Columbus is a fictional character and survivor featured in the films Zombieland and Zombieland: Double-Tap by Jesse Eisenberg.
Biography[]
Little is known about Columbus, even his actual name, as he prefers to go by the alias of Columbus after his state of origin. What is known, however, is that before the apocalypse, he was a college student who was just as much of a shut-in as his parents. He dreamt about finding a nice girl and settling down. However, he never could due to his lifestyle. He had his first brush with zombies when one of his neighbors came to him in panic and was infected prior to her arrival. This led him to scurry into his apartment and take her out with the cover of a toilet. Following this, he spent the next two months on the road, creating a list of rules to live and survive in his now torn-apart world.
Zombieland (2009)[]
Two months following his brush with the plague, Columbus finds himself on the road, hoping to find his folks alive and well. After making a pit stop in Texas and dealing with two zombies, he loses his car in a collision with a nearby store and is forced to walk the highway with a light suitcase. He then comes across Tallahassee, who agrees to take him to Ohio. Along the way, Columbus learns more about Tallahassee and how he is both an ass-kicking zombie killer and has an extreme love of Twinkies. On the way, however, they stop at a nearby grocery store to find his snack, only to find several zombies inside, which Tal does short work of, and also comes across Wichita and Little Rock. Believing Little Rock to be bitten, he gives Wichita his shotgun, only to reveal that both girls scammed them out of their guns, car, and ammo. Now on foot, the guys trade stories, while Tal also takes out his anger on a nearby minivan rather than Columbus. They eventually find a yellow Hummer, both abandoned, and a bag loaded with weapons in the back. Both jump into the truck and continue on their way.
Here, Columbus learns about Tal's puppy Buck, whom he lost due to the apocalypse, and is now looking for a new home. He also gives Columbus a new rule to add to his list: Rule #32 Enjoy The Little Things. Not long after, they come across the same Cadillac the girls took, and Tal goes to investigate, leaving Columbus with the Hummer, only for Little Rock to sneak aboard before meeting back up with Tal. Wichita then appears from some nearby brush, and Columbus rides a shotgun. While he admits he likes Wichita, he also thanks them for not leaving them for dead, but Tal takes back his Mare's Leg and holds it at Little Rock, leading Wichita to hold her PPK at Tal. Columbus, being rational, talks them both down, and both agree not to kill each other. Columbus also learns that Wichita and Little Rock ventured through Ohio on their way to Pacific Playland, finding it a ghost town, indicating his parents likely died in the events that unfolded. She also offers to give him a ride until they find a pickup truck abandoned, only or Columbus to refuse it and stick with them. They also make a stop at a nearby store, where they destroy the interior as a way to blow off steam.
They venture to California, where they hold up in the mansion of Bill Murray and teach Little Rock a little about the actor by showing her the film Ghostbusters. While enjoying the movie, Columbus inquires about if Wichita is single and what her type is, learning she is single and likes the "bad boys" before dropping a bowl of popcorn. Then what appears to be a zombified Bill Murray enters the room, leading Columbus to panic and, on instinct, blast him with his shotgun. When he realizes Murray is not a zombie, he deeply regrets it and apologizes to the actor before he dies. They then give him a private funeral before continuing to reside in his home. Here, he learns that Buck, Tal's puppy, was the son he lost and realizes that he has nothing to lose. Columbus eventually learns more about Wichita before dancing and almost kissing him, resulting in her and Little Rock leaving the following day. With Wichita and Little Rock gone, Columbus makes it his mission to go after them and tries to leave via one of Murray's motorcycles, only to fall into nearby brush. Tal then offers him a ride, and both venture onto Pacific Playland.
Once at the park, they find that a horde of zombies has begun chasing the girls and know that they require their assistance this time, and both drive into the park. Stopping the SUV, Columbus believes the girls are dead, finding the Hummer submerged in the water nearby; however, he finds out they are alive and atop a nearby ride. Tal tells him to get his gal before diverting most of the zombies away. However, Columbus is still not out of the woods as several zombies chase him throughout the park, which are either dispatched by him or the operating rides. He then finds himself face to face with a zombie clown, which he takes out with a nearby mallet as he runs out of ammunition. He then gets the girls down and embraces Wichita, who reveals her name, Krista, to him before he kisses her. This starts their relationship before they wonder where Tal went, and he finds that he has searched for a Twinkie in a nearby store. Columbus enters, finds a distraught Tal, and offers him a snowball, only to accidentally blast a box of Twinkies in the back with his shotgun. They run outside, hear a car, and find both girls in the SUV. Little Rock tosses Tal a Twinkie she procured prior, and he enjoys it before getting into the car with the girls.
Zombieland: Double Tap (2019)[]
6 years following the events of the first movie, Columbus has remained with Tallahassee and the girls, while also naming several new zombie variants and taking up residence in the White House. Once there, Columbus and Wichita find their own domestic bliss, which eventually passes when he proposes to her with the Hope diamond. Next morning however, he finds that both girls have left and he spends a month sulking about what had transpired. In a nearby shopping mall, not only does he learn that Tal may have Blackfoot blood in him, but also discover a rather dimwitted survivor named Madison, who they take to the White House, despite Tal's displeasure. That night, Madison makes advances towards Columbus, but initially refuses them as he believes Wichita will return. Madison then gives him an ultimatum: Either they have sex or she is having sex with Tal. With little choice, Columbus bites the bullet and has sex with Madison. The next morning rolls around and he discovers Wichita in the armory without Little Rock. He and Tal also learn about how Little Rock abandoned her and went with a pacifist named Berkeley to Graceland. It's also here that Madison reveals herself to Wichita, believing that he and her are now a thing and she becomes both jealous and angered.
They then leave in a minivan, much to Tal's displeasure and go in search of Little Rock. On the road, they attempt to switch to an RV, only to find themselves dealing with a horde of zombies, as well as their first encounter with a T-800. They then board the vehicle, only for the tires to blow out and them returning to the minivan. While on the way, Madison begins feeling sick and they pull over, believing she will become a zombie, so Columbus vacates the vehicle and witnesses her turn, but rather kill her, he shoots over her head to scare her off before returning to the van. They then find themselves at Graceland, which is now in ruins, but stop at the Hound Dog motel, where they come across Nevada. The next morning, they come into contact with Albuquerque and Flagstaff, who have crushed their customized Presidential limo with a monster truck. Once inside, they soon find that the two recent arrivals have been followed by several T-800s, leading them to take on the zombies while Columbus and the others watch. When they get back inside, they find out both were bitten and they turn before their eyes, leaving Tal to deal with Albuquerque and Columbus to deal with Flagstaff. Once the infected were dealt with, they continued on their way to Babylon in the minivan, coming across Madison again, revealing she had suffered from a nut allergy. They arrive at Babylon, where they are forced to surrender and melt down their weapons to enter. They find Little Rock and Tallahassee leaves to go on the road, however Columbus and the others remain. Tal returns and warns of an incoming zombie threat, leading them to use biodiesel to kill off a good amount of the zombies, but with plenty more to enter the gate. They hold off in a makeshift tower, where they believe it's the end of the road, resulting in them to say their goodbyes. Before they could become zombie food however, Nevada arrives in the same monster truck from before. She gives them a ride and takes out a significant amount of the horde before the truck capsizes, forcing them to abandon it and venture into the building. Several zombies were in their path, only to be killed from above by Madison and Berkeley, who tossed items down from the roof. They then find themselves scaling the tower and Columbus takes his place in the line of people while Tallahassee performs the great zombie jump. Following the last zombie falling to its death, Wichita accepts Columbus' proposal and both kiss. They then find themselves partying and eventually leaving in Elvis' Cadillac with the rest of the crew.
Characteristics[]
Physical Appearance[]
Columbus is a caucasian male with short, curly brown hair and blue eyes. He's got a sort of slender build, standing at 5'8" tall, typically wearing a jacket, dress shirt and pants.
Personality & Traits[]
While he may seem the most unlikely of survivors in the apocalypse, Columbus is a survivor due to his nerdy, yet cautious behavior. He was a shut-in prior to the apocalypse, which gave him little to no chance of a social life, which was a trait he actually gained from his parents. This actually what also allowed him to survive prior, as he had no real attachments. He has several phobias, as well as chronic anxiety, which goes hand in hand with his irritable bowel syndrome, however it's likely that he has overcome this following the last 6 years of surviving with the crew. Amongst his many phobias, he is extremely terrified of clowns, even more so than zombies and has remained fearful of clowns even after 6 years. He also gets anxiety from other things like department store Santas, undertoe or being alone with a baby, however those are not entirely shown. He's typically a stickler for his list of rules, which are what have allowed him to survive for so long, however it was Wichita that showed him that some rules were made to be broken, even his own.
Skills & Abilities[]
Columbus maybe a survivor, but he's not to the level of ass-kicker like Tal is and typically doesn't do anything that will violate his list of rules, with exceptions of course. Despite this, Columbus is still able to hold his own against zombies.
- Weapons Expert: Columbus, throughout his time as a survivor, has had plenty of time to learn how to wield various weapons. This includes a double-barreled shotgun and eventually, sidearms and even pump-action shotguns.
- Marksmanship: As a necessity, Columbus has learned to be an extremely excellent shot, capable of blasting zombies with a shotgun from a specific distance.