由于故事是發(fā)生在喪尸橫行的末日,所以理所當(dāng)然地,《行尸走肉》中大部分時(shí)間都是非常黑暗壓抑的,Rick和他那群狼狽的幸存者們幾乎沒有時(shí)刻是心存希望的。但是《行尸走肉》的世界里有多糟呢?在將近6季的奔波中,這部劇已經(jīng)跨越了許多地區(qū)(包括在《行尸之懼》中災(zāi)難爆發(fā)開始時(shí)的洛杉磯),然而關(guān)于世界上幸存者的數(shù)量的信息還沒有準(zhǔn)確地出現(xiàn)過。
這個(gè)信息非常像末日發(fā)生的原因本身,這些細(xì)節(jié)不可能很快被暴露出來。雖然原始資源無法為這個(gè)問題提供一個(gè)確切的解釋或準(zhǔn)確的數(shù)字,但是這并不意味著沒有與這部劇無關(guān)的人愿意花費(fèi)時(shí)間和精力來創(chuàng)造一個(gè)詳盡的粉絲理論來解釋這個(gè)問題。
事實(shí)上,當(dāng)涉及到后末日的人口問題時(shí),YouTube上SourceFedNERD頻道的人們會主動給《行尸走肉》的粉絲們講解。粉絲Matt Lieberman利用《行尸走肉》的漫畫、電視劇和衍生劇里的信息計(jì)算了Robert Kirkman的小說世界里活著的總?cè)藬?shù),并不是很多。
Lieberman所用的全部計(jì)算是相當(dāng)復(fù)雜的。有一件事可能一些粉絲會質(zhì)疑,《行尸走肉》里的僵尸爆發(fā)開始于2012年1月,而Rick從醫(yī)院醒過來是五月底。但奇怪的是《行尸走肉》的開播時(shí)間卻是2010年,而此劇也一直暗示著劇中的時(shí)間是和現(xiàn)實(shí)中的時(shí)間相符的。
然而,Lieberman引用了一些《行尸之懼》的試播季中讓人信服的證據(jù)來建立時(shí)間線,包括人們看上去用的是2011年末發(fā)行的蘋果產(chǎn)品,角色們穿的是冬季大衣,并且在可以看見的日歷上并沒有標(biāo)注假期。明確地說,基于《行尸走肉》的Wikia的估計(jì),這部劇已經(jīng)度過了614天,第六季的時(shí)間應(yīng)該是2013年十二月。
簡單地說,《行尸走肉》的世界里活著的大概人數(shù)僅僅只有382885。從中可以看出,這不是一個(gè)國家的人數(shù),而是整個(gè)世界的人數(shù)。當(dāng)然,在衡量Lieberman的數(shù)字時(shí),還有一些事實(shí)是有待考慮的。其中之一,他沒有把在末日中出生的孩子算進(jìn)去。當(dāng)然這幾乎是一個(gè)很小的數(shù)目,但是我們至少知道這部劇中有一個(gè)嬰兒出生了,而且現(xiàn)在Maggie又懷著另一個(gè)。
還有,不同國家的不同因素也沒有考慮在內(nèi)。有爭議的是,Rick和他的同伴們活了這么久的原因之一是在美國可以找到大量的槍支彈藥。格斗武器也比雙手更有效,但是在很多情況下,只有槍可以防止角色的死亡或者變成僵尸。在槍支很難找到的國家,可能會造成更多的人死亡。此外,有人可能猜測島嶼國家需要更久的時(shí)間才會被行尸占領(lǐng),這就可能改變幸存者的數(shù)目。
Matt Lieberman的《行尸走肉》中382885個(gè)活人的數(shù)字是否可以作為一個(gè)標(biāo)準(zhǔn)?不,或許不可以。太多的推斷和猜測才得到的這個(gè)數(shù)字,盡管基本的觀念是合理的。還有這是一個(gè)有趣的腦力鍛煉,并且應(yīng)該考慮更多的可能因素。
《行尸走肉》星期天晚上9點(diǎn)在AMC電視臺播出。《行尸之懼》將在2016年4月10號播出。
The Walking Dead Fan Calculates Total Number of People Left Alive On Earth
Taking place during the zombie apocalypse, it makes perfect sense that The Walking Dead spends most of its time being dark and depressing, with very few moments of genuine hope experienced by Rick Grimes and his ragtag group of survivors. But just how bad are things in The Walking Dead universe? While the show has covered a handful of locations in its nearly six-season run (including Los Angeles at the start of the outbreak in Fear the Walking Dead), information regarding the number of survivors worldwide has not been exactly forthcoming.
That information is a lot like the cause of the outbreak itself, in that it seems highly unlikely such details will be uncovered anytime soon. But just because the source material doesn’t offer an exact explanation or a precise number with regard to the questions at hand that doesn’t mean there aren’t those unaffiliated with the show who are willing to put the time and effort into creating elaborate fan theories that claim to have the answer.
In fact, the folks at YouTube channel SourceFedNERD have taken it upon themselves to enlighten fans of The Walking Dead when it comes to the Earth’s post-apocalyptic population. Fan Matt Lieberman has calculated — using information available from The Walking Dead comic, the TV series, and its spin-off — the total number of people left alive on Robert Kirkman’s fictional Earth — and it is not a high number.
The complete calculation Lieberman uses is rather complex. One thing some fans are likely to dispute is the assertion that The Walking Dead’s zombie outbreak began in January 2012, and that Rick woke up in the hospital in late May. This seems odd since The Walking Dead TV series began airing in 2010, in what one would assume was present day.
However, Lieberman cites some compelling evidence in the pilot of Fear the Walking Dead to establish the timeline, including the fact that people are seen using Apple products released in late 2011, characters are seen wearing winter coats, and no holidays are seen marked on visible calendars. For the record, this places season 6 in December 2013, based on The Walking Dead Wikia’s estimate that 614 days have passed on the series.
To make a complex formula short, the estimated total left alive in The Walking Dead’s universe is a mere 382,885. For perspective, that’s not in one country, that’s in the entire world. Of course, there are a few factors to consider when weighing Lieberman’s number. For one, he doesn’t take into account any babies born during the apocalypse. It’s almost assuredly a low number, but we know for a fact that at least one baby was born during the series, and that Maggie is currently pregnant with another.
Also, variables for different countries weren’t taken into account. Arguably, one of the reasons Rick and company have been able to survive so long is the amount of accessible firearms and ammunition to be found within the USA. Melee weapons have also proven more than effective in capable hands, but in many instances only a gun was able to prevent a character’s death and/or ensuing zombification. In nations where guns are harder to come by, this could have led to further loss of life. Furthermore, one would assume that island nations would have taken longer to be overrun by walkers, potentially altering the total of current survivors further.
Should Matt Lieberman’s number of 382,885 living humans on Walking Dead’s Earth be taken as canon? No, probably not. Too many extrapolations and assumptions have to be made to get there, although the basic ideas are sound. Still, it’s an interesting mental exercise, and worth considering the implications of.
The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9pm on AMC. Fear the Walking Dead returns April 10, 2016.