The Last of Us infection explained: What are Clickers? (and how are they different?)

Clickers are one of the many threats that Joel, Tess, and Ellie must face in The Last of Us. What are they and how infected are they?

The first episode of The Last of Us was an extremely emotional watch. We met Joel Miller and learned how he evolved into the smuggler assigned to protect Ellie 20 years later, all in the space of 80 minutes.

We also met the runners; infected groups of people succumbing to the Cordyceps brain infection capable of chasing humans with alarming speed and vicious focus. But they aren’t the only versions of the population infected by the parasitic fungal infection that has gripped mankind in The Last of Us.

If you’ve played the video game or watched the trailer for the HBO and HBO Max show, you’ll know that there are greater threats that await the survivors. One of them is the Clickers. So, on that note, let’s discuss what they are, and why viewers will be terrified when they debut.

What are Clickers in The Last of Us?

Clickers were people who are much further gone with the Cordyceps fungal infection. Much more advanced the runners we met in the premiere episode of the HBO series, the fungal infection has spread all over their body, covering up their faces, resulting in them being blind. However, their hearing is much superior now as, like bats, they use echolocation and are able to pick up even the slightest of sounds. That also explains the clicking sound (and the screeches) that they make.

All of that makes them incredibly hard to kill in the game, as they can hear you even when you’re being quiet, and the mold covering up their face actually protects their brains from killshots. With the infection coursing through their body for a very long time now, they are much stronger than a human being, and yes, they can still run like their less advanced counterparts.

When Joel, Ellie and Tess come up against the Clickers on the show, make sure you have plenty of cushions to hide behind. You’re going to need them.

Are you ready to see the Clickers in The Last of Us? Let us know in the comments below!