Oh god, I 'm theorzing... Why is this happening?

[HaveCrowBarWillTravel]

How did this not get started sooner??

It has to be man-made. Like you stated, they aren't the dead rising, these are mutants. Raydon labs could have had a military contract to develop a new chemical weapon designed to cause people to "become zombies". Tested this weapon on a human and he escaped.

Revolver,

We do have a thread in there somewhere about it's origins because it happend trans nationally at the same time. We talked about patients being used for experiments by the Biotech firm, Radiation, Airborne Bio agent.. we even dropped the link to the Zombie Ant Fungus in there.

[Eviebae]

I stick to this theory because I haven't really had any reasons to not believe it. If anyone has any evidence against it, I will be happy to consider it. I'm just looking for an explanation like everyone else. The truth...is out there. ^o^

I say stick to your guns. Did you ever read posts about Lost where the poster refused to believe that they weren't in purgatory--no matter what the creators said? Well, granted, I stopped viewing after the second season, but I believe they turned out to be right.

[Zombiehead]

I'm not going to use the words "zombie" anymore since the last chapter confirmed all my suspicions. Crowbar is correct. Radiation was briefly suggested but mostly theories leaned towards virus. So this isn't an original idea, it's just the first time I put pieces together during a fit of boredom and wanted to share!

@Nik
Yep, mutations caused by something that leaked (and went boom) or was blown up on purpose. We need our heroes to come in contact with a stronger military force that can give us some info. At the moment we don't know jack about Raydon Labs. It was mentioned once in the story and never again. It's possible it could have connections to the source. It could either be be the Umbrella Corporation of the We're Alive universe or the colgomerate superpower that we know as Wal-mart today. We don't know. I'm not dismissing the idea that R Labs is linked to the apocalypse but we currently have no evidence to make a connection.

@ Adventureless_Hero
Why are they still hiding?

It is my belief that aliens were living on the planet at the time and slowly introducing a virus that would have a trigger of some sort. Perhaps that "radiation sickness" that some people are experiencing when they come near ground zero is the trigger?

If they were slowly introducing the virus then that would mean all humans have a dormant strain just chilling their body. That means our characters would have had a reaction to it when they went near the Arena or (if you follow the heat map) headed south toward the Colony. They all would have changed by now.

Alien beings or not, there was something else I noticed. There are some insects that feed their leaders a special diet. Others give off a scent or use signals and vibrations. I'm using insects because the creatures have already been compared to ant colonies. Perhaps the one with markings managed to get the "special" jelly. Burt's theory was that the smarter you were in life, you are smart as a creature. Well, Ink was a pyscho serial killer, and now he's playing Team Captain. Perhaps whatever made people change considered him as being "fit" to lead. On what basis, I cannot be certain.

[nikvoodoo]

At the moment we don't know jack about Raydon Labs. It was mentioned once in the story and never again. It's possible it could have connections to the source. It could either be be the Umbrella Corporation of the We're Alive universe or the colgomerate superpower that we know as Wal-mart today. We don't know. I'm not dismissing the idea that R Labs is linked to the apocalypse but we currently have no evidence to make a connection.

Agreed 110%. There's no evidence in the story that Raydon is important. The only "evidence" that exists is the knowledge that Kc frequently has brought up information as a side comment, and then it has come back full force to mean something (ie. Saul's Mother, and Hope). These things were brought up in Chapter 1/5, and 10 respectively and weren't mentioned again or resolved until Chapter 19 and 20. That's why I cling to Raydon because it's probably completely central to the main plot line so it'll be an excellent call back when it is discovered to hold a secret to the outbreak.

[Ra1th]

Agreed 110%. There's no evidence in the story that Raydon is important. The only "evidence" that exists is the knowledge that Kc frequently has brought up information as a side comment, and then it has come back full force to mean something (ie. Saul's Mother, and Hope). These things were brought up in Chapter 1/5, and 10 respectively and weren't mentioned again or resolved until Chapter 19 and 20. That's why I cling to Raydon because it's probably completely central to the main plot line so it'll be an excellent call back when it is discovered to hold a secret to the outbreak.

or you'll crash and burn and i'll join Kc in laughing at you guys

[nikvoodoo]

or you'll crash and burn and i'll join Kc in laughing at you guys

much like we'll all laugh heartily if Angel never takes control of the Tower.

[Ra1th]

much like we'll all laugh heartily if Angel never takes control of the Tower.

oooooghhh that hit home zom

[kafu288]

There is no reason why Angel would take control of the tower. Saul, Tanya, Kelly and Riley have all moved past his incompetent ass in the leadership congo line.

[Luna Guardian]

There is no reason why Angel would take control of the tower. Saul, Tanya, Kelly and Riley have all moved past his incompetent ass in the leadership congo line.

I disagree. Saul is a good enough soldier, but he's no leader. Same goes for Kelly. Tanya is a doctor and doctors rarely make for good leaders in situations where you have to make decisions that some may consider immoral, no matter how pragmatic they would be. Although granted, she's tough as nails and would definitely not be the worst person to be in charge. Riley's the only option out of those you listed, but I don't think she wants to take command, and unless a person is willing to lead, take command and take the responsibility, they don't make good leaders.

The only ones who are more competent than Angel in the tower are Michael and maybe Burt. And we saw Burt go to pieces as soon as things went to hell during the war and that he couldn't control the Tower when he was in charge. He's a good squad leader, but running something as big as the Tower needs more than that.

I'm ready and willing to admit that when this all began, Angel was way behind most of the cast in terms of competency. However, with his experience and confidence increase since then, I think he'd make a good leader if Michael ever stepped down (or was killed/incapacitated/etc.)

[yarri]

As for it spreading, perhaps getting mutated cells/spores into your blood stream via direct fluid transfer causes you to change? (if you live that is) Maybe the mutated cells die when you die. Without a living host and a warm blood stream to travel with they no longer become infectious? The only thing I can think of at the moment which forms a link to alcohol is that it thins out your blood, screws with your wiring(nervous system), and motor functions. I guess that would be considered undesirable conditions to an organism that wants to take control of it's host. The alcohol may even be deadly to the mutated cells.

I think it attacks the portion of the brain the animal brain (the medulla & cerebellum) causing them to hunt in packs and attack so violently. My money is on some government funded chemical weapon that got tried out on some "human test subjects from the state run mental illness facility" who then escaped.