What is the King Zombie in The Last of Us?

The King Zombie, also known as the Rat King, is a terrifying infected anomaly in The Last of Us series, composed of multiple stalkers, clickers, and a bloater that have been connected together by the Cordyceps fungus, making it one of the scariest foes in the game. This supersized fungus-monster is a product of an advanced stage of Cordyceps infection, landing with a thud above ground like a true video game big bad, ready to cause mayhem.

Understanding the Rat King

Composition and Formation

The Rat King is a rare and formidable type of infected, formed when multiple infected individuals, including stalkers, clickers, and a bloater, are connected by the Cordyceps fungus, creating a powerful and nearly indestructible entity.

FAQs

1. What type of zombie is the Rat King in The Last of Us? The Rat King is an anomaly composed of stalkers, clickers, and a bloater, rumored to be some of the first infected, meaning it took over 25 years to form and is nearly impossible to defeat.
2. What is the zombie thing in The Last of Us? The Infected in The Last of Us are mindless zombies, referred to as “the Infected,” created by a mutant Cordyceps fungal infection that devastates the United States.
3. What is the scariest zombie in The Last of Us? The Rat King is arguably the scariest and most dangerous type of infected, a combination of Stalkers, Clickers, and Bloaters that reportedly take 25 years to develop and are the strongest type.
4. Are Last of Us zombies still human? In The Last of Us, the Infected are not traditional zombies, as they never died, nor were they ever reborn; instead, a terrifying fungus crawled through their insides and took over control of their still-living bodies.
5. Can Last of Us zombies be cured? While surviving humans have gotten better at dealing with The Last of Us’ Infected zombies, it seems that the monsters will be around forever, as the only doctor who could possibly make a cure was killed by Joel.
6. Can Ellie infect others? Ellie almost certainly cannot infect others in The Last of Us, as there are some hints from The Last of Us Part II surrounding Ellie’s immunity and how it works.
7. Why is Ellie immune? Ellie is immune in The Last of Us because her mother, Anna, was bitten during childbirth, making Ellie the only known person to be immune to the Cordyceps infection.
8. Why did the Infected kiss Tess? In the show, the Infected kisses Tess to allow tendrils of the evolved Cordyceps fungi to pass into her, infecting her with the deadly fungus.
9. Can Bloaters see? Like Clickers, Bloaters are blind and rely on echolocation to locate their prey, making them a formidable and intimidating enemy.
10. Could The Last of Us happen? While there are some species that can cause disease in humans, a Cordyceps-related apocalypse is extremely unlikely for a multitude of reasons, according to the science community.
11. Who is immune to the zombie virus in The Last of Us? Ellie is the only known person to be immune to the Cordyceps infection, making her a crucial character in the search for a cure.
12. Why is the Bloater so big? Bloaters are incredibly strong and physically imposing infected that are covered in thick fungus that effectively acts as armor plates, making them extremely difficult to kill.
13. What stage is a Bloater? Bloaters are a Stage Four infected, characterized by their large size, strength, and bioluminescent fungal growth.
14. Are The Last of Us zombies blind? By the time an Infected has evolved into the clicker stage, they develop a primitive form of echolocation due to their blindness, producing loud clicking and croaking sounds.
15. How did Joel know Ellie was immune? Joel learns about Ellie’s immunity when he and Ellie arrive at the Fireflies in Salt Lake City, where the doctor’s tests on Ellie’s immunity have uncovered the truth about her unique condition.