Yesterday’s post Zombies Vs. Vampires caused quite the stir and resulted in tonnes of comments! Let’s see what you all have to think about Zombies Versus Werewolves…
In a war fought only by zombies and werewolves, who would win? Is there one monster that would reign supreme? In order to answer that question, we must first consider each of the creatures in turn.
The Zombie: As I stated in my Zombie versus Vampire argument, the modern archetype of the Zombie is rooted deep in the genre. Zombies are undead; that’s fairly simple to ascertain. They are plagued with a voracious hunger, they never stop to rest, and they move whether it’s night or day. They have no preference in whom they will kill and they can add to their ranks with a single, infected bite. The Zombie exists with no subtlety, no brains, and absolutely no subterfuge. That makes them pretty formidable, but how will they stack up against the Vampire or the Werewolf?
The Werewolf: Again, let’s consider the modern archetypes from literature and books. Werewolves are shape shifters; they do not remain in their wolven forms for the duration of their lifespan. Generally thought to be slaves to the lunar cycles, some werewolves change form at the most inopportune times while others can control when they shift. They are portrayed as supernaturally strong with a keen intelligence and highly developed senses. They have the ability to evade other predators or creatures but they do have their weaknesses; silver is thought to harm them, even kill them. In some cases the werewolf is invincible, proving to be a remarkable adversary, but the reality is that they can be killed. It is accepted in some circles that a bite form a werewolf can be enough to infect you with the “werewolf virus” while in others, it’s hereditary. The Werewolf is a worthy rival but how would they fare against the undead creatures known as Vampires and Zombies?
Given what we know about these supernatural creatures, it’s only safe to assume that the Werewolf would not be able to stand up against the Zombie. While they can evade and hunt during the day, they can be infected by the single bite of a Zombie. That is not to say that each and every time the Werewolf would lose the fight, it’s just more likely that they will join the ranks of the Zombie undead before eradicating their foe. It should be noted that a Werewolf Zombie is a pretty interesting idea as well as a scary thought. It should be noted here that mortality will always lose its foothold first.
Does that mean that the Zombie will inherit the earth? Let’s consider this. They pursue doggedly without getting tired. Their bites can infect anything and as they tend to accumulate in larger groups, an attack on one will only result in the perpetrator getting ambushed and bogged down with many more. The Werewolf may stand a slim chance against them but in the end, I think the Zombie wants it more.
So tell me what you think? Have I gotten this one right or wrong? Don’t forget that one lucky winner will receive a digital version of Days with the Undead: Book One every day between October 24th and October 31st. There’s also a grand prize of autographed print copies for the entire duration of Coffin Hop 2012 – make sure you comment, even if it’s just to tell me you agree…
Oh and you can check out the other Hoppers here.
Days with the Undead 
The Zombie is nothing but a Super-Idiot Human being who has no idea of what it is doing, just running here and there for Flesh, no extra Super-Powers(expect for Super-smell and the ability to live after being Tore into two) the only advantage it got is the Virus,also it felts no pain and also it does not fear anything bcz its Dumbass……The Werewolf is a Ancient Powerful Creature with powers like Super-human Strength,Stamina,Speed,Agility,Balance,durability,Vision,Smell,Hearing with Sharp and Strong Claws and Teeth, and also its very Cunning and Merciless……So the Zombie stands no Chance, Exception if Many Zombies combined a group Attack on a single Werewolf
The werewolf is able to physically and mentally trump the zombie not only that but they have a healing factor and immune system that can fight off the zombie plague (bias detected)
if i could have my way i would say that a werewolf is immune & can not catch the virus by biting into a zombies head or by being bitten by a zombie. also a werewolf can have thick fur so when a zombie tries to bite it it will mostly end up with a lode of fur in there mouth’s so if zombies do manege to kill a werewolf there will have to be a load of them to bite it & it will die by the amount of blood loss. however werewolves can call for pack members for help.
Mm. It’s a tricky one…It’s got me thinking in the way of Underworld vs Resident Evil. I’m a big fan of both and have both collections…but pitting them against each other…there’s the rub. 😉
Oh, that’s an interesting way to look at it…
Glad you think so. 🙂
I THINK THAT THE ZOMBIES WILL WIN
Thank you for you comment 🙂
Lets just look at the two combatants, I think that in this fight there is some bias.
The zombie is a human who has caught an infectious undead virus. The zombie is slightly stronger than a human being, and they never slow down. They can only be killed by decapitation or brain destruction. They have superhuman smell.
But they are slow, clumsy, and they decay. Not to mention that they have bad sight and hearing, they are noisy as hell, they don’t heal, and they are barely even able to think. They can not learn, reason or solve basic problems, though they don’t feel pain. The werewolf is way stronger than a human being, is fast, is agile, has has good stamina and is tough, he can also regenerate. Werewolves have exceptional natural weapons such as 42 sharp teeth, claws, and powerful jaws. They also have far better hearing and smell. As well as night vision. And the werewolf has some degree of stealth and intellect. However their downfall is the human form, but this can carry weapons. Now since zombies cannot carry weapons I left silver out. If the werewolf is bitten by a zombie in human form he will most likely lose his werewolf form and then die in a few hours. But if in werewolf form, he will fight it off but become minorly ill.
You’re right their is a little bias. And I do agree with much of what you’re saying. Thanks for you comment 🙂
i guess were wolves are awesome survivors huh see y’a
I know this is old but I just googled it and I thought it was an interesting fight. Firstly, it really depends on what type of zombies and werewolves that are battling it out. As well as numbers. I don’t know if some zombies can even get through that thick hide of a werewolf. I mean, generally in lore a werewolf is very hard to kill unless: They are in their human form, you use their weakness against them, you are a lycan or vampire yourself. And even with the latter it can still be pretty tough.
In a lot of lore, a werewolf bite is fatal to vampires. The way I see it, All vampires are zombies. But not all zombies are vampires(They actually started out being the same thing) So it’s possible that a werewolf bite would outright kill a zombie anyway. No matter if they bit his face or not. The question is, can a werewolf become a zombie? Well lore says: yes, and no. Historically speaking, they burned the corpses of “werewolves” so they wouldn’t become vampires when they died. However, lots of lore suggests that while these creatures are alive they are more the other side of the coin to vampires/zombies. And that since they were creatures of good they wouldn’t be affected by said corruption unless they were already dead. Even if they could infect a werewolf, I doubt they could get through to infect their body while they were in wolf form.
So the zombies best bet here is numbers to wear down the werewolves or the werewolves being reverted to human forms. In my opinion this could go either way. As there is so much different lore for each creature that there are hundreds of ways this could go.
If we assume that silver is the only thing that kills werewolves – I’d further say viruses and the like don’t affect / kill werewolves, so I don’t see any basis for the zombie bite doing anything to a werewolf. Further, the zombie is traditionally an animated corpse. Since nothing kills a werewolf except silver (yeah, mythos vary) then it never becomes a corpse and hence, never a zombie. Now, if Zombies weren’t mindless undead, maybe they could cap a werewolf with a silver bullet while munching on it and make a were-zombie…but, sadly, they are pretty stupid. Apex predator beats slow moving fetid flesh any day. 🙂
That’s a very good point Russell; thanks for bringing it forward 🙂 I do have to ask – what if a Werewolf is beheaded? Would that not kill it as well? With differing mythos, there is always much to consider 😉
Hmmm…that might kill it, but zombies aren’t known for beheading so much as gnawing. Still, sword or axe wieldign zombies could be terrifying!
Great point Russ! I’d rather my Zombies not be armed!!
my brother want’s to see a society devastated by a were wolf virus he’s tired of the vampire zombie craze he want’s to see a society destroyed because human’s are stuck in a were wolf like state i told him hmm maybe i can write a story for that so yeah but yeah i mean zombie is pretty dumb bye mate
The Zombie genre can never be overdone!
But I do agree that a society devastated by a wolf virus is a very intriguing thought… Thanks for the comment!
I like zombies and I am not a big fan of the werewolf. I would venture to say the masses would win out, therefor the zombies would win. I’m not even going to attempt at the logic here. I’ll just state my opinion.
Thanks AJ – opinions count just as much as logic!
There are so many ‘what if’ scenarios to be explored, I’ll only hit on a couple.
Zombies may have numbers, but Werewolves can be pack animals too, so numbers don’t count in this game, but ferocity does.
I know Julianne is a fan of the original Zombie (she loves all zombies, but has a favorite in the classic Romero cast from what I know about her), and Werewolves would be bringing teeth and claws to the fray, making them the far more ferocious combatants.
I happen to prefer the more frenzied, fast moving Zombie myself, but I still think the Were takes game, set & match. I agree in part with David’s postulation that one gene altering viral infection would and should cancel out the effects of a second infection, so I reject the ‘Zombie-Werewolf’ scenario for that reason alone. A regular everyday wolf, maybe, but a Were, highly improbable speculation. I don’t even believe it would take a full moon cycle to kill the Zombie virus. The Were virus is present in it’s host regardless of the moon’s phase, so it would eradicate the Zombie infection as an invader immediately on a cellular level.
Do I think it would be a quick and easy demise of the Zombie hoards, no. But being a thinking creature, not simply an instinctual one for the majority of the month gives the Were the advantage over the Zombie – then it’s just a matter of ringing the dinner bell when the moon rides high!
Even for the lone Were, a group of Zombies presents little threat. Jaws and claws with a hunters instinct wins out over what is essentially hope and grope any day in my opinion. (Yes, even the fast moving Zombie plays at hope and grope, they don’t hunt, they wander across prey.)
Did I mention I’m a big Werewolf fan? I love Zombies, and Vampires, and all the creepy ghouls, but something about the ‘wolf makes me want to curl up and snuggle. Maybe it’s the Hungarian in me…
I say that the Werewolf would kick some serious Zombie tush!
And thank you Julianne – I’m having a load of fun with these posts! ;}
Thanks for the addition to the discussion Nina 🙂 You make some very good points and I hope the other commenters read them!
It may end up being a draw for this one 🙂
I howl approval at this.
Well, while the dear Ms. Snow may know a thing or two about the most wretched creatures to ever walk (or should I say stumble, bumble and groan..) on the planet — those being zombies — I think it would behoove (or would that be…behoof…or, perhaps…beCLAW! *toothy grin*) her to learn a bit more about the abilities of the werewolves (or, werewulves *as-it-were face*) that she so disparages. *Harrumph sound*
I would encourage her, and everyone else reading this Zombie Loving Propaganda (*as-I-call-it grin*), to simply wait until the glorious Mayan prediction comes to pass in only a short couple months. THEN we will see which of these two archetypes would be more inclined to overcome the other. *so-there,-what-do-you-think-of-those-apples? wulven stare*
There was no disparaging at all. Just a simple discussion about who would survive. If you feel that you, as a Wulf, would have the upper hand against a horde of the Undead, I will not try to sway you of your belief…
As for the Mayan prediction; since the Mayans don’t account for leap years – the end of their calendar has actually happened months ago 🙂
A lot of assumptions here… the largest of which is that a zombie’s bite would infect a werewolf. One unnatural creature might cancel out another.
I’ve never been a fan of zombies as a real threat… yes, they have numbers, but so slow… so easily outsmarted and constantly deteriorating. At the rate of decay, they’d likely be toothless in just a couple weeks anyway, then what?
Then there’s the werewolf aspect of it. Why wouldn’t the werewolf’s blood/bite also infect the zombie? Perhaps even a cure! Can you have an undead werewolf?
They have the advantage of human reasoning 29 days out of the month, hiding–planning–killing the undead with more conventional means. Then when the moon is full, they can lay waste with their mad wolf skills and might also hunt in intelligent packs, using humans as bait. I choose werewolf.
John Landis was asked, “How do you kill a werewolf?”
Answers included: Silver, wolfsbane, fire…
“No,” he said. “Anyway you like, because they don’t f****ng exist.”
Thanks for the postulations Dan! You certainly bring excellent points to the discussion 🙂 I agree that the Werewolf virus could be passed to the Zombie via a bite or scratch, but the question there is this – would it infect the Zombie? As for it being a cure – can a Zombie, effectively a dead re-animated body be cured? Lots to think about 😉 Part of the reason I like asking these questions!
Going to play devil’s advocate here, Julianne 🙂
If the werewolf has been transformed by a previous virus, which necessarily leads to an ability for the werewolf’s body to transform completely at regular intervals, how long can the zombie virus last in the werewolf’s body? The change at a cellular level would play havoc with any ability the zombie virus had to affect the host organism.
Following a Hollywood convention of transformation at full moon, the zombie virus could only degrade the werewolf’s body until the full moon, at which point, when transformation occurred, the virus would be eliminated in the host organism. (If the zombie virus degraded the body to the point that the change could not occur or could not be completed, that might be different.)
If dealing with hereditary or change-at-will lycanthropes, the case would be the same — except there would be no waiting for full moon.
So while I don’t think this automatically leads to a werewolf “victory” over the zombie hordes — it’s hard to imagine lycanthropy spreading as quickly — I think it’s highly likely that the lycanthropy would be a self-repairing defence against the zombie virus itself.
So I think the total victory of zombies is far from certain…
David – I was hoping you’d see this and respond 🙂 While I agree with some of what you said, I cannot agree with it all. How could a virus that takes little time to act, be completely eradicated once the lunar cycle aligns? By then, the poor soul would be lost completely to the Zombie side.
I agree that the victory may not be automatic, over the long run, I think the Zombie still has it!
Yes, but if we’re not sticking to the “lunar” werewolf model, and the person can change at will… I still that that’d be it for the zombie virus. 😛
Just a quick question for you David – what about the hereditary Werewolves? The ones that have it in their blood as a familial trait? Can they not be infected by other viruses? I’d love to know what you think about that 🙂
Replying to your lower comment (could not reply directly to it): I think the case would be the same for a hereditary werewolf, since it’s the complete physical transformation that seems to me to be what would wipe out an infectious organism. Hard to imagine how any virus could survive its host undergoing such a change. So yes, while we’re at it, I don’t think the common cold would last long in a werewolf! 🙂 Thanks again for sparking this discussion.
Thank you again for adding to it David 🙂
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