never having read any of the things that this stuff is based on, i have a question. isn't the spinal cord still operational and responsible for cordinating movement? becuase if it is, and you are already behind a zombie, putting a knife under the skull would be much easier and safer. risking getting grabbed to push it and being down on the ground to let it fall over you sound like bad ideas, unless you want to die.
- Is the spinal cord operational in this instance? Yes. The zombie would be able to control his limbs as well as normal until the killing blow. This, however, is still much much slower and clumsier than a normal human. According to not only the source material, but general consensus, a zombie has horrible coordination for everything but grabbing and biting. A zombie also never "sees it coming". To block, deflect, or grab the kick (or once down, move into position to grab the tripper), a person would have to figure out what is happening, anticipate it, and have a counter plan. Animals can do this, but zombies cannot.
- A zombie will flail and grab the arms of an opponent, which makes knives a very difficult weapon to use effectively one-on-one. That, and the thickness of the skull (which is always under represented in films) makes it nearly impossible to give one quick thrust for any pure stabbing weapon to dispatch a zombie. Sure, through the eye or through the soft pallete (under the chin, through the roof of the mouth, into the brain) are technically possible, but require a phenomenal amount of both luck, and skill.
- My point is that since it is generally accepted that they are dim-witted, slow to move, and have about as much control of their legs as someone minutes away from alchohol poisoning, both the quick thrust kick, and the tripping move are very reliable. As mentioned, the tripper should move away as soon as the zombie hits the ground. As you can see the zombie, even if he does retain his sense of awareness after the fall, will be facing the tripper with his hind quarters, and probably cannot reach him, even if the tripper stayed put. A schoolboy trip, even on humans in the real world, is a very tough thing to fight off if it catches you by surprise. — <<— Philodox —>> talk 18:19, November 2, 2010 (UTC)
it doesn't sound as if you quite understood my question.
to the right, you will see an exray of a human neck. at the top is the skull. medial to the skull is the first vertebrea. it is joined to the skull by soft tissue easily penetratable by a knife. when a knife is inserted, the spine is destroyed. would this work on a zombie?
it is good policy to distract a zombie with one of your force, but rather than have your second man risk getting down on hands and knees, why not just put a blade in between the skull and first vertabrea? it would work on a human, except a human might hear you and turn around. if a zombie isn't moving quickly, it should be very easy.
- Ah, I see what you mean. You may be on to something. I don't know, though. If any doctors or surgeons are out there, and could comment on how difficult it is to slice between vertabrae and sever a spinal cord, it would help settle this. I wish I knew someone I could ask without sounding totally psycho. :)
- — <<— Philodox —>> talk 13:37, November 3, 2010 (UTC)