Can Zombies Drown in The Walking Dead? The Definitive Answer
The short answer is: no, zombies in The Walking Dead cannot drown in the traditional sense. While they might sink and accumulate water in their bodies, they won’t asphyxiate because they don’t require oxygen to “live” or function as undead creatures. This has been demonstrated in several scenes throughout the series where walkers are shown to be active and mobile underwater. Let’s delve into the nuances of walker physiology and behavior in relation to water.
Walker Biology and the Aquatic Environment
The walkers in The Walking Dead operate under different biological rules than living beings. Their reanimation is attributed to a virus (or another unknown pathogen), and this virus overrides the standard need for oxygen. So, while a human would quickly succumb to drowning, a walker simply continues its relentless pursuit of the living, even when submerged.
Sinking or Floating: The Waterlogged Walker Dilemma
Whether a walker sinks or floats is influenced by factors like body mass, build, and any clothing they might be wearing. A walker could potentially become waterlogged, causing them to sink. Gases produced by decomposition may also cause them to bloat and float, similar to what happens with dead animals. However, even at the bottom of a body of water, their animated state persists.
The Crushing Depths: Pressure and Zombie Undeadness
One factor that could potentially impact underwater walkers is water pressure. Although unlikely to immediately “kill” a walker (since they’re already dead), extreme pressure at great depths might eventually disable them through physical damage. Imagine the intense pressure exerted on a walker at the bottom of the ocean. This pressure might crush their bones and tissues, rendering them immobile, even if the undead virus continues to function. This is a theoretical consideration not explicitly explored in the series, though.
Practical Implications: Water as a Barrier (Sort Of)
While walkers can’t drown, water can still present a barrier to them. They lack coordination and the ability to swim effectively. This lack of coordination can make traversal difficult in deeper or faster-moving water. While they may shamble through shallow streams, they would likely struggle in a turbulent river or deep lake. This lack of agility makes it difficult to escape the pull of tides if they are caught in the ocean, and high pressure would crush and trap them.
Decomposition: The Ultimate Fate
While walkers don’t die from lack of oxygen, they are still subject to decomposition. Water accelerates this process. Submerged walkers will decompose more rapidly than those on land, eventually reaching a point where their structural integrity is compromised and they become less of a threat. However, even a decaying walker still possesses the potential to bite or infect.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Walkers and Water
Here are some common questions people have about zombies in The Walking Dead and their relationship with water, answered with the same authoritative voice:
1. Do walkers feel pain?
No, walkers in The Walking Dead are thought to have limited brain activity and no pain receptors. They don’t react to pain.
2. Are walkers afraid of water?
There’s no definitive evidence that walkers are inherently afraid of water. The cited sources only show that zombies are not good swimmers, not that they are afraid.
3. Why don’t walkers eat each other?
Walkers are attracted to the scent of living, warm flesh. They will only eat that.
4. Can walkers survive without food?
Yes, walkers do not need to eat anything to survive. They can still lurch for months. They would, however, decompose over time.
5. Can walkers smell?
Yes, walkers use scent of smell to distinguish between living prey and other walkers.
6. Do walkers need air?
No, walkers do not need oxygen. There are scenes of walkers moving and active underwater.
7. Why do zombies ignore Morgan?
Morgan was covered in the stench of death which allowed him to trick the zombies into believing he was one of them.
8. Are walkers weak?
Walkers are weaker than humans, but destroying the brain is the only way to kill one.
9. How long can walkers live?
Mackiewicz says, “generations”, that would suggest the undead can continue to kick around for 60 years or more until they’ve finally rotted away.
10. Why don’t zombies talk?
Zombies can’t talk because their limited brain function doesn’t allow for complex thoughts.
11. Can walkers go to sleep?
No, zombies do not go to sleep. They enter a dormant state.
12. Is anyone immune to the TWD virus?
In the original show, there is no character that is immune to the zombie virus. That fact alone makes Laurent special, and also, makes The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon special. Furthermore, Laurent’s immunity changes the course of The Walking Dead’s overarching story.
13. Why do walkers moan?
Because a zombie is technically dead, it doesn’t need to take in oxygen to continue “living”.
14. Why don t animals turn into walkers in The Walking Dead?
There is no evidence in any episode/issue that any animals turn into walkers after being bitten and infected.
15. Do zombies need to eat?
Zombies are reanimated dead people. They don’t actually need to eat anything, on account of being dead.
Conclusion: Water and the Undead in The Walking Dead
While water poses certain challenges to walkers in The Walking Dead, they cannot drown in the traditional sense. The rules of their reanimated existence circumvent the need for oxygen, allowing them to shamble through shallow waters and even remain animated beneath the surface. While decomposition and environmental factors like pressure will eventually disable them, water alone is not a fatal weakness.
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