From Runners to Clickers, an evolution of the iconic monsters on Episode 2 of HBO's 'The Last of Us'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'Echolocation' is a big theme in Episode 2 of the popular HBO series 'The Last of Us'. The term 'Echolocation,' as the word suggests, occurs when an animal emits a sound wave that bounces off an object, returning 'an echo'. When the animal hears the echo, it is able to 'locate' said object, how far it is and its size. The newly evolved monsters called 'Clickers' use echolocation to locate the humans they attack.
The series' protagonists encounter these monsters in Episode 2 that came out on January 22. The intense cat-and-mouse chase when Joel, Tess and Ellie are escaping from the Boston quarantine zone to reach the state house is when they encounter these iconic 'Clickers', creatures adapted from the video game. When the trio enter a museum and find signs of dead fungi but fresh human kills, it indicates that the 'Clickers' are near.
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The important point to be noted is that there are two outcomes for humans infected by the Cordyceps disease. The ones who look human, but are 'zombie-like' are the "Runners." While Runners still looks human, Clickers are the more evolved version of the runners. Clickers are human hosts that have been infected for longer than a year. Due to the long incubation period, Clickers have several differences from the ordinary Runner, including the echolocation ability that leads them to make the clicking sound to hunt for prey.
Why do 'Clickers' use Echolocation?
As Cordyceps disease is a fungal infection, when the host is infected for more than a year, the 'fungi' spreads to their eyes, making the host completely blind. This is when evolution kicks in and the infected host's other senses get heightened, turning them into Clickers. They start using their sense of hearing to find their next prey, allowing them to 'map' their surroundings and make sense of it. The name of the monster seems like a no brainer, making them sound omnious as you realize exactly why they are called that.
In Episode 2 of 'The Last of Us', the Clickers converge in a cramped space. Yet, they navigate the museum floor easily while searching for Joel, Ellie, and Tess. This shows off their heightened 'Echolocation' abilities. In the coming episodes, many more abilities of 'Clickers' will hopefully be revealed to the audience. Till then, keep watching 'The Last of Us' available on Disney Plus Hotstar and HBO Max.