Depictions of the zombie apocalypse continue to reshape our concept of the walking dead (and of ourselves). The undead mirror cultural fears—governmental control, lawlessness, even interpersonal relationships—exposing our weaknesses and demanding a response (or safeguard), even as we imagine ever more horrifying versions of post-apocalyptic life. This critical study traces a shift in narrative focus in portrayals of the zombie apocalypse, as the living move from surviving hypothetical destruction toward reintegration and learning to live with the undead.