- Stalkers are the second stage of the Cordyceps infection; they bridge the gap between runners and clickers.
- They have exceptional combat skills, making them way more dangerous than the other infected.
- They are also the smartest zombies you might have ever seen in any television series or film.
The Last of Us Season 2 is finally here, and intriguingly, the premiere episode introduced one of the creepiest and most frustrating infected called Stalkers. Ellie and Dina go on patrol with three others from Jackson. They receive clear instructions not to mess with any infected other than one or two runners, but the girls enter an abandoned grocery store to see if there are any infected to hunt. After killing a clicker, Ellie falls from the second-story building, and that’s when she encounters a Stalker. So, if you are curious to know about the version of infected, we have got your back.
Stalkers in The Last Of Us Season 2 Explained
Stalkers are the second stage of the Cordyceps fungus, meaning once a human transforms into a runner after getting exposed to the infection, it takes between two weeks to one year to reach this stage.
Unlike runners, they don’t just run and attack the victim. Instead, they strategize and ambush their prey without letting them know of their presence. For instance, after Ellie falls to the ground floor of the grocery store, the Stalker confuses her by making croaking noises. After that, it silently shows up from behind and ambushes her. It seems the infected used its intellect to distract her before attacking.
Unlike Clickers, Stalkers have visibility, which is why they can run towards the victim to feed on them. They have fungal growths all over their faces, giving them an eerie appearance. Furthermore, what makes them one of the annoying infected is that their strength is equivalent to that of an average human being.
These infected stay true to their name; they stalk the victim before attacking. That’s why they are mostly found in the dark basements of abandoned buildings. They hide and keep running here and there before making their final move. They aren’t an easy catch as they harbor an incredible awareness that lets them dodge the victim’s attacks.
Stalkers Aren’t Easy to Fight in The Last of Us
As mentioned earlier, Stalkers are hard to catch, and besides that, they hold the most exceptional combat skills. After catching sight of their prey, they run toward it and attack it with full power before they can make a move.
And if there are more stalkers in the area, they will come toward you after hearing the noises. No matter how good you are at stealth, the Stalkers won’t let you overpower them. That’s why in the game, Ellie often uses things like bottles or bricks to stun this version of the infected because that’s the best way to deal with them.
Stalkers are definitely one of the most annoying infected in The Last of Us, and we can’t wait to see more of them in the rest of the season.
