Clickers are the third stage of the infected in The Last of Us series and the same-titled video game franchise. After being exposed to the Cordyceps brain infection, it takes them around a year to reach this stage of infection. They have been exposed to the fungus for a long time and are now much stronger than the typical human.
Sony Interactive Entertainment publishes the action-adventure video game series and media franchise The Last of Us, which was developed by Naughty Dog. The franchise expanded into different media owing to the series' strong sales and popularity. These include a comic book in 2013, a live performance in 2014, a television adaptation for HBO and a haunted house for Universal Studios in 2023, a tabletop game by Themeborne in 2024, and an upcoming tabletop game by CMON.
Clickers in The Last of Us
Clickers have faces that are entirely ripped open and disfigured by fungus that formed from their infected brains, frequently leaving only a maw of sharp teeth, making them appear less human than runners and stalkers. Any clothing the host may have been wearing is now largely ruined and frayed. Scaly fungal growths and mold are all spread over the skin. Most notably, the host is blind as a result of the clickers' eyes being entirely covered or destroyed by the advanced fungal growth.
Clickers get their namesake from the quick clicking and croaking sounds they make in reaction to their blindness, which is a kind of basic echolocation. The fungal plates that grow on clicker heads are designed to protect the brain and maintain the host. The clicker's brain will remain intact if they are shot directly in the head with a powerful weapon like a revolver, as this will just tear off a portion of the fungus. They become more deadly as a result, but at the cost of losing all vision because of a fungal infection that takes over their face.
Similar to runners, clickers can be found standing slouched and in a passive condition. The clicker will start to roam and look around for the stressor if it becomes agitated. Furthermore, clickers frequently trip when moving around passively and jitter uncontrollably, occasionally tearing at the fungal growth covering their faces.
Compared to runners and stalkers, clickers are far more aggressive and deadly. They can easily overpower many survivors because of their increased physical strength brought on by the fungus. They also cause problems for Joel and Abby, who require an ally or a shiv to help them escape. Clickers are a little smarter than earlier stages and will spend more time looking for a sound source than a stalker or runner would. Their echolocation is less sophisticated than that of animals like bats, though, and they won't detect movement or life unless it is immediately in front of them, but this also depends on the circumstances.
When frustrated, a clicker will instantly go into "berserk mode," roaring and swinging its arms violently. If a clicker has "spotted" a survivor at this stage, the clicker will attack directly and may be stunned by gunfire, although frequently it may take the person several rounds to completely eliminate one.
Also Read: What is Cordyceps in the Last of Us?
FAQs about Clickers in The Last of Us
A. Yes, clickers are stronger than the runners and they are far more deadly as they have advanced over a period of time.
A. It takes a year for a runner to transform into a clicker.
A.Yes, clickers are very difficult to kill. However, since they are blind, they can be taken down stealthily.
