experience of my life. They’re still mostly human, which means a little bit of who they used to be is still in there somewhere. Runners cry, and they moan, and they screech. They know what they are now, but they can’t stop it. Some of them won’t even attack. They just stand there, hunched over, fighting themselves. It’s horrible. Like putting down a sick dog.
Stalkers
The Last of Us™ Part II_20200708100013
Honestly, my least favorite infected type. Insanely creepy. This is what you become in the weeks and months after infection. Somewhere between human and monster. You’ll likely hear a “Stalker” before you see them, and by the time you see them, it may be too late.
At this point in their infection, the Stalkers have begun growing a sort of fungal armor on their bodies. They’re stronger too, so you’re not gonna be able to kill them with your fists like a Runner, or sneak up behind them for a choke-out. In fact, stealth is probably not an option for you here at all. That’s their game, and they’re great at it.
Stalkers still have a little eyesight and they’ve got their speed. They love dark rooms and places to hide. The Cordyceps has spread to their neck and faces, so they can’t make human noises anymore. It’s just croaking sounds, and they use them as a form of echolocation. Once they know you’re there, they’ll start up their modus operandi. They hide behind corners, in walls, and crouch where you can’t see them. That croaking is the only thing that gives them away. When you turn your back, they’ll sprint to the next hiding spot. Closer and closer.
The best way to combat them is with a strategy of your own. Don’t charge them, or try to fight them head-on. You’ll lose. They travel better than you. Stay back, set traps, and plan every movement. If you can lure them out of hiding and into a pipe bomb, do that. If you can’t, strap up with the heaviest weapon you’ve got and wait until they jump at you. Follow the croaks and the one glowing eye until they’re near enough to fire a shotgun at. Just know what else might be in the room with you, and what the sudden sound of an explosive might do when it goes off.
You can throw bricks and bottles around to confuse them if you’d like. Make them think you’re somewhere else. But that doesn’t always work.
Clickers
These are the famous ones. The way people talk about them in QZ’s, you’d think they were the only ones. They’re certainly the most annoying. “Clickers” are what you get after about a year of letting human DNA stew with Cordyceps fungus. Stronger than the average person and nastier than a toilet after Mardi Gras.
Clickers get their name from the way they survive. With no eyes, they make clicking sounds to get around and hunt for prey. Echolocation, like the Stalkers. Only at this point, they’re more plants than humans. Shocking to look at. Usually very little clothing, on account of the fungal growths tearing through it all. No faces, just mushroom-like masses on top of wet cryptid bodies. They do have teeth, though. And they’re sharp.
All those growths make for a pretty solid form of protection. You could shoot one point-blank in the head, and the shrapnel wouldn’t even puncture the skull. You either need a lot of ammo or incredible precision to bring a Clicker down. If you can move quietly and get close, you can slip a knife, or shiv, under their fungal plating for an instant kill. This also applies to immaculate arrow shots. With no vision, you don’t have to hide from them. You just might want to avoid making a peep if they’re turned in your direction. Typically, a Clicker will just stand there and claw at it’s own face until it thinks about dinner. If it knows food is nearby, it won’t leave until it’s full.
Like any tree or garden before them, Clickers are very susceptible to fire. A well-tossed Molotov cocktail or fully-functional flamethrower will put an end to their misery if you can manage to get your hands on that sort of thing. Otherwise, it’s recommended you don’t engage unless well-equipped to blow through fungus. Especially if there’s more than one Clicker in the area. That’s just asking to die.
Bloaters
A “Bloater” is a Clicker left to rot for too long. Years of fungal build-up. Incredibly rare, and something you should hope never to see. Their name is well-earned. Massive, big-old turds. I’m talking bear-sized or bigger. Like, “you-stand-very-little-chance-of-walking-away” large.
Most of the tactics that apply to Clickers also apply here, only on steroids. Nobody has the kind of ammo needed to shoot one of these things to death, so your best route of action is to turn tail and get your ass out of wherever you are. If that’s not in the cards, you better hope you have specific, armor-piercing bullets loaded (a hunting rifle is surprisingly effective) or another tank for that flamethrower. Don’t even think about going hand-to-hand with a Bloater. It will literally rip your jaw out of your face and start beating you with it. These guys are brutal, physical, and hungry.
Keeping your distance won’t work against Bloaters either. It’s better than facing them up close, but they’ve got a special kind of growth that feels designed by Satan just to screw with us. A Bloater can grow bulbs of mycotoxin on its body, and if it knows you’re there, it will start whipping them across the room at you until you can’t breathe anymore. Rough.
Their only real weaknesses are these: they’re dumb and slow. You can trick them into hurting themselves if you’re smart enough about it. Let them ram into walls or walk into pools of gasoline. Fun stuff if you’re sick in the head.
Others
We’ve covered the main four stages of infection, but I have heard tell of other variants roaming different parts of the country. “Shamblers” are essentially just soaked Bloaters, which apparently exist in coastal cities. They’re so full of liquid they just spray their mycotoxin directly from their torso, no bulbs required. They explode when they die, too. So stay clear after they hit the ground.
The craziest rumor I’ve heard is that some infected can get all tangled up with each other, and grow into a single terrifying mass. Never seen it myself. No idea how you’d handle that predicament. Would probably have to take myself out if I ever came across it.
Rules #13-17, When You Kill Them Make Sure They’re Dead
Still reading? Good. All of that was wildly important. The infected are no joke, and knowing how to deal with them is one of the most important survival skills a person can have. In order to emphasize this, I’ve grouped the last four rules – each type of infected and how to kill them – under one umbrella. I’ve also named this section of “Apocalypse 101′ after something I make Alex promise every time he sneaks out of QZ. It’s part of our “marital law.”
When you kill them, make sure they’re dead.
*(I guess it’s been a while since I last wrote in here. I’ve got some life updates! Remember that shuffling I heard in the abandoned wing of UB? That was Alex. I wasn’t alone in there. He found himself a hiding spot and stuck to it, only leaving for supplies at night. He’s like a very handsome Stalker, who never once tried to kill me. We agreed to help each other survive, and found ourselves sharing a bed not long after. He’s been the one thing I’ve had since Outbreak Day. My only family. He hasn’t been drafted yet, but he keeps his days busy smuggling supplies in and out of the QZ. Big network of that growing underground. I hate it, but I trust him. We both know what we’re doing.
Almost makes me think we’d be better off living with the Clickers than FEDRA…)
I never really liked living in a city. Too many people. Too many germs. Too many people with germs.
I guess I was right to be worried. People are already calling it “Outbreak Day”, which is kind of dumb. Why does history always give it’s biggest moments the silliest names? So self-serious. “The Plantdemic” was right there. Anyway, there’s a good chance writing this won’t matter. By the time anyone else gets their hands on it, “Outbreak Day” will either be in every history book or history books won’t exist.
I’m not really sure what’s happening, but it doesn’t feel good. It feels really bad, actually. It started with a few nerve-wracking headlines and flashing news tickers. But it was always so easy to ignore. I mean, who really pays attention to the news? None of it seems to matter until it’s changing your life. Then, oh boy, does it matter.
Alright, here it goes. The truth. Or at least what I’m pretty sure is the truth. Picture me clearing my throat here, for dramatic effect –
Most people are dead. The ones that aren’t are suffering.
That being said, momma didn’t raise no quitter. So, for the sake of my own sanity, and maybe yours, I’m putting together this little guide to surviving the apocalypse. “THE APOCALYPSE“, I can’t hardly believe it. Is this really the apocalypse? I don’t know. I’m just not really sure how long I’m gonna make it, and if I can’t make it, I hope someone else finds this and makes it themselves. Although, if I don’t make it, maybe this survival guide isn’t really worth reading? Fingers crossed.
Rule #1, Cities Are Bad
Spending my entire life surrounded by fields felt like a curse until it wasn’t. I grew up in New York, but not the part you’re thinking of. I’m from Western New York, where there’s room to roam. A couple years ago, when it was time to pick a college, I went with the University of Buffalo. Close to home, but far enough to feel independent. I had some friends ahead of me who already lived there. Plenty of things to do. It was safe. It made sense. It was densely populated.
I was supposed to graduate from college this semester. A big celebration. Years of hard work. I was only on campus for about a month before I noticed the chaos on every screen.
“CORDYCEPS BRAIN INFECTION REACHES CRITICAL MASS”
Remember when you learned about the Cordyceps fungus in high school? Of course, you don’t. It never happened. Literally, not a single person cared about Cordyceps, unless they loved ants. That, like the name “Outbreak Day”, was pretty stupid. Its whole thing is getting on the brain and growing until it takes over. Should have been a red flag. For the longest time, it only infected insects. Turned them into zombies, made their corpses move on their own. A fun YouTube video, at most.
Then, at some point this year (2013 if you’re keeping track)*, Cordyceps managed to evolve. It spread through contaminated food, like the worst case of salmonella you’ve ever had. It started infecting people, making them act all funny. They became violent and mindless. Tearing people apart. I’m not sure if they’ve been eating anyone, but I wouldn’t rule it out. The “Infected”, or whatever we end up calling them, are pretty hard to reason with.
On the morning of September 26th, this is what The Buffalo News had to say:
The Food and Drug Administration’s investigation of crops potentially tainted with mold continues across the country. Initial lists distributed to vendors nationwide warned against crops imported from South America, but now the scope has extended to include Central America and Mexico. Several companies have already voluntarily recalled their food products from the shelves.
Buffalo News
By nightfall, Channel 4 was claiming a 300% increase in area hospital admittance. By the next day, there weren’t many normal people left. There was a lot of screaming. Crashes and bangs. Fire. Tears. There’s always snow in Buffalo. I’ll never forget realizing the white flakes outside my window were ash.
I remember it all so clearly. I was supposed to get an apartment off-campus with a few friends, but that fell apart last minute. I was in the dorms. So compact. Every footstep felt like it was coming for me. Pure anxiety. If one person was infected, an entire hall was infected. Nowhere was safe. Nothing made sense. It was densely populated.
I was lucky enough to live on the second floor and fled out the window. Short drop, didn’t hurt. I could hear them screeching and banging on my door. Wood broke as I hit the ground. I ran until I couldn’t anymore. I’ve been held up in an abandoned wing of the school ever since. Looks like one of the janitors was doomsday prepping in his closet. Glad it worked out for one of us.
I haven’t seen my family since they dropped me off on campus. Cell service isn’t a thing anymore, so I have no idea if they’re alive. If they’re thinking about me, wondering the same thing. Downtown is too full of – whatever those are – to make an escape. I think I’m all alone at the moment, though sometimes I think I hear shuffling at night. I don’t sleep much.
Enough with the sad stuff, though.
I’ve decided the first session of “Apocalypse 101” is about cities. They’re bad. Don’t go to them. Don’t go anywhere with a lot of bodies. If you have supplies to survive in open spaces, stay where you are. If you found this note in the city of Buffalo, get the hell out. More people means a higher infection rate, and a much lower chance of you keeping your human brain.
Even what I’m doing right now isn’t sustainable. I need to be somewhere I can move, and I need a volleyball I can draw eyes on. Living by yourself isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Good news, though. There’s a radio in here, and it just started picking up a military frequency. Only a little unsettling. Looks like they might be showing up soon, making UB a “Quarantine Zone”. Maybe I won’t have to keep this up very long after all…
Everything will change when the fire nation attacks – or, at least, when James Cameron shows audiences a fiery new kind of Na’vi. The veteran director, fresh off the successful release of his long-awaited sequel Avatar: The Way of Water, has revealed the next chapter in the epic saga will introduce a fire-based tribe of Na’vi living on Pandora. According to Cameron, they will be known as the “Ash People”, and they might not be as welcoming as the forest and water-based tribes viewers have grown accustomed to in the first two films.
Speaking with the French outlet 20 Minutes, Cameron was asked to comment on what’s to come in the currently-untitled Avatar 3. His response focused on the potential diversity in culture of his fictional world:
Different cultures from those I have already shown. The fire will be represented by the “Ash People.” I want to show the Na’vi in a different light because, so far, I have only shown their good sides. In the early films, there are very negative human examples and very positive Na’vi examples. In Avatar 3, we will do the opposite.
James Cameron
It sounds like each entry in the Avatar franchise will continue to add layers to the Na’vi and their societal structure. The exact plot of Avatar 3 is still unknown, but it appears the “Ash People” are set to play a large role, potentially as a new antagonist.
Geminio! In the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, this is the “Doubling Charm” used to duplicate any given object. If rumors are to be believed, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) may be looking to use it on the very franchise it originates from. According to a new report from industry insider Valliant Renegade, WBD wants to reboot the core Harry Potter films with a new cast in the next three-to-five years. The move would come after the company’s high-profile Fantastic Beasts prequels failed with fans, critics, and the box office, resulting in a halt on production of the final two planned entries.
Valliant Renegade claims WBD has too much invested in the Harry Potter property, which they reportedly call “The Wizarding Division” internally, to let it slip away with Fantastic Beasts. As such, the studio has become willing to make the massive leap and begin anew with the characters and concepts that put the franchise on the map in the first place. Their rationale is, according to Valliant, that the fans of the original novel adaptations have aged past going to see the films and it is therefore time to reignite the passion in a new generation of moviegoers. They would like to make Harry Potter an “evergreen” property.
As ambitious as this sounds, Valliant warns it’s not yet close to actually happening. WBD is apparently searching for a “James Gunn individual” who would shepherd the entirety of “The Wizarding Division”, and there have not been any talks as of now. Renegade also says that the reboot would likely not be an exact retelling of the classic story, with WBD exploring “many different ways” to bring back the cornerstone names and elements associated with Harry Potter. However, the exact method they’ll use to reboot the franchise is still undecided, if any of this is actually happening at all.
Marvel Studios’ Eternals is suddenly back in the conversation, and its possible resurgence could open quite a few doors for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. A new rumor making the rounds online has the film’s third act impacting several future MCU projects, with 2024’s Thunderbolts at the center of it all. Industry insider Daniel RPK reports that the reformed supervillain team will gather for a trip to Tiamut, the massive Celestial that froze solid in the middle of the ocean at the end of Eternals, which has since become a full-blown island. According to RPK, there’s a chance Tiamut has become a natural supplier of a valuable new resource, Adamantium, which the team and several other parties have grown an interest in. How this could potentially play out is still a mystery, but if true, it might indicate the surprise return of a major Eternals character – Ikaris.
Ikaris, portrayed by Richard Madden in his first cinematic appearance, was last seen flying directly into the sun after betraying his fellow Eternals in the name of Arishem and the Emergence. It was assumed this act of self-punishment resulted in Ikaris’ death, but as Eternals so distinctly showcased, this does not exactly spell the ultimate end of an Eternal. Created by Celestials, the Eternals are built to last, and come with a near-endless amount of backup bodies should their current form be destroyed. It’s not a stretch to imagine Ikaris will make a comeback at some point in the MCU’s next phase, even if it’s not the exact version of the cosmic warrior fans previously saw perish. In fact, if Ikaris’ body was completely melted by the intensity of Earth’s sun, it would stand to reason Arishem and the Celestials would feel there’s enough at stake to send out another Ikaris with a new mind and a new mission. Return to Earth, and protect what’s left of Tiamut.
The Celestials, or at least Arishem, are now keeping a keen eye on Earth and its people. If Tiamut is actually an unexpected means of the MCU gaining Adamantium, the Celestials could view that as an undue advancement of humanity and send Ikaris to prevent the massive changes that might come with societies claiming the alien metal as their own. Whether or not this could make Ikaris the “evil Superman” figure rumored to act as the secret villain of Thunderboltsis, of course, still unknown. Other reports have made claims for the Sentry fitting that role, starting as part of the Thunderbolts roster sent after Tiamut’s Adamantium before losing his mind and becoming the main threat of the film. Perhaps both Sentry and Ikaris will appear in the movie, becoming rivals throughout the story. After all, if Sentry is a major antagonist in the project, the Thunderbolts will need a little extra help from someone a little more powerful if they have any hope of emerging victorious.
Aside from the undeniable “cool factor” of pitting two God-like superbeings against each other, the inclusion of Ikaris in Thunderbolts could also be a very smart “big picture” move on Marvel Studios’ part. If Eternals 2 is indeed coming, and it’s truly based on the recent Judgement Day comics written by Kieron Gillen, then Ikaris’ potential role in Thunderbolts would become a very useful throughline between the Eternals and the wider MCU. Judgement Day features a conflict between the Eternals, the Avengers, and the X-Men, over new discoveries in the Eternals’ purpose and the mutants’ gene code. If Tiamut is actually destined to transform into Genosha and play a role in the impending mutant side of the MCU, having a version of Ikaris aware of the way it affects the planet would act as an excellent prelude to an Eternals: Judgement Day film. Maybe, if Marvel Studios really wanted to get crazy, they could even have Ikaris’ meddling on “Genosha” factor into the island’s mutant evolution. It’s important to remember these are all just rumors at the moment. However, the events of Eternals and the franchise’s future playing such a vital role in the MCU would be a wonderfully unexpected way to resolve the Eternals’ arc and push the greater universe forward in a creative manner.
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