My Walking Dead Theory based on the Infected episode

So as we saw in last night's The Walking Dead, there's this new illness going around that nobody knows for sure. Seeing it, I came up with this little theory. Has anybody else thought of this as well? Who knows, but I'll find out hopefully. Then it won't be just mine.

We see in the beginning that somebody is feeding rats which we later see a group of dead, eaten rats when the walkers are about to throw down the fence. Seeing rats, I immediately thought "black plague". I think something among the lines of the black plague is spreading. Perhaps some mutated fleas that rats carry are going around, biting those living in the prison (which we can't say is 100% sanitary regardless of the fact that they have access to clean water to bathe). Now for the pigs, I can't say whether or not they were infected. Sure we saw Violet the pig who didn't look too good, but that could have been just something not zombie related. Plus, I don't think we've seen animals turn. Can they? I don't know.

Anyways, yeah, I think it's something that's carried by the rats. Or maybe not necessarily them, it could be just fleas or small critters that live in the confines of the prison. You have a swarm of walkers that always crowd the fences, and we know that they are not the cleanest bunch out there, so they too might harbor some sort of parasite that's now being passed on to the residents of the prison.

Also, I want to throw this out there. I have two people who I think are responsible for feeding the rats.

One: Rick. Why? I seriously think that at this point in the series, Rick is suffering from some sort of MPD that we are not seeing on screen. I may get a lot of criticism for this, but this is what I believe. Rick doesn't look OK, he's been through a lot, mentally, he is not stable. Some sort of sleepwalking? Perhaps.

Two: The doctor who reminded me of Aziz Ansari. I mention him mainly because he's a doctor. Surely he might be wanting to find a cure for those who turn. But what type of research involves feeding the walkers? I don't know really, but it might be for something. There needs to be a reason why they're feeding them.

So there it is, my thoughts on what might be happening. Feel free to share your ideas, let me know what you think.

I think Kirkman said there could be animal zombies but the artist didn't want to draw them. It was said on Talking dead before

It's the water. The first thing we see is Rick drinking water, and the kid dies while in the shower after he washes his face. They even showed water with Carol, Daryl, and that kid (who died).

From the very first episode of the season, they've emphasized the water.

I doubt it's the black plague. The rats haven't really done anything. People near the prison have died and became Walkers, implying that - perhaps - a nearby stream carries the disease. Also, those are not the symptoms of the plague.

@jedixman: The kid died from getting infected by darryl and he was already sick at that point and just collapsed when showering

Seems more like Rick is suffering from PTSD if anything.

Rick is definitely going through some heavy stress. And it'll suck if he loses another person close to him because right now, he looks like a ticking time bomb.

I did get something from the water when Tyrese's lady friend left him and went to the showers. She collected water in a pitcher and used it to wash her face.Which got me thinking, but I just couldn't ignore the rats.

That was never made clear. The only implication was that hygiene was an issue. They never explicitly said that Daryl was directly responsible. And if this is true, why isn't he or Carol sick?

@jedixman: They could be carriers ir already infected

It's pretty obvious that the little girl who named the one zombie nick was feeding them. She doesnt seem to understand that they are killer zombies even after her father died and her little sister said she was messed up. They also showed a drawing on the wall of zombies with the name nick on top of one.

@jedixman: I've been going back an forth on whether or not its the water, or the pig(s), or something else. I've been on board with the water theory since day one. But in the very first episode Rick sees a walker outside the fence with the trademark eyes of the infected (plague like infection). This was also mentioned on the Talking Dead. So unless that walker came in contact with the source of the water leading into the prison while on the outside (a well, stream, open pipe, etc) it seems the cause would be something else. There was also the sick boar outside the prison. Both these incidents would require them to have had contact with the same water as in the prison while never actually having been inside. They havent shown this yet (but they could).

Another theory that I was educated to be Animus, is the possibility that Daryl may be immune to this new infection. And thats why the kid got sick after shaking Daryl's hand, but Daryl himself had his fingers in his mouth and hasnt even sniffled yet.

@hellion_96: Thats a good catch. I dont know if it'll be right, but some good food for thought.

Sick Nick seems like something the creators would wink wink at too.....hmmm

@gambler: After more thinking it could also be the one black guy who got stuck under the beer shelf in the first episode. They keep showing him lookin guilty or worried and he may or may not have been a key character in the comic.

@hellion_96: Thats who I think it is too. He's mad shady and a doctor/medically knowledgeable.

There's a lot of people living in the prison now. It'll be a bit of a bummer if it's a character that they haven't shown yet, which probably might happen.

And reading these posts, maybe I should watch more of the Talking Dead.

It's the pigs, water or the worms/insects. think Lizzie fed the rats & I'm not sure about who burnt the bodies, probably Bob Stookey. I don't think we'll ever know for sure where the infection came from.

Why didn't they get Hershel to take a look at the pigs? He was a veterinarian right? Maybe the lack of equipment, but that's another question I had.

I don't have a theory because I simply want to be surprised but I have a theory about who it can be that is feeding the rats.I think it's the black guy that got stuck under the shelf in the first episode.He gets a lot of screentime in which he seems guilty or like he has done something bad.

I didn't consider him, but they are trying to say something about him by that screentime they're giving him. At the store, when he was staring up at the bottles of wine, what I got was that he was an alcoholic before and that lead to something bad. Also when he tried to help cleaning up the cell block I believe that they told him no, they focused on him sitting on his bed. There is something funny going on with that guy.

He is most definitely an ex-alcoholic but there is something else about this guy.It isn't just a coincidence that they have been showing him so much in the last two episodes without any lines but just standing or saying a few things.

So... nobody suspects the Governor?

@tdk_1997: Exactly

@eldestrisk: Am I the only one that's been a bit bothered at the fact that they haven't shown him so far this season? I know it just started, but maybe a few seconds of screen time would suffice.