Runner Infection Progression Explained in The Last of Us | Cordyceps Fungus Influence on Brains

The Last of Us sports infected who are aggressive and lethal. However during the early stages of the infection just prior to losing control of their own bodies. The infected might not be as far gone as you might imagine. Lets discuss the anatomical changes the Cordyceps fungus has inflicted upon humanity shall we!
Thank you for watching Roanoke Gaming and I hope you enjoy The Last of Us Lore | Runner Infection Progression Explained | Cordyceps Fungus Influence on Brains
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[@RoanokeGaming]

Thanks for watching y'all! I hope everyone enjoyed the video about how this real world disease actually exists right now and while it hasnt made the leap to humans...its uhhh...still out there. Anyways, Dont forget to eat your greens and drink your coffee! Hope yall have a good one!

[@burdsturds]

Roanoke Gaming first?

[@TunTheOfficial]

Could you go into detail how Ellie's immune system actually fights the fungus. Like if & when she gets bit she shows no signs of changed

[@jeremybarrett3616]

I always wondered why the Cordyceps behaved in this way in the Last of Us. To me it seemed more likely they'd develop a sharper sense of smell as their vision and hearing alike decrease. As that is a sense fungi have. Or that the symptoms would be coughing,as spores begin to enter the respiratory system. Which would improve spread of the fungal infection. Admittedly that would make the game alot more difficult. And I still enjoy the Last of Us lore.

[@isabelpage5950]

Do you know when you'll be doing Evolve? I still really want see the Goliath.

[@BigBossMan1996]

Treesus take the wheel

[@roadroller8851]

"Why are you running?" *"WHY ARE YOU RUNNING?"*

[@spaceman6463]

RoadRoller Why are you gay i’m not gay you are gay

[@lofivibes3640]

You smell like Ebola.

[@thecrudelab3204]

ahhhh ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!

[@jarodreloj9311]

@@lofivibes3640 I don't smell like one, I'am one. Have I stimulated your amygdala yet

[@gunnargunnarsson5963]

I just want my money back!

[@gagaplex]

That bit with the infected eating... and crying... tough stuff, man.

[@SwiftyEmpire]

Yeah thats really fucking sad

[@SwiftyEmpire]

@WalkingPromissoryNote 1963 damn you right

[@kaiju1master735]

Tough luck

[@sionhughes3335]

Press F to pay respek

[@a_tired_wendigo]

Gave me the chills

[@Fireandknives]

This makes it MUCH more terrifying in retrospect. Especially the clip of the lady eating someone she knew and crying in between her chewing.

[@nguyentandung42]

It's not a virus dammit

[@seventy2995]

@@nguyentandung42 yeah lol

[@nguyentandung42]

It's a fungus a group of parasitic mushroom that steals the nutrients of its hosts Fungus are very much real and some can even infect humans

[@seventy2995]

@@nguyentandung42 yeah, just imagine if it actually evolved and infected humans, that would be bad. I know it infects ants and such, i feel like it would take years if that were to happen.

[@Creed606]

@@seventy2995 You don't reallly have to worry about being bitten or ripped to shreds(if thats the most thing ur worried about) since the fungus is not aggressive, it finds a good place for it to grow and stays there. Plus our brain is wayyy too complicated for the fungus so it'll take hundreds of years to evolve (believe me you won't survive until then :) )

[@blaze1951]

Being forced to eat someone you care about uncontrollably...that girl that was crying while eating the person... thats one of the most f'd up things ive heard. I love it

[@liamstanley5599]

Flashbacks to Sam

[@uratheboi1321]

Damn imagine how they feel knowing they cant do anything to stop the fungus from infecting them and how they watch as they do something they dont want to do. Great video by the way Roanoke very informative

[@josephwatkins1190]

That's why killing people infected with it is always a mercy

[@EnderElohim]

that is body horror :D

[@agentsquid9079]

piping piping Yeah but that would very difficult due to circumstances. There aren’t enough people. Also carriers may not have symptoms but they could still carry the Fungi. Natural Selection seems to be a good natural way of fighting the cordyceps. But that would be extremely difficult.

[@TheFlamerWolf]

Sounds like our government

[@rapidzgamez5848]

It feels like ur spectating ur own infected body

[@desireesmith862]

My science teacher kept saying people who made zombie games never put any thought into the zombies. Well I wore her a report and cited this video and got some extra credit point. Ha! In yo face!

[@RoanokeGaming]

Well thats pretty cool!

[@wgreenewgreene1022]

@SourApple Your a hero

[@micahmorri-san3249]

@Sour Apple Haha I can get where they come from though, as most are based in sci-fi or fictional science/fantastical. However, we thankfully got at least one with some actual science behind it, based on an actual real thing. With a touch of sound science based on a sort of "what if" circumstance, should a gap from insectoid to human ever be bridged.

[@thevroom1643]

this has bullshit written all over it

[@stupidityincarnate9356]

aight time to post this to r/QuitYourBullshit

[@WowSuchGaming]

Walking Dead has WALKERS Last of Us has RUNNERS The next zombie craze will have DRIVERS

[@RoanokeGaming]

Now there is a terrifying prospect! 😂

[@george2p]

As long as the next one isn't FUCKERS...

[@FNGof2010]

Zoom-bies.

[@yamnbam4346]

You skipped bikers

[@velrzvertigo8215]

Resident Evil has LICKERS

[@damnedman0455]

Damn, so whenever I’m killing a zombie (a runner) in the last of us, it’s probably struggling to not kill me.

[@mauralawton3260]

Yeah just makes it harder for me mentally. So sad :(

[@RUSTYCHEVYTRUCK]

Maura Lawton youd be doing them a favor

[@mauralawton3260]

RUSTYCHEVYTRUCK I know but just knowing there’s still someone inside struggling to get out makes it harder.

[@RUSTYCHEVYTRUCK]

Maura Lawton makes sense

[@Hachikii]

If i was that runner. Then i wish to be killed!

[@SaurophaganaxSRG]

you can actully hear runners crying in the game, when you don't attack them

[@AmerikanSkull]

What I find interesting is shortly after the games release an interview was held by the CDC, when one of the reporter told them about the virus within the game. The head Bioscientist of the CDC said that such a mutation is very possible. That sends shivers down my spine

[@normaaliihminen722]

Can you give the source for this? I'm curious

[@AmerikanSkull]

@@normaaliihminen722 it was either the New York Times or Huffington Post

[@BP-fx3qc]

It is possible, we would be okay as long as our immune system keeps adapting, but... Nature never stops evolving.

[@BackupSix76066]

Are you sure it isn't the infection doing the shivers?

[@Abdega]

So while I tried to find the interview you talked about and couldn’t find it, I *DID* find something on parasites that *ALREADY* infect humans and seem to change their behaviors wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/8/9/ad-0809_article

[@SergioPerez-vm8zw]

There's a note in The Last Of Us II that portrays how an infected loses their mind very well. It starts with the patient politely complaining about the way he's been treated (his doctor just applied an ointment of some sort to it and vanished for 6 hours). He then asks to whoever reads it(the doctor) to bring it to his supervisor and then goes on to edit and talk about how he can barely hold anything down, struggling with even water. He couldn't sleep, he was very, very hungry, and he wanted to see his wife Sasha. He had even more trouble keeping his thoughts straight after that. The note ends with "Hungry. Eyes hurt. Sasha"

[@masamune2984]

That’s also a clear nod to the original Resident Evil, where you can find an extremely similar (and now well-known in the gaming and zombie-fan communities) note 🙂

[@kharitonova6971]

@@masamune2984 good old Itchy Tasty!

[@Bowfella]

Jesus I never thought they were actually still *aware* of what they're doing when they're infected and even still feel pain. It's possibly the most terrifying zombie virus that's also the most realistic.

[@samwse7503]

“*fungus” Or if you wan to make it more natural to say, “*infection”

[@HaHa-gg9dl]

@@samwse7503 Zombie mushroom

[@samwse7503]

Ha Ha Yep. Pretty much. And Colton Thompson, zombies have definitely changed over the years. So yeah, even though they are called Infected, now we would call them, zombies. Look at most zombie movies or games in the past 20 years, they’re all infected with a virus/disease which turns them into zombies.

[@samwse7503]

Colton Thompson I agree.

[@thetillerwiller4696]

Colton Thompson yeah but the act like zombies. In the last of us universe they don’t call them zombies

[@nikladamond937]

God...that thing about crying and screaming while having to stuff your mouth with the flesh of the people you know is....god thats actually one of the most horrible things i ever thought about.

[@orangutank626]

why humans tho? why not attack other animals too, like thers obivously cats and dogs and monkeys and giraffes and deer in the last of us why not attack those too

[@theuniverse1158]

@@orangutank626 They do, if they catch them, in the last of us 2, they killed a moose and ate it

[@careerfullonrapist3316]

@@orangutank626 cause unlike humans animals have already been chasing/ being chased by predators non stop anyway they are experienced in survival and half the animals are lightning fast compared to humans and the rest are as strong as a truck. Another human is the ideal target. slow, weak, inexperienced in being prey and massively overpopulated and bundled up in predictable locations.

[@LordofFullmetal]

@@orangutank626 1) They do 2) Humans aren't great at chasing down quadrupedal animals. We're designed for walking long distances, not running fast. 3) Diseases and infections can't necessarily infect ALL mammals just because they can infect one species. If other animals can't be infected, there's no reason for the fungus to waste host resources trying.

[@javier6465]

The fungus in Ellie: Let me in. LET ME IINNNNNN!!

[@staydetermined6717]

Ellie be like these 2 options. 1 is. Pulls out a uno reverse card. Or. 2. Ellie: Fuck no bitch! I’ve had it with ya ass! Now begone!

[@lovellhorrors1586]

Ellie:"STAY OUT OF ME, YOU'RE NOT DINA!"

[@fedra5873]

Im immune to covid-19

[@ekk4674]

I'LL BE THE I G G Y

[@lovellhorrors1586]

@@fedra5873 so..... immune to the flu.

[@CorwinTheOneAndOnly]

Well, according to what Marlene said, it's not actually Ellie's genes that had an innate immunity to the fungus, it was actually a mutation in Ellie's cordyceps that rendered it in an kind of dormant state. Essentially it's a different strain. The "vaccine" that was to be developed would most likely be them growing that specific strain of fungus and giving it to everyone, lol. Everyone would have harmless fungus all over their brains, giving no space to the common dangerous strain. I can't find her quote written anywhere on the unfinished quote wiki, but to paraphrase it "...the cordyceps, the growth on her brain, it's mutated!" That's as close to the line as I could get it.

[@mainaccount5990]

Interesting

[@tohzikai8286]

she'll have to bite everyone

[@davrowpot5585]

@@tohzikai8286 No, no, I think an injection through the bloodstream with the "supposed successful" cure/vaccine taken from Ellie would do the job. Their problem is the time and the process it will have to take to create one, and if there are willing human guinea pigs who's going to test it out, and then massive production and distribution if and only if the vaccine/cure is successful.

[@RequiemPoete]

That makes sense why they wanted to kill Ellie and biopsy her brain. They needed to get the fungus itself to study as opposed to a blood sample to check her antibodies

[@92brunod]

@@RequiemPoete exactly, her blood is like any normal non-infected person so she doesn't have antibodies to help others. It's that specific mutated strain of cordyceps that needs to be studied and replicated to make other people immune so you have no other choice than to open her brain. "The girl's infection is like nothing I've ever seen. The cause of her immunity is uncertain. As we've seen in all past cases, the antigenic titers of the patient's Cordyceps remain high in both the serum and the cerebrospinal fluid. Blood cultures taken from the patient rapidly grow Cordyceps in fungal-media in the lab... however white blood cell lines, including percentages and absolute-counts, are completely normal. There is no elevation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and an MRI of the brain shows no evidence of fungal-growth in the limbic regions, which would normally accompany the prodrome of aggression in infected patients."

[@Simplegreentea]

This reminds me of the conversation Ellie had with Sam when Sam asks, “what if the people are still inside and have no control of their body? I’m scared of that happening to me.”

[@LordofFullmetal]

And then it does Poor Sam. What a horrible way to go.

[@WhiteCourtain]

that was the first clue for me that it might actually be the case in this game that was back when I first played the original and then later in Part II they expanded on the animation and acting and you can see runners more shaking and in pain holding their heads etc and making sounds of anguish. it's cool to hear a more scientistific explanation on it

[@rawrdino7046]

Controlling my brain and holding me hostage sounds like my ex

[@coreytran7415]

She sounds hot.

[@fulcrum2951]

Each to their own

[@whymysockswet7279]

Got em

[@addieeeson]

Jason Lee ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[@Future1996Lost]

Ha! I've been there xD

[@MatthewReiter05]

When i was finishing killing a runner, I think I heard it say "No!" The virals in dying light do that if you hit them. Runners are actually still aware and can look worried while attacking if you look at their faces in photo mode. They are trying to resist the infection.

[@ignisshadowflame1027]

The virals in dying light are one of the more dangerous for the same reason the infected of the last of us are they aren't any slower than you.

[@blakebenskin1969]

Bro I swear I heard a stalker shout “SHIT” when I shot in the face one time

[@gplgs4640]

5:50 In Part II, during the ground zero section as Abby, you can break into a sealed room and find a note of an infected patient as they descend into the infection. As they go on, they begin to express that they feel incredibly hungry. The fact that that lines up exactly with this point is astounding work from the developers in keeping the fungal infection grounded and realistic

[@masamune2984]

That’s also a clear nod to the original Resident Evil, where you can find an extremely similar (and now well-known in the gaming and zombie-fan communities) note 🙂

[@dank_smirk9971]

I actually wonder what "The Last of Us" would have been like if it was more like the actual cordyceps fungi. Basically someone would be infected and instead of attacking they would instead become very passive and meek, go to a shady area out of human contact or somewhere very high up, tightly grab onto whatever surface they're on, die, grow the fungal stalks, release the spores, and then an area would be infected. Though in retrospect there wouldn't be a game then as the quarantines would be quick to end the very obvious infection there, unless the fungus had far smaller spores and/or a far faster form of spore generation. It would be an interesting scenario though

[@hermitfox3053]

Interesting concept! This wave of apathy would probably break down some work structures and would be noticed fast (bus drivers crashing etc.) but it could also claim a huge wave of victims in a city until the cause is actually found and isolated, at least that's how I would imagine it. A horror game like The Last of Us couldn't be made with this concept but it could be some kind of short but slower paced game/story that uses more of the fear of the unknown and the uncanny valley until the explanation is found at the end.

[@yeahkeen2905]

Dank_Smirk I thought the real life fungus makes ants go toward the center of the nest and not away from other ants?

[@abandonware1874]

@@yeahkeen2905 They do try but If the ants are aware that one of their fellow colony members are infected they can carry them to exile.

[@lovellhorrors1586]

The way it made humans act would probably depend on how strong or severe the mutation was. Worst case scenario, zombies. Best case scenario, the infected just start to REALLY like being outside.

[@Somethingaweful]

That happens in the game. In areas where you have to wear mask. That’s essentially what happening. That’s what produces spores.

[@LordofFullmetal]

Slight correction - Ellie isn't fighting off the infection. She's actually immuno-suppressed, just like everyone else who's infected. She just has a different variant of the fungus that isn't as aggressive. So it's not that she's not infected; it's that she has a less aggressive strain. "Vaccination" against the fungus would essentially just be infecting everyone ELSE with her strain first; before the more aggressive strain even got to them.

[@chrislaurent1137]

Another thing I thought of is that as the cordyceps infects your brain, it’s also growing out of your head, making your skull weaker. Which explains why survivors are able to break their heads as they stomp on them or punch their lights out

[@BungieStudios]

It's not that hard without Fungus. Watch more BestGore and LiveLeak videos.

[@jdogg0130x2k]

everyone damn dude...

[@fulcrum2951]

@@BungieStudios calm down

[@ThaHKBlower]

everyone you sick fuck

[@theshermantanker7043]

@@BungieStudios Pretty sure a stomp on a skull will never break it no matter how hard you stomp. It would probably cause brain damage though

[@buggyboy2849]

It's funny how you mentioned the Flood since Bungie stated in a very old interview that the inspiration for the Flood were parasitic fungi calling the combat forms basically fungus zombies! So in a way the Flood are space cordyceps... ;)

[@theimmortalsuperbeing549]

I called them Space Fungus before I knew this ha I love that thanks for the info.

[@buggyboy2849]

@@theimmortalsuperbeing549 I was introduced to Halo long after I already knew about parasitic fungi so I always made the connection, it was Bungie's interview that finally made it official though! The Flood do share some attributes and traits with various arthropods too but that's expected considering the Precursors often had such morphological traits and were said to have seeded various planets with sea scorpions (eurypterids) for some uknown reason...

[@nimbusws5946]

“Space Cordyceps” Two words I never wanted to see together.

[@BungieStudios]

They're also based on moths.

[@1bossofbosses]

I never knew that they were still conscious. Thanks for making me aware of that and i am a fan of that game its the 1st game that ever made me clap at the credits when i beat it.

[@themoleman6806]

Yeah, even when Sam brings it up later in the game I always just brushed it off like, "nah, that'd be too f****ed up." But yeah, turns out they're actually conscious when they're first turning.

[@hydradominatus3661]

Now I feel bad breaking them in two with my bare hands

[@manrightchea]

@@hydradominatus3661 You shouldn't, it's honestly the ultimate form of kindness. Releasing them from their misery.

[@daerdevvyl4314]

Virgo You can hear the runners trying to yell words. They’ve lost the ability to form words but they’re still trying. Sometimes if you listen closely it sounds like they’re saying “Please help me!”

[@jubileegonzalez]

daer devvyl jesus that makes this more horrifying than before.

[@GreatHornedRat99]

When you finished a fight with your mom and you get angry 4:49

[@RoanokeGaming]

😂😂😂😂

[@kiwiboyyt5297]

@@thecrudelab3204 hahaha XD

[@MASTEROFEVIL]

True😂😂😂

[@Muzan_JacksonHEEHEE]

Very true😂😂

[@RexWort]

11:55 Your inner mad scientist is showing 😅

[@m.s.e.advanced2842]

I got to this video faster than a runner

[@shaxing4971]

Nice one 👍👍😀😀

[@reggieace4430]

I got to this video faster than the bullets that killed Sarah

[@manrightchea]

**Stumbles in rapidly while screeching and flailing arms wildly**

[@sapateirovalentin348]

So the pirana plant run now... Nintendo, we have to talk

[@Snarkythecat]

M.S.Piranha Plant Advanced so you clicked on the video faster than a clicker?

[@Bulkvannderhuge]

"The in game lore matches the real life lore" I'm gonna start referring to factual information as "real life lore" from now on.

[@Neo2266.]

Is Ellie immune because her mother got infected just before Ellie’s birth? So she was in contact with the fungus but not actually infected, like a natural inoculation?

[@zephyrgaming865]

No she wasn't infected till she was over ten ( I don't know exact age) she got bit but her fungi mutated and bonded with her

[@reemyziz]

Zephyr gaming She was 14 when she got infected, she met Joel and Tess 3 weeks after getting bit which she states when they found it she is

[@micahmorri-san3249]

@Neo2266 No No, not quite. Her Mom Anna was among one of the few trying to find a cure to disease, but no. If you play the DLC "Left Behind" it shows exactly how her and Riley get infected... [poor girls]. And it is just how she explains it to Joel. 3 weeks before meeting Joel and Tess she got bit by a Runner. Her wound is 3 weeks old, people freak out because you begin to turn into a Runner hours after you're bit. [Spoilers] Like with what "Would" have happened to Tess, and what "did" happen to poor Sam. Try to think of what happened to Ellie in a similar way to what happened to Alice from the films Resident Evil: Genesis/Apocalypse/Extinction. Ellie got infected at age 14, yes. However, the most unusual thing happened in Ellie case. Her body "Somehow" merged and bonded with the viral fungus on a cellular level. So, yes she is Infected... Infected on a massive level. [since she can handle breathing in spores and not instantly turn]. However, at the time, she cannot transmit/or be contagious. So, she is like "Infected" but also "Not Infected" at the same time. It's like a identical mirror to what happened whit Alice in regards to the T-Virus. The fungus is in her body and developed to the point of wrapping around the brain. [hence Marline's surgical procedure for samples to create a cure/vaccine]. But, however, at the same time something in her body affected the viral fungus, that somehow halted any further processes of normal infection. Somehow keeping her safe from ever entering "Stage One Infected: Runner" state. With this "unknown" development in the overall fungal virus gnome, or alteration to it, means Ellie now shares in akin to Alice from Resident Evil, also just as much akin to the main child girl from The Girl With All The Gifts. The only exception between the child and Ellie, is that unlike the child, Ellie does NOT have the Cordiceps influenced need to feed on things. But, it is the identical concept. Bonding of the foreign organic element on a cellular level. That is way Ellie in the game is so vastly important. [Though she doesn't know it yet...] We simply do not yet know if such a thing has happened to any one else in The Last Of Us. So whatever happened to Ellie, is something that we are talking 1 out of a billion chances of actually happening. Who knows if such a kind of lightning in a bottle will strike twice. [I know that sounds like Marlinne, but it's truth.] The only strong guess I can make is maybe it has something to do with Ellie's DNA. Something in her DNA must've found a way to not only halt, but prevent further transmutation. It's unprecedented.

[@AriaAmm0]

@@micahmorri-san3249 Its like having cancer, you're sick, but you can't infect anyone.

[@micahmorri-san3249]

@@AriaAmm0 Somewhat, in a way, yes; one "could" say that. As there are some similarities. Though, the key and most obvious difference... would be that most "cancers" I've ever heard of don't normally or typically put the human form into a trans-mutagenic state like what we normally see with T or G-virus [namely G] of Resident Evil franchise. Sure, the first few stages like Runner & Stalker it is just the Cordyceps growing out through the body. However, by the Bloater stage, it appears to alter the very D.N.A of the Human-form, at least to an extent. We also don't yet have confirmation of stages beyond Bloater [if "ANY"]. IDK if there are in Last Of Us 2 [don't have it yet]. I've not experienced a stage past or beyond Bloater [should there be one]. so I cannot say for certainty. Regardless though, "one" thing we ALL can agree on, is regardless the means, ALL of these plague-apocalypse games/movies etc. Cordyceps [L.O.U/Girl With All The Gifts], T/G/TG/C/TCG/Progenitor/Uroboros [R.E. franchise] zombies/plauges/ sometimes both... ALL of which equal "100% NOT Good" for the rest of us. (lol) An extra bonus add-on film quote [Sure, may not have been the BEST of films, but at least ONE good line was used in it that would potentially fit well with ANY of these scenarios...]: "JANEK! JANEK... Do you read? You HAVE to STOP IT ! It's carrying DEATH... and it's headed for EARTH. I Know... but please listen... JANEK, if we DON'T STOP IT now... then there WON'T BE A HOME to go back to.. So you MUST STOP IT... We CANNOT let it LEAVE... for ALL our sakes..." - Elizabeth Shaw/Prometheus

[@dnl_orlov]

The game states that it takes years to reach stage 4. During the game we encounter them in basements and other hard to reach places, which are lacking regular "food resupplies". So I wonder - what do they eat?

[@ExpendableOne23]

Their own body, maybe supplemented by the fungus itself?

[@dnl_orlov]

eat fungus which already eating human body? that wouldn't work)

[@daerdevvyl4314]

Daniil Orlov Yeah it’s a plot hole. I guess that people might venture into their basements often enough to keep them alive, especially since Bloaters are usually not using a lot of energy when there are no people around. They generally stand in one place.

[@lastzeit2251]

Daniil Orlov they are eating other infected. Probably there where many of them in one room and they eat each other and how the time pass by there is one last standing

[@Monicalia]

I never put much thought into this virus, but from their screams and yelps they let out while kneeling or standing I assumed they must be trying to handle an unbearable pain, which indicates some sort of awareness (I know, it's probably a dumb and incorrect correlation). And I felt so bad for them. Imagine being aware of what you become and yet you have little to no control over it and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it.

[@creeper2691]

I know what to do tie them to a wheelchair and then ask them where you want to go they will live a good life still

[@soulsurfer7702]

I know the fungus thing is 100 percent worse but I wonder if it would be similar to when you get sleep paralysis you want your body to move but you feel paralyzed and how scared you feel when your body doesn’t do what you want.

[@isaacalves97]

when i played The Last of Us i always fellt that the Infected where "Sufering inside" the reason being their "crys of agony" like they are felling their everything! guess i was right. By the way i just found this channel i already like it:) thanks for explaining everthing Roanoke Gaming:) really enjoy your content:)

[@Artik_Masterson]

11:56 never has a dead body made me jump so hard

[@TonyRedgrave]

Roanoke: "This is a horrifying disease that would put the nail in the coffin for our species." Video:*shows a runner ragdolling into the ground*

[@Abdega]

So I saw this comment and set my phone down for a good chunk of the video, but when I picked up my phone to see where in the video it was, *THAT EXACT MOMENT* popped up on my screen! My cowardice was futile

[@DarknessXER]

I laughed a bit.

[@rocketonthebeat9441]

So Sam was trapped just like he feared. Now he has to live his fear while seeing his brother shoot him.

[@meanpeen5647]

:(

[@Somethingaweful]

I mean he didn’t live that long…

[@smurlix5676]

They could actually be experiencing a form of PTSD in their passive state. What little control they have left must be what causes them to hunch over and wander around, trying to distract themselves.

[@tacituskilgore14]

I used to think how it was cheesy that of course the zombie like altered version of a person had to be programmed to pertain to cannibalism, just like any other movie or game, but learning specifically how it affects the brain and hormones, it makes so much more sense, and creeps me out even more.

[@twistedmissile716]

Sometimes although it is extremely rare you can hear them screaming if you shoot a limb off or they will hesitate before attacking you

[@SomeGuyWhoPlaysGames333]

I always feel kind of bad when I kill runners, (unlike other enemies) knowing that the person is still mostly there, but simply can’t control their actions.

[@harelmist1341]

Cant wait for the clickers video

[@melon8523]

And bloaters

[@FatCJ]

i bet the clickers will click on their video

[@StandardUserFromEarth]

@@FatCJ really....? 😂

[@NeoZeta]

I'm more interested in the stalkers.

[@cglyvin2085]

There's still stalkers

[@rafaelalodio5116]

I never realized how tragic the infection was.

[@ajh3461]

Sam was right all along. Early stage infected seem like normal humans being compelled into unnatural levels of aggression.

[@starsilverinfinity]

"Likened go you in the backseat of a car while a drunken tree drives" -Roanoke 2019 XD

[@manrightchea]

There's something terrifying about that analogy, just imagining something like that.

[@GeniusInALamp]

5:12 just gotta point out that whoever was playing during that clip, that was a hell of a shot

[@aidand.7911]

So essentially when you get infected, you keep your personality and your beliefs and all of your emotions and everything you knew and loved before a bite, but now you are being controlled like a puppet against your own will? Also, this begs a question, why do some infected fully eat and kill some people, but others just bit to infect?

[@arkhamshow8996]

The fungus that controls you needs food to mutate and evolve.

[@arkhamshow8996]

Plus, the enemies are aware and will go against any threats because the fungus thinks regular humans are threats

[@Gemosiku]

Appreciate how you really researched about the human anatomy and physiology, esp the nervous system and relate it to the cordycep infection. Everything was explained well. I’m a medical student and a big fan of the game. Great video fam! 😁😁😁

[@islandvibez]

damn. props to you for doing medicine. How is it like pursuing medicine in a time such as now with the coronavirus pandemic?

[@cignaga]

This is a really great descriptive breakdown! It expanded on the behaviour patterns that I've never would of known otherwise like the crying, starvation & the loss of control. Wow...I can't wait to see all of the stages!

[@RoanokeGaming]

Glad you enjoyed it bro!

[@KittyPieVibes]

This is so horrible to imagine :( especially for very newly infected people. Probably so much pain in the body, not to mention the fear I can’t help but think about Sam from The Last of Us part 1 He even said himself that he worried about infected people still being conscious It’s even more tragic when you consider he didn’t immediately attack the others and instead probably forced himself to stay in the room alone as long as possible

[@saintsocky1346]

I have a theory that he stayed in that room without realizing he changed. It wasn't until the infection caused him to attack Ellie that he realized that he was no longer in control. He might've felt off at first, getting hungry..

[@daveeverett3169]

6:30 this scene is scarier than most horror games of today

[@nathanpierce6819]

i love how you talk about it it feels like i'm talking to a friend at a bar or something like that AND ALSO LEARNING

[@Voice_of_a_dragon]

I just like to say i love your lore videos i found your youtube channel while watching deadspace videos and after watching one of your deadspace lore videos i sub and watched all the lore videos. all ways happy to watch your lore videos😀

[@brandon-tb6eu]

The whole thing with 'CSF' makes me pretty sure that's how Ellie is immune. The doctor in the first game even states "It's something in the brain" or something along those lines when talking about Ellie's immunity. She must have something that stops the virus from reaching the CSF.

[@RIFLQ]

So this explains why Ellie is so determined for revenge..

[@wolfiefink]

If you accept the idea that consciousness is a result a physical and chemical reactions in your body, it makes the experience of runners as one of: not only are they aware of what they are doing, they perceive that they are actively “choosing” to do do the things they are doing. It’s like how you have random moments of rage as certain hormones are released in your body.

[@solid_rooster4587]

That's very scary, is almost exactly what happens to people with rabbies

[@sqwooshy]

Nah even as a normal person I'm not always capable of choosing what to do. Like you said with the rage, if you act on emotion sometimes you feel out of control in your own body. Invasive thoughts and actions are awful but still distinguishable from active choices, I imagine runners go through something similar to that.

[@wolfiefink]

@@sqwooshy yeah that’s why I put “choose” in quotations. From our own perspectives we appear to have choice but it’s debatable how genuine that is. We know the obvious ways in which drugs and hormones affect our mood so our entire consciousness could be the result of the same phenomenon and “awareness” is the brain tricking us into thinking we have any say in how that plays out.

[@Gary-gq2le]

Dying light has some pretty neat runner style zombies that exhibit odd behaviours that suggest the person is still alive inside i remember hitting a woman with a hatchet and the zombie girl cowered down and started screaming 'not my baby no!' Then came back at me growling and hissing 10/10 will never forget that

[@mikelms20]

I'm no biologist but this would be my two cents about daemons. Given how strong, agile and tireless they are they ought to be burning a lot of calories which would suggest a high metabolism. Given that they can be on the outskirts of mars (which to my knowledge is not terraformed) and mars average temperature is around the -60-50 C they ought to metabolize incredibly fast to both move and exert strentght and not have everything about them freeze. Granted we could blame argent energy for this but it doesn't take away there has to be a constant burning of calories. But as we know doom eternal takes place on earth which seems to be undergoing terraforming but daemons go about on higher temperatures which would suggest a strong temperature regulatory system. My take is yes, very high metabolism, body temperature and voodoo magic levels

[@RoanokeGaming]

Interesting! Thank you for the comment bro, I will consider this!

[@TonyRedgrave]

Wait, Doom Eternal takes place on Earth? I thought it was Phobos, Mars' moon.

[@unethical1894]

Lol argent energy you can't just destroy it oof I also beat doom 2016 in nightmare mode then ultranightmare not don't do this its incredibly hard the only reason I beat ultranightmare was 60% skill and the other 40% pure luck

[@darkhellspartan975]

@@TonyRedgrave part of it will be on phobos and part of it will be on Earth it seems. Just going by what we saw on both gameplay teasers (the BFG 10,000 firing on Phobos's surface, and the Terraforming of Earth along where that whole "mortally challenged" thing came from)

[@roxrequiem2935]

Im just a higschool Idiot but. I think I woud have to agree. But... where is it storing all of that matter to metabolize and if not then where is it ingesting it from? Humans are not as large as daemons and not have temperatures as high as that but we eat like 2-4 kilos of food a day and about 3-5 liters of water. If say a daemon can survive -60 celsius its gonna have a good like 75 degrees celsius worth of internal temp in that rate to fight off the cold. Im just an idiot but that amount of metabolism is wayyy too big and that means a lotta stuff to burn. Too much from what can be stored inside that thing.

[@ADcommenter]

If you were to cure somebody of the cordyceps, the likeliness of them killing themselves immediately right after isnt so far fetched.

[@ShinDigzzz]

9:26 jump scare

[@fobo3361]

Is it just me that found the thumbnail satisfying, when ever you play the last of us and get a headshot its like you see into time and everything lines up just as you prefict, then bang you get the perfect head shot, or you have to go off the books and just shoot them when their running or start swinging, man i love the last of us gameplay.

[@jrw3349]

When you kill runners in the game your actually doing I kind act and freeing the people from their suffering

[@josephy4936]

Really informative video, great job as always! I can really appreciate the level of detail Naughty Dog has put into the Cordyceps infections, and by god is it terrifying!

[@alphaxbox3728]

A thing called "The Runner". What do they do? The answer may suprise you.

[@RoanokeGaming]

;)

[@obeth_1247]

achives final stage of cordyceps *BIG FUNGUS AQUIRED*

[@richardnajera545]

So glad that you picked The Last of Us to explain, really cool video👍🏻

[@chrissapiandante5811]

Roanoke : we're using the fungi's immuno-suppresant abilities in real life. Me, a simpleton: so you mean we are one bloody mutation away from a plant Zombie Apocalypse?

[@theshermantanker7043]

No lol

[@Seedonator]

nope, 1 mutation away from a fungal apocalypse

[@ignisshadowflame1027]

@@Seedonator They are definitely not a fungi to be around.

[@mutantmaster1]

I think the scary thing about Cordyceps that we now know is that the fungi brute forces it's way into the muscles and motor nerves of the ant victim, so the ant is 100% still in there, until the fungi eats enough to cause ganglia-brain death

[@nebulosity7266]

The crying runner eating their friend is just traumatizing as hell holy shit.

[@josephmoore9706]

Pussy

[@bennettsir4723]

Yeah was 9 when I saw that..

[@J0hnny22]

REM sleeping paralysis is already terrifying, imagine being stuck inside your own body unable to stop yourself from chasing and eating someone alive

[@Hyperdan247]

Can't wait for the Clicker episode and maybe even the Bloater. I love how in depth these analysis get. it's truly fascinating

[@IandRsLoveChild]

...Ellie doesn't have antibodies she has a mutated fungus strain. The fungus still grew in her brain, as shown in her ct scans, but stopped growing after a point and didn't affect her brain function. Attempting a cure would kill her because it required removing the mutated fungus which was intertwined with her brain. If she had antibodies it would be a lot less deadly for her to help create a cure as they could simply use her blood plasma. It's likely that this happened because of some genetic mutation that would be very rare.

[@gummy7731]

The infected in last of us reminds me of the headcrabs from Half-Life, if you reverse their lines you can actually hear them crying for help. "Oh, God. Help me!"

[@xXSilentAgent47Xx]

It seems they did retcon on Runners aka freshly infected who got overcame by virus and only their characters are trapped inside of their bodies. Which is why in original they speak because they cannot control themselves and in TLOU2 letter before Ratking is explained how that "headache" is fully taking them over. In the end they end up trapped and go crazy over couple weeks-months by infection. In both TLOU2 and 1 (which they replaced) is just infection and crying. In original they speak and cry. Also the original Runners are much creepier than 2nd and Remake. In both they aren't much to be scared of unlike in original who has similar zombie movements like in Dead Rising.

[@xavier4563]

Hey, can you make a video about the resident evil viruses ;)))) Ps: asking for a friend ;)))

[@goldengolem4670]

I am that friend.

[@BP-fx3qc]

I am the friend... Of your friend.

[@Fede_uyz]

a couple corrections from a physician who otherwise loved the breakdown and fully agree: 1 - the Occipital lobe while it appears to be in direct contact with the vertebral CSF is no more in contact than any other space. while closer than let's say the frontal lobe, all the CSF is nearby to all areas and I doubt that there would be a big difference between the occipital and other lobes. 2- the cerebellum isn't the motor center. it's more a primitive brain that is in charge of primitive functions such as standing upright and coordination. 3- the real motor center is the pre-rolandic and post Rolandic gyrum. (back portion of frontal lobe and forwards part of the parietal lobes) these two are together the (touch) sensory center and motor centers. when an action wants to be carried out and thought of, this center lights up and afterwards sends the rest of the body functions. As we see very heightened senses I'd argue that the sense center is very intact and likewise the motor center is. I believe that what would be affected is rather the signals going down the spine and towards the muscles. but either way the net effect is what we see. I believe the cerebellum would be mainly intact and due to runners and stalkers to have pretty fine equilibrium. the sluggish responsiveness would be a signal that the spinal chord is damaged, as signals are being processed correctly at the motor center but since the signals are being fucked up in their way up and down, the result is what we see The runners being lamentful, resisting, etc. could be the motor centers and frontal lobe being rather intact and fighting but being overrides by reflects, the hypothalamus, medula, etc

[@CrossHunter1966]

Dude can you PLEASE do a Dead Space Weapons lore? That'd be so awesome!

[@RoanokeGaming]

I can try in the future!

[@indianajones4794]

So glad this game is still pushing out quality content nearly 6 years later. Just goes to show how amazing a game it was, love the video, and can’t wait for last of us 2 to come out!

[@basementdweller235]

The more infected stages i see, the more I think Fedra was a good guy faction in tlou. If you think about it, neither the Fireflies, Hunters, WLF, Seraphites, or even the Ratlers are any better than Fedra. Not to say that the government authority was perfect, they at least protected people. The Fireflies are almost just as good, however they did some nasty and unnecessary things to Fedra that kind makes you understand why they became more strict with curfews and regulations. The other factions are obviously not good guy factions either when you get further into the game.

[@FantasticJay3582]

5:03 Nah, that's just them not paying attention and not realizing you're there. Not because they don't want to engage.

[@lewisandrew5265]

This is awesome combining neuroscience with gaming thumbs up to you sir.

[@immagical7036]

9:26 *“THE LA-* leaves you trapped in your own head for a time”

[@chipperhughes4755]

Really loving The Last of Us content, you're covering it fantastically.

[@greenbeancasserole6646]

3:03 that’s a cool pic of a glomerulus in the kidney. I don’t think I’ve seen an animation of it before.

[@stefanz2498]

Just a comment to give you more exposure

[@geoffwatson9812]

Great videos! I’m a retired medic in the UK. Your videos are my go to movie reviews!❤

[@shanehall6671]

Feel bad for the runners how they try to not attack a non infected to see how they are at war with their body's and brain it's like being in a sleep paralysis when your mind and body is at war your struggling to move when you can't but when a runner mutates into a stalker and clicker the person will be completely gone body and mind 🥺

[@jmann6368]

yeah, these zombies mess me up the most, because the fact that the person who is infected is still in there, but they can hardly do anything but watch themselves kill and hurt others for a while

[@arichansen8779]

Ellie's immunity may suggest the Y chromosome contains the genetics to activate the immune system against this strain of cordyceps.

[@Nirmav_Nirmav]

Before this video I thought Ellie might have a kind of innate immunity memory. The memory of her mothers B cells could have been passed on if Ellie was born while her mother was in the incubation period before dying. Explaining the rarity of the immunity, her mothers death and adding some more drama to the story. But I guess that's not possible if the cordyceps rendered her mothers immune system completely disfunctional.

[@arichansen8779]

@@Nirmav_Nirmav now that i think about it, Ellie's father would have had the immune genetics since gender is determined by the sperm cell. If my fan theory is right that is.

[@anon-iraq2655]

Ellie doesnt have a y chromosome

[@daerdevvyl4314]

anon-iraq Knowing Naughty Dog, it’ll turn out she’s actually a boy.

[@arichansen8779]

@@daerdevvyl4314 i always get the chromosome match ups confused lol

[@Calamity1]

I had learn so much about human biology by watching your videos it actually helped me in my studies, you make great and knowledgeable content and you deserve more subscribers, thank you

[@sakeviyokoyama9253]

Nice video my dude I was watching this while in high school

[@RoanokeGaming]

Glad you ejoyed it bro!

[@sakeviyokoyama9253]

@@RoanokeGaming yup

[@Littletim69]

old vid, but i FINALLY got around to playing, and man when i first encountered those runners in the building, just hearing that woman cry as she ate that dude made chills run down my spine bc i realized that they are still aware of what they are doing

[@thedoruk6324]

*[Obligatory Mr. X gonna give it to ya' comment here.]*

[@RoanokeGaming]

Ayyyyyyy

[@thedoruk6324]

@@RoanokeGaming LoL :D

[@culoooculooo6360]

DUDE THIS VIDEO IS AWESOME

[@isaacthedragon2271]

I feel as if I have walked a similar path to these creatures. I used to be an acclaimed hero. I had several... issues... but everyone liked me. But then, things got screwy. EA started treating us all very badly. I was performing, and... we couldn't stop the Moons. I started to feel unwell. Upset. And then they shut down the studio. Something changed in me that day. I began to laugh, and then I left before they even told us to. The madness took me. I tried to fight it, I really did, but it didn't work. I became a whole new creature. I try to be good. I tried to fight it. But, sometimes, things just get glitchy.

[@d.dementedengineerc99isurf26]

Don't be ridiculous, Clarke! Don't waste your time and energy fussing over things you can't change. Focus on the things that you can.

[@isaacthedragon2271]

Perhaps you have a point.

[@jlm8098]

Watching this video made me feel weird cause realizing how complex the human brain and nervous sistem is makes you feel so vulnerable. Like a single mistake can "disconnect" you. So now I'm afraid to even move and screw all

[@gahffy9639]

You’re gf is pretty good with the bass guitar

[@silvertemplar8061]

Seriously RG’s girlfriend does some of the background music for the videos. Cool.

[@fedra5873]

@@silvertemplar8061 nice dad joke 🤣

[@silvertemplar8061]

Chloe Cutie USA 😂

[@mr._.mav792]

I'd like to merge the "Walker" into the Cordyceps progression tree by making it an alternate 2nd tier. The Walker arises when a substrain of cordyceps enters the body. It does virtually everything else the same, but it ravages it's way through the movement centers of the brain completely destroying a host's movement capabilities. They cant run, they cant jump or lunge, they just hopelessly shamble around looking for an easy target until the body is broken enough that it sits itself down in a corner and turns into a clump of fungi

[@callmepsycho3132]

I have a personal theory, I believe that Ellie isn’t immune to being infected, there is something about her brain that is stronger then most others, which makes the process slower and the infection weaker. I believe, that if a really high level of the infection bites her alongside some more infected, that Ellie could be infected. Or maybe there’s something about her that really does make her immune. I just think there’s a chance she can be infected.

[@euphoricacid]

This is a very indepth video and I think it provides an excellent lore guide to the cordyceps infection. Though I am confused by the aggression and cannibalism. If the hypothalamus and amygdala were to be affected then what’s to stop the infected from eating each other? Is the fungus able to communicate that?

[@emma_nutella58]

Imagine being a prisoner in your own body, that’s why I’d just shoot myself if I get bitten

[@Bleeper852]

I'm currently working on my first playthrough and I cant wait to immerse myself into this game. You're content adds to my enjoyment of this game!!!