Other than Joel and Ellie, the thing people know about The Last of Us is the infected. They’re zombie-like, except they aren’t undead. Their minds have been taken over by cordyceps, causing them to act violently and somewhat animalistically. The other difference is that there are levels of infection. Different versions of zombies appear in movies and games like Resident Evil, but the ones in The Last of Us aren’t called by that name.
This article will break down the five kinds of infected that you’ll typically see in The Last of Us and end with the anomaly that’s only been seen once. Let’s start with the most common on the HBO show and the video game.
Runners (stage 1, common)
Runners are the most common of the infected because they’re the first stage. They’re also the most basic. There isn’t a plan of attack for them other than to go after the non-infected. They’ll flail their arms, scratch, and bite whatever is in their way. Think of them as classic zombies.
They don’t have many of the physical traits of the others on this list, like fungi popping out of their faces, and they also scream like banshees.
Stalkers (stage 2)
These creepy so-and-sos are the absolute worst because they’re smart and vicious. They don’t just come after you like the runners. Stalkers hide in the shadows or under structures, crawl low, wait for an opportunity, and strike like animals. If that's not bad enough, their movements are silent. I’ve played The Last of Us multiple times, and these jerks still make me jump when they pop out.
There’s no way they won’t appear in season 2, and they will creep people out. Their appearance is almost like clickers, except the fungi haven’t completely covered their eyes and made them blind. Instead, their fungi sprout from the tops of their heads like a bad hairdo.
Clickers (stage 3)
Runners are the most common, but clickers are the most popular. Their fungus-sprouted faces are easily recognizable, and the clicking sound they make gives people chills. They’re like runners in the sense that they also dash at things. The difference is they’re harder to kill and sneak up on. If you step too loud they'll be on you like flies to poop.
Bloaters (stage 4)
The giant, armor-plated, acid-spore-throwing tanks of an infected are horrific to look at and fight. The only thing that seems to work on them is fire and a bunch of shotgun blasts. Even then, they just keep coming. If you need another example of how strong they are, look no further than episode 5 of season 1 ("Endure and Survive") when it ripped someone’s head off with ease.
The Last of Us game and show writer Neil Druckmann has the best explanation of what they are. He said, "There are certain people that are so strong and big that can survive even longer, and those are the Bloater… That’s why you’re seeing this person is so tall and massive in their strength. And it just becomes that much scarier, again as we go forward, there’s just these new types of infected."
Shamblers (stage 4, different environment)
There isn’t much of a difference between the shamblers and the bloaters. They’re both big and project acidic spores from their skin. However, shamblers don’t have a hard outer shell.
According to a few videos I’ve seen, the shamblers get their gross wet look from being in humid areas or close to bodies of water. Plus, after you kill them, their pores spout acid.
The Rat King (stage 5, rare)
The first time the infected rat king popped out (The Last of Us Part 2), I nearly dropped my controller. The creative team perfectly put this spine-chilling specimen in the right scene to petrify players.. And when I finally got a good look at it, it was unbelievable. It has clickers, stalkers, and runners fused into one vile villain. Unlike the other infected on this list, it takes everything you have to beat it.
It doesn’t end there. After you’ve beaten the thing, one of the infected rips itself off the monstrosity and keeps fighting (if the one behemoth wasn’t enough). It'll be interesting to see if it appears in season 2 of The Last of Us. If this writer had to guess, one of the episodes in season 2 will end with it appearing.
Stay tuned to Bam Smack Pow and their social media sites Bluesky, Instagram, and Twitter for more news, opinions, and rumors about The Last of Us as they come out.