And that vector has actually labored in upping the scare issue of these contaminated by Cordyceps. The tendril community has triggered quite a lot of terrifying encounters throughout each seasons thus removed from the Boston horde that killed Tess to the assault on Jackson. However now it looks as if Cordyceps is evolving in much more terrifying methods.
Whereas selling season 2 at SXSW 2025, Druckmann confirmed that there can be “an escalation of numbers and kinds of contaminated, but additionally, as you see within the trailer, an escalation of the vector of how this factor spreads.” Mazin chimed in quickly after confirming that “spores are again” this season. Druckmann then went on to clarify “The rationale [we’re doing it now], I imply, we actually wished to determine it out, and once more, all the things needs to be drama. There needed to be a dramatic motive of introducing it now. And there’s.”
Thus far this season, they’ve already launched a new sort of contaminated from the video games – stalkers. We noticed Ellie (Bella Ramsey) face off towards one in an deserted grocery retailer in Jackson, and now Ellie and Dina (Isabela Merced) virtually succumbed to a gaggle of them in Seattle. However that’s not the scariest a part of episode 5.
Episode 5 begins with a dialog between W.L.F. officers Hanrahan (Alanna Ubach) and Park speaking about an incident that occurred whereas clearing out contaminated from the hospital that the W.L.F. is making an attempt to make use of as a base. Within the basement ranges, a squad of troopers started to report again that there weren’t any contaminated to battle, however that they had been having hassle respiration. One of many troopers, Sergeant Park’s son, Leon, advised her to seal them in and block off entry to the realm the most effective they might. The scenario has clearly left each of those troopers shaken about what might be lurking within the depths of the hospital.
Afterward within the episode, Ellie inadvertently chases Nora (Tati Gabrielle) into the basement ranges the place we lastly get to see for ourselves what the troopers had been so frightened of. The Cordyceps has grown into the partitions, as we’ve seen earlier than, however this time it’s executed one thing completely different to its hosts. As a substitute of remodeling these individuals into bloodthirsty drones, the Cordyceps has taken them into the partitions, holding them ‘alive’ simply sufficient to make use of their respiratory system as a vector for spores.
As Ellie walks by, we see Leon among the many our bodies exhaling spores into the air. Despite the fact that he hasn’t been down there for lengthy, he already has much more fungal growths over his physique than early-stage contaminated (runners) usually do. Fortunately, Ellie’s immunity carries over into this new supply technique, however Nora shouldn’t be so fortunate. It doesn’t take lengthy for her to start out coughing and twitching because the Cordyceps takes over.