Whether zombies "get older" is a complex question, but the short answer, based on the Walking Dead comic series, is no, not in the traditional sense of aging, but they can eventually decay to the point of "death."
How Zombies "Age" or Decay
Here's a breakdown:
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Frozen in Time: Zombies are essentially frozen in time due to rigor mortis. This means their biological processes are halted, preventing aging as we understand it.
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Slow Decay: While they don't age, zombies do slowly decay.
- ComicBook.com picked up on a comment from Walking Dead comic editor Sean Mackiewicz who stated the "death" of zombies is "generations away, but entirely feasible." This suggests an eventual breakdown.
- This breakdown is due to environmental factors and the natural decomposition process, even if greatly slowed.
Key Factors
To further illustrate the point, consider these elements:
- No Cellular Repair: Normal aging involves cellular breakdown. Living bodies repair these cells. Zombies can’t repair damage, so they break down over time.
- Environmental Impact: Weather, scavengers, and physical trauma all contribute to the degradation of a zombie's body.
- Eventual "Death": Though extremely slow, the decay process implies that zombies don't live forever. They will eventually decompose to the point where they are no longer a threat.
Zombie Aging: Summary
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Traditional Aging | No, zombies do not age like living beings. Their biological processes are largely stopped. |
| Decay | Yes, zombies slowly decay over time due to environmental factors and lack of cellular repair. This eventually leads to their "death," albeit over a very long period. |
| Timeframe | The timeframe for complete decomposition is very long. As Sean Mackiewicz from The Walking Dead comics mentions, it's likely "generations away." |
