This article contains spoilers forThe Last of Usseason 2 episode 1.
Weve seen characters chased by runners, the still somewhat-human earliest stage of infection.
But the show has finally found a way to introduce another kind of infected found in the games stalkers.
It takes anywhere from two weeks to a year for the Cordyceps infection to reach this stage.
Physically, stalkers resemble a cross between runners and clickers.
But they also know how and when to be quiet to get the upper hand on their prey.
Im not saying it can do math or anything, but it didnt run at me.
It did what we do took cover, planned, waited, lured me in.
Stalking, Ellie tells the Jackson council.
Rather than automatically attacking their prey straight on when spotted, stalkers appear to be more strategic.
They find places to hide and corner them, stalking them until theyre ready to attack.
The stalker hid until Ellie had her back turned before attacking.
The infected are terrifying enough as-is.
Runners are relentless and will literally throw their bodies at anything to get to their prey.
Clickers are ruthless and the sounds they make are chilling.
Bloaters can literally tear a person in half.
But a stage of infected that you wont know is there until its too late?
Thats a whole new level of terror.
Above all, the Cordyceps fungus wants to survive.
Thats its ultimate goal.
And the stalkers seem to be a new way to achieve that.
New episodes of The Last of Us season 2 premiere Sundays at 9 p.m.
ET on HBO, culminating with the finale on May 25, 2025.
