We have learned that a person does not need to be bitten or scratched by a zombie on "The Walking Dead" to become a walker. While this plot twist has been speculated about by fans for months, few have thought about the overall implications this takes on certain characters in the story. There are particular secondary twists which could come from this revelation into the rules of zombification. Note that all of these characters are alive on "The Walking Dead" at the time of this writing but might not be at the time of reading.
Emily
What happens if Emily attempts to commit suicide again and succeeds? While we are led to believe she stopped herself from ending her life the first time, but she might have bled to death if Lori and Maggie had not broken down the door to the bathroom. She could have become a walker and attacked Lori and Maggie. Will the other characters who know about how she hit rock bottom want to put a watch on her to ensure she does not endanger the group again?
Lori
What would happen if Lori miscarries? Could she give birth to a zombie child or could the damned baby attempt to claw out of her body? Since she would be biologically connected to the baby, it could automatically infect her and slowly change her into a walker, as well. While I see this as the greatest stretch of imagination, it is an interesting area to look at and speculate.
Daryl
Will the group allow Daryl to live away from the rest of them? There might be issues with the loner in the group being away from everyone else since something might happen to him, and it could result in his devouring another survivor. How would he react to being told he had to stick with everyone else? Would he realize it was for the betterment of the group or look at the request as someone trying to control him?
Hershel
Hershel is the oldest one in the group and might be more prone to having a heart attack in the middle of the night. He might get up in the dark and start to walk around without anyone wondering about anything outside of him needing to use the bathroom. Instead, he might have succumbed to an infarction and become one of the walking dead. Would the group have to make sure multiple people are awake at any given time to ensure nobody passes in the middle of the night and starts eating everyone else?
Rick
If the idea of the dead automatically becoming walkers was revealed secretly to Rick in the finale of the inaugural season of "The Walking Dead," how are the others going to react over the long-term? We are sure to know for sure what Dr. Jenner whispered to Rick in the season finale this year, and there is sure to be opposition. How will the group treat Rick over the upcoming seasons if it is revealed that he kept one of the greatest secrets possible from them?
More from this Contributor:
Dales's Death on 'The Walking Dead': Symbolism and Timing
'The Walking Dead': What Dr. Jenner Did Not Whisper to Rick
'The Walking Dead': Will Carl Become an Emotionless Killer?
