Zombiepedia
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Intelligent zombies are the rare instances where the zombie condition does not completely eradicate all evidence of thought. Some works of fiction depict zombies with personality and intelligence, the only difference being their hunger for flesh. They are extremely dangerous, as they can still use weapons such as guns or swords, and can devise plans to overcome human barricades, traps and the like.

George A. Romero's Land of the Dead also depicts zombies slowly evolving/developing both a social hierarchy, and the ability to use tools and execute coordinated attacks.

Differences from other zombies[]

  • They can use weapons and tools.
  • They can control their hunger for humans.
  • They are not as dimwitted as normal zombies.
  • They can work with or control the normal dumb zombies.
  • They can communicate in English or whatever language they used to speak.
  • In extremely rare cases they can form friendships or relationship and bond with humans.

Examples[]

  • In “Izombie” the zombies are quite intelligent.
  • Their intelligence is shown many times in Marvel Zombies, as the remaining heroes can speak, retain memory and characteristics of their previous life, and even construct a device to magnifiy their inherited powers to defeat Galactus. It is worth mentioning that Marvel Zombies is a largely comedic work that doesn't work within the strictest levels of the Marvel Universe continuity or canon.
  • Manga such as Reiko the Zombie Shop by Rei Mikamoto and Is This a Zombie? by Shinichi Kimura also depict intelligent zombies that possess the features described above (with the exception of Midori, Saki, and Riruka from Reiko the Zombie Shop, who are mute for some reason, but are capable of basic human intelligence nonetheless). but they do not suffer any type of skin necrosis commonly seen with zombies. These zombies however are also depicted as more of the "romantic" type of zombie.
  • The Draugr in Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim are depicted as a race of intelligent zombies who speak in an ancient dragon language. Even worse, they can use the Unrelenting Force Shout (Fus Ro Dah) to send the Dragonborn and any unfortunate targets flying into the air. Deathlords and Wights(a more powerful kind of Draugr) can use other Shouts like Disarm or several magic spells, overwhelming the Dragonbornoin many occasions.
  • Capcom's Hsien-ko and Lord Raptor of Darkstalkers are also intelligent zombies, Hsien-Ko does not show any signs of necrosis commonly seen with the undead while Lord Raptor is able to transform from his human form to a more decayed and powerful zombie form that is able to use his rotted body as a deadly weapon.
  • Lollipop Chainsaw also depicts intelligent zombies who are capable of speech and using different weapons. These zombies are former high school students who became undead as a result of the actions of the game's antagonist Swan.
  • In the book The Rising  y Brian Keene and its sequel City of the Dead depict a zombie apocalypse where the zombies have human intelligence and can talk. These zombies were created via demonic possession after a portal opened during an experiment at a particle accelerator.
  • In the Halo trilogy, a zombie-like species called The Flood invades Installation 04. The normal infection does not drain the victim's memories and such. The infected person can still use guns.
  • The Wolfenstein Game Series has had a long history of intelligent zombies in the franchise. Mutants and Super Mutants are known to have chest mounted guns and some use blades as means of attack. Dark Knights are known to carry shields and axes, as well as swords. Heinrich I carried a large sword that accommodated his size and later enemies like the Despoiled used the STG-44. Shamblers were the next form of undead created by the Nazis, now these were primitive in forms of attack, however some primarily military carried the STG-46t and fired them at B.J. Blazkowicz.
  • To some extent, the zombies in DOOM (created by demonic spells) are intelligent. They do not seem to understand modern military tactics any more than the demons that command them, but they are still intelligent enough to use firearms as a primary way of attacking the Doomguy.
  • In the games Sniper Elite: Nazi Zombie Army and Sniper Elite: Nazi Zombie Army 2, some Nazi Zombies, particularly the Elites and Snipers utilize firearms. The grunts on the other hand, mostly use melee weapons, however some like the suicide variants and normal grunts can and will use guns and explosives, but are not always accurate with them.
  • Nurgle Followers in Warhammer 40000 are people infected by the supernatural diseases of the Chaos God Nurgle.
  • In the Italian horror film Zombi 3, people infected with the zombie virus posses the ability to speak and retain some of their old personality, but they become psychotic and crave human flesh.
  • In Resident Evil 6, the C Zombies can use weapons up to and including guns.
  • In the movie "Cell Phone", the infected from mobile phone can use weapons.
  • In Doghouse, the infected use weapons.
  • In the "Warcraft" franchise, the major undead factions are "The Scourge" and "The Forsaken". While the bulk of the Scourge are mindless and feral, key members and monsters in the Scourge have higher-intelligence and can command the lesser undead. The Forsaken, meanwhile, are undead who escaped the grasp of the " :ich King" who controls the Scourge. The Forsaken are zombies with higher intelligence, with the ability to think, speak and use weapons.
  • In Resident Evil: Retribution, the Plagas zombie in the Moscow sequence can use weapons and vehicles.
  • In "Day of the Dead", Bud is a domesticated zombie who can feel emotion.
  • In "Fido", all zombies can become a friend by domestic means.
  • In the "Fallout" series, zombie-like creatures called Ghouls can be found. They are mutated by radiation, and thus have rotting skin. They also live for a very long time and can live without eating. Most Ghouls found are intelligent and act as other NPCs, however, there are also Feral Ghouls which are much more similar to dumb zombies. In the series, "zombie" is considered a slur as most Ghouls simply wish to be human. Although Ghouls do not eat human flesh or brains, they are still considered zombies.
  • The Norwegian comedy-horror movie "Dead Snow" depicts Nazi Zombies that can utilize various tools such as knives and binoculars and follow orders, letting the protagonist go after he returned a cursed treasure. They do not crave human flesh and rarely bite in combat situations.
  • In DEAD BEFORE DAWN 3D, any infected use guns and other weapons.
  • The Crazies, in the film of the same name, can speak and use weapons.
  • In "Slither, the zombies are those infected by aliens slugs. They are not only intelligent, they are also influenced by the memories and feelings of their original selves.
  • In "Here Alone" any more infected are intelligents.
  • in ZON 261 any infected use weapons.
  • Intelligent zombies appear multiple times in the TV series "Z-Nation." An example is Dr. Edger Caligari, who attached an infected hand to himself, causing him to mutate and grow multiple new limbs, but the "Franken Z" as he is called, can control himself. Another example is the Phytos; a zombie-plant hybrid controlled by one Phyto. He is concluded to be intelligent as Murphy was able to sense pain and anger stemming from him. In that same episode, an experimental plant vaccine is given to a zombie's head in a jar that allows the zombie to say "Brains." Another form of intelligent zombie that appears are the blasters; a zombie created by the nuclear blasts. They can't speak or use tools, but they have a pack mentality and are able to coordinate attacks on survivors. Finally, a type of zombie found in season 5 is the talkers. Due to the "Black Rain Event," they are able to talk and even look like a human, albeit sickly, and if routinely fed "Bizkits," they are able to stay happy and join human societies.
  • Autumn (2009 film) have undead are intelligent.
  • Dead Rising: Watchtower : A zombie cop use gun and a clown zombie use a tool.
  • The 1988 film Dead Heat can arguably be shown to demonstrate intelligent zombies.
  • In "Universal soldier" the soldier from vietnam war are ressurected they have memories and intelligent.
  • In "Izombie" the main protagonist are a intelligent infected and the other infected are intelligent.
  • The Tommyknockers of stephen king are the victims manipulate by a green light and become zombie unlike infected they can speak and intelligent.
  • In the comics french belgium "Gipsy " "the aztec laughing" vol 6 , the virus change victims into laughing zombie.
  • In the french comics "La 6e heure" vol 2 "La Chute de l'ange" the virus change into a zombie paranoid with red eyes.
  • In the manga "City Hunter" the virus are "angel dust" to transform into a surhuman zombie and intelligent.
  • In the episode "Straight and Narrow" from "The Outer Limits" they are the student male are manipulate by ship.
  • In "Gunslinger Girl" the manga, the girls are manipulate for protect his own masters by automatic and they are surhuman.
  • In "Anatane: Saving the Children of Okura" the TRACS manipulate the innocents male for become the kinds of zombie named BUZI and another males to become a kind of the brainless zombie named ZERO.
  • In the miniseries "Invasion" from 1997, the blacks rocks change the people into the infected intelligent.
  • In the norvegian TV show "Zombielars" a kid zombie are intelligent and speaker.
  • The Buckner Family are the intelligents zombie in "The Cabin in the Woods".
  • Max are a intelligent zombie in "Day of the Dead: Bloodline".
  • Any zombie are intelligent in "Day of the Dead 2: Contagium".
  • A gang of zombie in the japanese movie "Battlefield Baseball".
  • In "The Outer Limits" in the episode "From Within" the worms getting infection the people in the head of victims to become mad and they are the crazy infected and intelligent.
  • In "Burying the Ex" the zombie girl are very intelligent and speaker.
  • In the video game "Spiderman Dimension" on the Carnage level the half of the agents and soldiers become the infecteds are users of guns.
  • In Dragon Ball Z, in Garlic JR Saga, the gaz transform the people in zombies manipulate by Garlic.
  • In "The Sadness" the movie of Taiwan in 2021 the infected are inteligent and talker.
  • In the video game "ILL" the infected are the mutated people are inteligent.
  • In the movie "The Puppet Masters" the aliens parasites manipulated the peoples into inteligent zombie.
  • In the short movie "Gloomy Eyes" a zombie boy are intelligent and he become a boyfriend for a girl.
  • The Alpha Zombies from Army of the Dead are known for their intelligence and emotions, as well as their command over zombies, as well as their ability to reproduce.
  • In the South-Korean movie #Alive, the zombies are able to retain basic functions such as unlocking doors or opening windows, it also includes the fact that zombies can also use their skills from past job/occupation experiences as well to infect healthy people. An example would be how a Firefighter Zombie in the movie makes use of Yoo-bin's fallen rope to climb up to her apartment room, as what a firefighter would do to climb and scale high obstacles.
  • In the tv show "Z Nation" a zombie inteligent can control zombies.
  • In "Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna" the anciants digisavers are transform into rejuvenated zombies.
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