History Main / BewareTheLiving

-->-- '''Chuck Greene''', ''VideoGame/DeadRising2'''': Off the Record''

[[folder:Anime]]

Indeed, in zombie fiction, the protagonists will often come to realize that zombies are the ''least'' of their problems. The real threat will come from [[DisasterScavengers roaming gangs of bandits]], [[ColonelKilgore psychotic military officers determined to mow down everything in sight]], [[ArmiesAreEvil malicious military forces]], [[CrazySurvivalist overly paranoid survivalists who simply can't trust anyone]], [[DirtyCop whatever corrupt law enforcement was born of (or remains in the aftermath of) the disaster]] or even normal, everyday people who were either DrivenToMadness or [[IDidWhatIHadToDo ruthlessness born out of desperation]] by the horror going on around them.

** ''Film/DawnOfTheDead1978'' especially takes delight in pointing this out, there are several scenes where humans can simply walk through crowds of zombies, since their reaction time is so poor they're only dangerous if you get yourself trapped or act like an idiot... which of course is what tons of people do. The living are more interested in screaming at eachother, go on killing sprees or engage in looting while society is falling down around them, and letting the zombie apocalypse spiral out of control.

But in a ZombieApocalypse, you may find yourself face-to-face with monsters far more terrifying than the living dead. They're cunning, resilient, resourceful, and absolutely ruthless... and by now, you probably know where this is going.

* Most of the conflict of ''Series/TheWalkingDead'' comes fron ''human threats'' rather than walkers. At the start of the series, the characters struggle against walkers, but as time goes on in the series the characters have adjusted to zombies as a reality, but the danger of humans becomes more and more severe as time passes.

* [[https://www.cracked.com/article_21251_5-things-every-movie-gets-wrong-about-apocalypse.html This trope]] is discussed and subjected to a refreshigly optimistic {{Deconstruction}} by ''Website/{{Cracked}}''. As many RealLife survivors of disasters can attest, the first thing members of a community do when struck by one is to quickly seek out and ''[[RealityEnsues help]]'' neighbors, not panic and go at each other's throats as order crumbles.

* [[https://www.cracked.com/article_21251_5-things-every-movie-gets-wrong-about-apocalypse.html This is one of many apocalypse tropes]] discussed and deconstructed by ''Website/{{Cracked}}''. As Nick J. points out, the first thing members of a community do in real life when struck by disasters is to quickly seek out and ''[[RealityEnsues help]]'' neighbors, not panic and immediately hoard supplies and weapons once order collapses. The reason civilization won't be going into disarray that easily in the case of this situation is because humans are naturally cooperative, and will willingly offer assistance if it gets them something in return.

* [[https://www.cracked.com/article_21251_5-things-every-movie-gets-wrong-about-apocalypse.html This is one of many apocalypse tropes]] discussed and deconstructed by ''Website/{{Cracked}}''. As Nick J. points out, the first thing members of a community do in real life when struck by disasters is to quickly seek out and ''[[RealityEnsues help]]'' neighbors, not panic and immediately hoard supplies and weapons once order collapses. The reason civilization won't be going into disarray that easily is because humans are naturally cooperative, and will willingly offer assistance if it gets them something in return.

* [[https://www.cracked.com/article_21251_5-things-every-movie-gets-wrong-about-apocalypse.html This is one of many apocalypse tropes]] discussed and deconstructed by ''Website/{{Cracked}}''. As Nick J. points out, the first thing members of a community do in real life when struck by disasters is to quickly seek out and ''help'' neighbors, not panic and immediately hoard supplies and weapons once order collapses. The reason civilization won't be going into disarray that easily is because humans are naturally cooperative, and will willingly offer assistance if it gets them something in return.

* [[https://www.cracked.com/article_21251_5-things-every-movie-gets-wrong-about-apocalypse.html This is one of many apocalypse tropes]] discussed and deconstructed by ''Website/{{Cracked}}''. As Nick J. points out, the first thing members of a community do in real life when struck by disasters is to quickly seek out and ''help'' neighbors, not panic and immediately hoard supplies and weapons once order collapses. The reason civilization won't be going into disarray easily,is because humans are naturally cooperative, and will willingly offer assistance if it gets them something in return.

->''"These zombies, they're annoying, sure, but they're easy to kill. Kinda fun, even. The real threat is the ''people''. An outbreak like this does things to men. All the violence...the death...seeing loved ones die...change...it makes people '''snap''', just like that."''

A SubTrope of HumansAreTheRealMonsters.

Indeed, in zombie fiction, the protagonists will often come to realize that zombies are the ''least'' of their problems. The real threat will come from [[DisasterScavengers roaming gangs of bandits]], [[ColonelKilgore psychotic military officers determined to mow down everything in sight]], [[ArmiesAreEvil malicious military forces]], [[CrazySurvivalist overly paranoid survivalists who simply can't trust anyone]], [[DirtyCop whatever corrupt law enforcement was born of (or remains in the aftermath of) the disaster]] or even normal, everyday people who were DrivenToMadness by the horror going on around them.

* ''Series/ZNation'' has multiple examples, including a ZombieAdvocate cult that turns a refuge into a SafeZoneHopeSpot early on [[spoiler:(and kills the DecoyProtagonist leader of the survivors)]], TheRemnant of TheCartel (that is trying to take over what's left and using drugs boosted with ''zombie fertilizer'' as their personal BreadAndCircuses), [[spoiler:the man that caused the ZombieApocalypse and his minions and eventually members of an invading nation.]]

Indeed, in zombie fiction, the protagonists will often come to realize that zombies are the ''least'' of their problems. The real threat will come from [[DisasterScavengers roaming gangs of bandits]], [[ColonelKilgore psychotic military officers determined to mow down everything in sight]], [[ArmiesAreEvil malicious military forces]], [[CrazySurvivalist overly paranoid survivalists who simply can't trust anyone]], or even normal, everyday people who were DrivenToMadness by the horror going on around them.

* The zombies in ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooOnZombieIsland'' never actually try to harm the protagonists. As revealed at the end of the film, the zombies are actually [[spoiler: victims of a life- draining curse cast by the main villains of the movie, Lena and Simone. Every harvest moon, the zombies rise to scare away visitors, keeping their operation secret.]]

Indeed, in zombie fiction, the protagonists will often come to realize that zombies are the ''least'' of their problems. The real threat will come from [[DisasterScavengers roaming gangs of bandits]], [[ColonelKilgore psychotic military officers determined to mow down everything in sight]], [[CrazySurvivalist overly paranoid survivalists who simply can't trust anyone]], or even normal, everyday people who were DrivenToMadness by the horror going on around them.

* It shouldn't be a surprise to find Telltale's adaptation of ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDead'' on this page. When the main characters aren't fighting cannibals, bandits, kidnappers, and quasi-dictators, they're fighting [[WeAREStrugglingTogether each other]]. All things considered, walkers only serve as tools with which the characters can be killed off; the ''conflict'' comes from humans.

Indeed, in zombie fiction, the protagonists will often come to realize that zombies are the ''least'' of their problems. The real threat will come from [[DisasterScavengers roaming gangs of bandits]], [[ColonelKilgore psychotic military officers determined to mow down everything in sight]], [[CrazySurvivalist overly paranoid survivalist who can't trust anyone]], or even normal, everyday people who were DrivenToMadness by the horror going on around them.

Indeed, in zombie fiction, the protagonists will often come to realize that zombies are the ''least'' of their problems. The real threat will come from [[DisasterScavengers roaming gangs of bandits]], [[ColonelKilgore psychotic military officers determined to mow down everything in sight]], an [[CrazySurvivalist overly paranoid survivalist]], or even normal, everyday people who were DrivenToMadness by the horror going on around them.