What are the clickers in The Last of Us?

By Louise Griffin

Published: Wednesday, 25 January 2023 at 12:00 am

**Warning: Contains spoilers for The Last of Us episodes 1 and 2**

We might only be two episodes in, but The Last of Us has sufficiently terrified every viewer watching.

The HBO series, based on the games of the same name, has everyone hooked, as it sees the world torn apart by an infection that turns humans into zombie-like creatures.

Starring Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie, the series sees the pair embark on a journey across the US in hopes that they can change the world.

Joining Pascal and Ramsey are an incredible cast, including Gabriel Luna (Tommy), Nick Offerman (Bill) and Murray Bartlett (Frank).

But, as the heartbreaking deaths of Nico Parker’s Sarah and Anna Torv’s Tess show, no one is safe.

In the final scenes of episode 2, Tess is surrounded by the clickers, an evolved and horrifying type of infected, before burning the place to the ground to buy Joel and Ellie some time.

What are the clickers in The Last of Us?

 

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The Last of Us
Liane Hentscher/HBO

Clickers are the third evolution of the infected (after runners and stalkers). They’ve generally been infected for about a year, with growth of the fungus cordyceps almost fully taking over the body.

The clickers have deformed heads, due to their skulls being split open by the fungus, and they’re blind – something Ellie and Joel are able to use to their advantage when running from them.

They also get their name from the sound of the clicks they produce, making them all the more horrifying.

At the end of episode 2, viewers were horrified to see a clicker give Tess a gruesome kiss of death, reminding us that the infected ultimately want to spread the fungus.

Showrunner Neil Druckmann told EW: “These things don’t have to get violent unless you’re fighting them from spreading [the infection] further. That is realised in this beautiful, yet horrific way with Anna.”

He also recalled a conversation with fellow showrunner Craig Mazin, adding: “Craig smartly said, ‘What can we do to separate our infected even further from zombies?’ It’s more than just a bite. There’s something else going on.

“I wish we had that aha moment immediately, but we brainstormed so many different things that they could be doing,” he adds. “Some of them were pretty outlandish.”

What are the different types of infected in The Last of Us?

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Pedro Pascal in The Last of Us
Liane Hentscher/HBO

There are different evolutions of infected in The Last of Us, depending on how long a person has been infected:

  • Runners: Runners largely look human as they will only recently have been infected. They’ll be able to move quickly but won’t be able to attack as ferociously as some of the other types.
  • Stalkers: People who have been infected for more than two weeks and up to a year are known as stalkers. The growth of the fungus would be more noticeable.
  • Clickers: Clickers, the type of infected that killed Tess, form the next type.
  • Bloaters: Bloaters look even less human than clickers, with the fungus forming all across the body. They’re difficult to kill but it’s possible – especially with fire.
  • Shamblers: Shamblers have been infected for a few years and release spores from their bodies when they’re killed.

The Last of Us is exclusively available on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW – find out more about how to sign up for Sky TV.

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