While The Walking Dead basically dropped us all right into the thick of the zombie apocalypse, Fear the Walking Dead took a little more time, what with its role as something like a prequel to the original. There were, of course, some drawbacks to that approach that were evident in the first few episodes, but things got moving in a hurry and we got to get a good idea of what a zombie uprising (and human response) might look like at the beginning. And that’s useful information if you’re a little nervous about walkers. So, with the show set to get going again on Sunday night, we thought we’d take a look at the zombie survival tips that one can pick up from the fist season of Fear The Walking Dead.
Know what you’re up against.
The survivors in The Walking Dead are zombie-killing machines, but they didn’t just become that way overnight. They had lots of practice and watched everyone they ever loved die in the process. The survivors on Fear The Walking Dead are understandably novices when it comes to taking out walkers. Knowing your enemy is key to zombie survival and the best way to learn is trial and error. Scratch that, you have almost no room for error so you had either better get it right the first time or learn from watching somebody else fail and become a walker snack. Nick (Frank Dillane) doesn’t put down Calvin on the first try, but a few more times with the grill of his truck and it’s mission accomplished.
Don’t be afraid to fight dirty.
Civilized society is no more, government has crumbled and the neighbors are eating each other, playing by the rules no longer exists. It’s a big step and one likely to have many questioning everything that they thought they knew about themselves, but it’s probably best to leave your moral compass behind if you’re to survive. If this means unleashing a horde of imprisoned walkers on an entire military base — so be it. The move is pretty much on par with land mines and mustard gas, but Daniel (Rubén Blades) knows that if he and the others in his group are going to escape the military’s Cobalt extermination plan, drastic measures must be taken. In his mind it’s not fighting dirty, it’s simply fighting for survival.
Avoid the crowds.
For starters, Los Angeles is a terrible place to be during a zombie outbreak. Really, any large city is horrible as highways are bound to be gridlocked and the ratio of braineaters on every block is likely to be high. Unfortunately, you don’t get to pick where you are when the outbreak happens, so you have to make the best of it. If you are in a large city, then try to gradually move away from the crowded areas. As Travis (Cliff Curtis) and Christopher (Lorenzo James Henrie) find out, going to a protest in the middle of downtown is a really bad idea. It doesn’t take long for the protest to turn into a full-blown riot and now there are zombies and panicked people to contend with, as well. They got lucky when the Salazar family offered to take them in, but for the most part, crowds are a surefire way to end up becoming the newest member of club dead.
Get creative with your weapons.
In just about every zombie movie or TV show out there, the survivors are battling the living dead with guns, crossbows, and machetes. Here’s the thing, though, most people don’t own a sword or assault rifle. Plus, guns just attract more walkers. Get creative with those walker-killing tools, folks! Madison (Kim Dickens) and Tobias (Lincoln Castellanos) were nearly goners when they encountered zombified principal Artie at Madison’s school, but they survived because she got creative with her weaponry and put a nearby fire extinguisher to good use. It’s just like in a video game, start off with the small stuff and work your way up to that Daryl Dixon signature crossbow. Because if you can’t take out a walker with a mop handle, you’re probably not going to be able to do much with a samurai sword.
Use the chaos to your advantage.
You can either become a victim of the living dead chaos or use it to your advantage. When Daniel’s parade of walkers flood into the Guard base, it’s basically every man for himself. While the military is busy battling the zombies, Nick and Victor (Colman Domingo) use the chaotic moment to make their escape. (Though getting trapped in a hallway filled with walkers is not advised.) Obviously, trying to find that perfect path out of a military base or shopping mall that’s become overrun with walkers is going to be tough, but this is where you either get creative or, well, end up being torn to pieces.
Have a good escape plan.
If you don’t find some sort of refuge, eventually, you’re going to end up as just another sap who went zombie. As fans of The Walking Dead universe know, no place is going to be perfect, but escape to a safe zone is 100 percent essential for survival. Victor Strand’s yacht seems like it could be the best option for FearTWD’s survivors, as it’s away from other people and capable of allowing the ocean to provide a barrier from shuffling zombies. Clean water and food could become a major problem unless Victor has some fishing poles, but overall, a boat is definitely going to be a better choice than a car in the zombie apocalypse. So, if possible, try to incorporate a boat into your escape plan — yacht, sailboat, bass fishing boat, whatever. Maybe skip the canoe, though.
Zombies aren’t the only enemy.
If there’s a single takeaway that we can learn about zombie apocalypse survival from Fear The Walking Dead, it’s be leery of others — especially the government. When the outbreak happens it doesn’t take long for the National Guard to quarantine neighborhoods in the city and begin hauling people off for so-called treatment, which really just means extermination. Food, medicine, and water will be locked away and divvied out whenever deemed necessary and as Travis and Madison found out, open communication with the military just won’t happen. While Travis may have had some faith that the Guard was looking out for the people’s best interests, Daniel knew all too well that it was all a cover and that the military was to be feared just as much as the walking dead.
Now that you know the tips for surviving the zombie apocalypse, go and practice those crossbow skills.
