Unleashing the Next Apocalypse: Inside The Walking Dead's Sinister New Zombie Breed

Warning: spoilers ahead for Daryl Dixon.

Summary

Burner zombies in the Walking Dead possess corrosive skin and blood, posing a heightened threat and setting them apart from conventional zombies. The exact origins of these unique creatures remain uncertain; however, speculation suggests that they may have emerged either through contact with chemicals within a food processing facility or as a product of manmade experiments involving zombies.

Burners, a type of zombie in the Walking Dead universe, have paved the way for the emergence of other unique and dangerous zombie variations in future chapters of the franchise. The introduction of a new zombie variant called "Burners," embodied by Daryl Dixon in The Walking Dead, has left numerous unanswered questions surrounding their capabilities. Traditionally, the zombies in The Walking Dead universe were slow and predictable, but the franchise is now defying the established undead conventions. The series finale of The Walking Dead: World Beyond unveiled "variant cohorts" - zombies that possessed enhanced speed, strength, and intelligence. In continuation, the conclusion of The Walking Dead season 11 showcased zombies capable of climbing ladders, wielding knives, and wielding rocks as weapons. These variant zombies provided a canonical explanation for the varying speed and intellect of certain undead characters in The Walking Dead season 1.

Strangely enough, in The Walking Dead: Dead City, variants were completely overlooked, but Daryl Dixon wasted no time in pushing the boundaries with zombies. Even before the opening credits rolled, Norman Reedus' character encountered zombies that burned his skin with a mere touch. Their pulsating veins and acid-like, smoking blood added a grotesque element. While these unique zombies, referred to as "Burners" by Clémence Poésy's Isabelle, have never been seen in The Walking Dead franchise before, their existence poses a plethora of zombie-related mysteries. However, some answers can already be inferred.

Burner Zombies Have Acidic Skin & Blood

In Daryl Dixon episode 1, the Burners exhibit extraordinary traits that diverge from the usual set of capabilities, such as intelligence, speed, and strength. Rather, their distinctive attribute lies in their acidic blood and skin, which grants them their name. The essence of their power seems to stem from the Burner's blood, as evidenced by the swirling CGI veins on their head and the release of sizzling chemical smoke when Daryl's weapon touches their innards and drips onto the ground.

How Burner Zombies Are Created In The Walking Dead

The thinness of rotting zombie flesh allows the acidic blood of the Burners to easily penetrate and affect their skin. This explains why Daryl experiences severe burns when a Burner variant grabs his arm. The toxic contents of a Burner's blood are seeping through to the exterior of the corpse. The reason behind the pulsating veins observed in Burner zombies still remains a mystery in The Walking Dead. It could be a mere decision for visual distinction from regular zombies or possibly linked to the underlying causes of their transformation into Burners.

Although the process of creating Burners is not explicitly revealed in Daryl Dixon episode 1, the episode provides hints that open up several intriguing possibilities. The Burners encountered by Daryl in episode 1 are confined to a food processing plant, which suggests that the presence of chemicals in the facility may have played a role in their creation. It is plausible that the local zombies inside the factory were exposed to toxic fumes or substances, resulting in their insides acquiring corrosive properties. While such exposure would be fatal for a living person, zombies are unaffected by these trivial concerns.

Elsewhere, Daryl Dixon implies that Burners could potentially be artificially created. The opening credits of the spinoff feature a textbook displaying a diagram of a zombie with annotations. Translated from French to English, these annotations contain phrases like "control the dead" and "point of entry." Interestingly, the symbol in the textbook matches the symbol found on the vehicles of Daryl Dixon's adversaries. Additionally, in the final scene of episode 1, Genet's doctor colleague mentions "test subjects." Furthermore, footage from Daryl Dixon's trailer reveals a masked zombie with pulsating veins, bearing a striking resemblance to the Burners, being injected with an unknown substance.

These clues strongly suggest that Burners could be the outcome of a zombie experiment - a theory further supported by the series finale of The Walking Dead: World Beyond. In this finale, a mysterious French character implies that the scientists responsible for the outbreak knowingly worsened the situation, alluding to different variants. Another indication pointing towards Burners being a result of biological creation, rather than a chemical accident or natural evolution, can be found in Isabelle's statements. The nun speaks as if Burners, referred to as "Brûlant" by her, are common in France, indicating that they are not unique to the specific building that Daryl explored.

Are There Other Variants In France? Walking Dead Says Yes

Daryl Dixon's dialogue in episode 1 strongly suggests that there are more than just Burners in town. Isabelle, who is still providing exposition, informs Daryl that Burners are just one type of zombie. The warning from the nun makes it clear that while Burners may fall under The Walking Dead's umbrella of variants, their acidic powers are just one example among many. This explains why previous variants in the franchise have shown different abilities.

Reading between the lines, we can now officially include Burners in the growing list of unique zombie types in The Walking Dead. There are climbers in The Walking Dead season 11, runners in The Walking Dead: World Beyond, and now Burners from Daryl Dixon. Isabelle's warning also suggests that we can expect to see a variety of different types of variants in future projects of The Walking Dead, allowing for limitless possibilities in the unique abilities that the undead can possess as the franchise progresses.

Why Burner Zombies Aren't In The Main Walking Dead TV Show

The absence of corrosive corpses, known as Burners, in 11 seasons of The Walking Dead and its US-based spinoffs raises a significant question. While variants have been confirmed in the United States, it is perplexing why Burners have never made an appearance. The answer to this question is intricately linked to the origin of variants, which remains a secret. However, Daryl Dixon provides enough information to formulate educated guesses as to why Burners have been absent thus far.

If Burners are indeed a byproduct of the factory where Daryl discovered them in episode 1, it becomes evident why they have not been seen on American soil. Alternatively, if variants are artificially created, The Walking Dead has already addressed this inquiry. A groundbreaking post-credits scene in World Beyond confirmed that the Walking Dead virus was manufactured in France, with subsequent experiments by the responsible scientists leading to the emergence of variants. Consequently, it is logical that variants would predominantly exist in France, their place of origin, as opposed to other regions across the globe.

One or two may have slipped through the cracks, or perhaps intentionally shipped to the US, which could explain the few variations observed in The Walking Dead's main show. However, it seems that France is teeming with these variants. Isabelle's nonchalant attitude and her remark about "just one kind" when Daryl encounters a Burner further reinforce the notion that there are numerous variants roaming all over France, but only a few have made their way across the Atlantic. It is highly likely that Burners, along with potentially many other yet-to-be-seen French variants, simply have not embarked on that journey yet.

How Burner Zombies Completely Change The Walking Dead

The impact of Burners on The Walking Dead will be immense. Throughout the franchise, survivors have grown accustomed to stabbing zombies and getting drenched in their blood, or engaging in hand-to-hand combat with the undead. These scenarios are no longer viable when facing Burners. Daryl Dixon not only needs to eliminate these fiery creatures without a drop of filth touching him, but he must also avoid their scorching touch at all costs. If Daryl had not been near a convent packed with helpful nuns and medical supplies - in other words, anywhere else in the world - he would have suffered the loss of his arm, or even worse, due to a single touch from a Burner.

Burners pose an equal danger to humans through skin-to-skin contact as they do through a bite. The Walking Dead has reached a point, after 13 years of the zombie apocalypse, where killing zombies has become a regular task. However, the introduction of Burners completely alters the dynamic, transforming zombies from a minor threat to deadly monsters that instill fear. Burners also render various survival techniques used by the characters in The Walking Dead ineffective. For instance, Rick Grimes' method of covering himself in zombie guts to blend in is no longer viable if the guts are hotter than a recently heated pastry. The Whisperers' strategy of using zombie skins for camouflage is also rendered useless as the skin itself now carries lethal properties. By introducing Burners, Daryl Dixon permanently alters the established order in The Walking Dead. Catch the latest developments with Daryl Dixon in the upcoming episode airing Sunday on AMC.