Ra1th

I thought this post was a diamond hidden in the rough, so I think it deserves to be a blog if not an article. It's extremely well written, and quite thought provoking. Enjoy!

Originally Posted by nikvoodoo

The level of intelligence of the Zombies in We're Alive is rather startling. We know they can track survivors by smell, but that's not intelligence exactly. That's instinct. So take away their ability to smell and track their prey. That's not what I'm talking about.

One major reason I think the Tower has survived as long as it did is they Tower didn't present a major or immediate danger to the Zombies. They are relatively small, and it seems like their scouting parties never really surpassed 1 vehicle. Every time we hear about a group of survivors being trapped or attacked by Zombies, it's a convoy. The Kalani Tower (for lack of a better descriptor) was attacked first. They were better organized and prepared according to Kalani. So to take them out first would be a priority for your survival. This goes against every animal instinct there is. You attack the weakest and most feeble because they are easy prey. The Zombies are attacking strong targets first, and cleaning up the rest as they go. That demonstrates a sophisticated level of organization. And when did Ink arrive at the Tower? After the Arena had been infiltrated. That required an immediate response.

In the Arena, they have stock piled food. They don't have to venture out to get nourishment if they don't have to. They can just walk down the corridor and lo! It's a gigantic pile of flesh to chew on. But what truly concerned me about the arena were the fires. Datu doesn't describe the fires, but I think they are significant. They don't seem to be raging out of control fires (I'm sure that would have been mentioned), but controlled fires. They have figured out how to set and control fire, which if you think back through human history was the launch point of our civilization. The Zombies have created a home with creature comforts: Food, warmth, and entertainment (See: Samantha).

Of course we know they can build a trap. The only trap we've seen in action is against Datu. It's primitive, but effective. They realized the tracker was something the humans put on them, and they used it as bait. We can only suppose about the attacks on the Convoys and cars being used to block roads since we haven't seen them in action yet.

Last, but certainly not least, is Ink and all he brings to the story. Ink has the ability to speak and understand language. He also retained basic literacy since we know he entered the code on the door. Ink seems to have the capacity to have fun (again, See Samantha). But he also commands his legion. He calls them to his side, orders them to retreat etc. The moment that alarmed me more than any was during the War aftermath when he was on the rooftop observing the battle and basically calling out orders. Not to mention the fact he seems to know exactly when he's about to be shot at and moves. Twice Burt has aimed at him, and twice he moved at the last moment.

So the question is: How smart are they? Are they becoming smarter as they adjust to their new lifestyle? Are there any more examples you've seen in the series/heard about from character stories that lead away from the mindless hunter?

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