Walking dead season 5 (Spoilers)

[BryanP]

After 2-3 years of decomposing? Yeah, they probably are going to be softer than when the owners were living.

You'd think then that the ZA would be self-limiting.  5 or 6 years in, none of the original batch would be able to move anymore.  Later waves would be going steadily downhill as well.

[K Frame]

They were pretty marshmallow fluffy bone structure from day 1.

[Blakenzy]

Oh boy.. one could argue that everyone in the walking dead world is marshmallow soft, even the living. Zombies have a real easy time ripping apart live people and animals, even with their own frail hands and all.

The whole "how come decomposition doesn't run it's full course" and other physiologic follies is something I don't like to think about too much because it kills the immersion.

The idea I picture to justify their still walking around is that zombies that don't feed on living flesh decompose and fade away(albeit very slowly), and those that do eat the living recover strength and recompose slightly. You could even argue that the faster zombies are recently fed and the slow lumbering ones are the ones who haven't had a meal in a while. Maybe they aren't really dead but have a Ophiocordyceps unilateralis type fungal infection that infects their body and their mind? It could explain a lot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiocordyceps_unilateralis

[K Frame]

"Oh boy.. one could argue that everyone in the walking dead world is marshmallow soft, even the living. Zombies have a real easy time ripping apart live people and animals, even with their own frail hands and all."

Not if you saw Rick and the doctor going hammer and tong at each other in last week's episode.

No marshmallow fluff skulls there...

[brimic]

"Something like a Katana requires a pretty specialized skill set to use effectively."

Realistically, no more so than any other cutting weapon in such a situation, and it's something that's going to be learned pretty quickly. You're not going up against samurai walkers... just run of the mill southern walkers.

And, any bladed weapon is going to get nicked and dull chopping through bones and such. That's addressed with maintenance.

But remember, it's pretty evident from the way they stick a knife through a skull and the like, that once you turn into a zombie, your bones turn into marshmallow fluff.

Katana takes a very specialized skill to sharpen however  -the edge is one long polished bevel, unlike a knife or a machete which has a seperate cutting bevel. Personally I'd go with a machete or kukri to toss into my wheelbarrow- easier to touch up the edge,  easier to use in confined spaces.

[Jamisjockey]

You have to suspend belief to some extent to enjoy the show at all. 

[Fitz]

ITT, folks talking about weapons being impractical and decomposition rates in a show about the gorram dead re-animating

[K Frame]

Katana takes a very specialized skill to sharpen however  -the edge is one long polished bevel, unlike a knife or a machete which has a seperate cutting bevel. Personally I'd go with a machete or kukri to toss into my wheelbarrow- easier to touch up the edge,  easier to use in confined spaces.

No, a katana takes specialized skills to sharpen traditionally. You can keep one sharp without having those skills. It's just not going to be the same as having a master sharpener do it.

The confined spaces consideration is a good one, though.

[K Frame]

You have to suspend belief to some extent to enjoy the show at all. 

Not if you've lived/worked in Washington, DC.

Just another day downtown, really.

[brimic]

No, a katana takes specialized skills to sharpen traditionally. You can keep one sharp without having those skills. It's just not going to be the same as having a master sharpener do it.

The confined spaces consideration is a good one, though.

On second thought, if you are only cutting zombies as tought as wicket baskets full of marshmallows and rotten canteloupe, the sword will never dull.

[HankB]

No, a katana takes specialized skills to sharpen traditionally. You can keep one sharp without having those skills. It's just not going to be the same as having a master sharpener do it.

The confined spaces consideration is a good one, though.

I believe sharpening katanas was largely the province of a person known as a sword polisher - a traditional skill almost as demanding as that of a swordsmith. There are reputedly only a handful of these in the USA with a respectable measure of skill.

As for confined spaces . . . that's why they made wakizashis.

[Blakenzy]

Sword polishers.. can't see finding one of those in TWD land.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4TRipSqMHU

[T.O.M.]

ITT, folks talking about weapons being impractical and decomposition rates in a show about the gorram dead re-animating

That's half the fun of the show!

[Ben]

Sword polishers.. can't see finding one of those in TWD land.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4TRipSqMHU

I thought there were two in the Alexandria compound?

[SADShooter]

I thought there were two in the Alexandria compound?

 

[Angel Eyes]

I thought there were two in the Alexandria compound?

Polishers, not swallowers.

[K Frame]

I thought there were two in the Alexandria compound?

Ouch.

[Jamisjockey]

I thought there were two in the Alexandria compound?

 


What's funny is that if the gay guy spends so much time outside the fence, he's actually one of the hardest (don't go there) out of the Alexandria bunch. Most of them are soft from managing to stay inside the walls most of the time.  I'm actually rooting for the gay guy to not get dead.
90 minutes tonight.  I'm all giddy.  Unfortunately, I work 0000-0800.  This means I'll end up streaming it on my laptop in the middle of the night at some point, I usually take a nap from 1900-2300 before work.

[mtnbkr]

Unfortunately, I work 0000-0800.  This means I'll end up streaming it on my laptop in the middle of the night at some point, I usually take a nap from 1900-2300 before during work.

Well, we'll know what happened when plans start falling out of the sky.

Chris

[Ben]

I'm actually rooting for the gay guy to not get dead.

Yeah, he's actually one of the more likeable characters from the "inside the wall" group. Most of the rest of them remind me of some of the clueless and helpless  commies I used to work with, that would always tell me that if there was a zombie apocolypse, they'd be coming to my house. Or like the people we always talk about here who don't prepare at all for emergencies.

Glenn had it right when he said, 'People like you are supposed to be dead." :)

[Jamisjockey]

Well, we'll know what happened when plans start falling out of the sky.

Chris

My midshift would have to involve actually working planes for that to happen.  I average 1-2 operations in a 7 hour period most midshifts.  Remember, I'm rotting in a small tower. 

[Fitz]

My midshift would have to involve actually working planes for that to happen.  I average 1-2 operations in a 7 hour period most midshifts.  Remember, I'm rotting in a small tower. 

Gonna make sure to come out that way and *expletive deleted*ck with you


"<Jason's tower> Cherokee 123456, requesting FL300

[Jamisjockey]

Gonna make sure to come out that way and *expletive deleted*ck with you


"<Jason's tower> Cherokee 123456, requesting FL300

Best rate through flight level 290, traffic opposite direction at 280....

[Fitz]

Best rate through flight level 290, traffic opposite direction at 280....

\


Now to find some jets and a suit so i can get a cherokee to FL300 :-D

[JN01]

I recall reading a true account of an eighteenth century OH/KY frontiersman who carried a 15" knife.  He killed an Indian by stabbing him in the head and described it as being like shoving it through a large pumpkin.  Perhaps a rotten walker skull wouldn't be all that tough.