Zone Generator

A zone generator is a device developed by Overlord and central to establishing and spreading the spiral zone over the territories of the earth. A standard generator has two forms: an inert form (aka a pod) that the generator begins in and the

    active form that comes once the generator has been provided with some form of energy. In the inert form, the generator is unable to spread the Spiral Zone and turn people into zoners; the active form puts out the fog and the electricity that constitute the Spiral Zone. Any person caught in the Spiral Zone once a generator is activated becomes a zoner. This page is devoted to discussing the zone generators and zoners who are created by the generators.

## Zone Generator

The series never explains how Overlord created the zone generators or how the generators work; we only get a sense of the process of how the generator goes from inert to active. The common strategy of Overlord is to deploy the generator in a bombing strategy; Overlord drops the generator(s) from his flagship Intruder in the area that he wants to zone; the force of the impact triggers the generator to become active; the generator begins to expand and develop the frame the active form takes; the fog enters the chamber and permeates the area; and the electricity begins to be discharged. "Oversight" (episode 54) gives us the clearest view of how the process works.

Overlord's shuttle prepares to drop an inert zone generatorThe zone generator is dropped from the shuttleThe zone generator hits the groundThe generator becomes active and starts to emerge from the groundThe legs that anchor the generator and the chambers that produce the viral component of the Spiral Zone emergeThe frame for the viral fog emerges from the lower frame of the generatorThe fog emerges from the pods into the framed chamberThe generator begins to emit electricityThe fog and electricity spread from the generator creating the zoneCitizens of London try to escape the zoneThe zone catches up with them...and turns them into zoners
However, this is not the only strategy Overlord has used with the zone generators; Overlord can activate a zone generator by remote control if the device is wired to work that way. This would require that the device be placed in some sort of container to be transported and then set off once it reaches its destination; Overlord uses this strategy in "Small Packages" (episode 6) to zone MCC and attempts it in "An Australian in Paris" (episode 41) by hiding generators in crates of art at the Louvre to be shipped to new locations and expand the zone.

### Sizes of Zone Generators

There is one set design for every type of zone generator, however, there are different sizes of generators and generators with some specific elements added to them.

* Standard Zone Generator: This is the generator that appears in the gallery above and throughout most of the series. A standard zone generator emits a zone that is capable of covering a major metropolitan city and turning the people of the city into zoners. Overlord has deployed zone generators in most of the major cities bringing them and their residents under his control.
* Mini Zone Generator: This is a small version of the standard generator; it functions the same as the standard generator but has a smaller area of dispersion. Overlord uses this type of generator to zone MCC in "Small Packages" and deploys it to zone a submarine and a carrier and try to create a zone wall in the Atlantic Ocean in "Seachase" (episode 47).

Bandit places an inert mini zone generator in General MacFarland's overcoat in "Small Packages"The mini zone generator is activated remotely by OverlordThe mini zone generator falls on the coat closet floorThe active mini zone generator zones MCCInert mini zone generators are deployed by Overlord to make a zone wall in "Seachase"The active mini zone generator floating in the Atlantic Ocean
* Ultra Generator: This is a larger version of the zone generator; unlike the mini and standard generator, the ultra generator had to be constructed in the active form and then activated. This particular zone generator had the capability to zone the entire state of Texas. Overlord created and activated this generator only one time in "The Electric Zone Rider" (episode 40).

* Shielded Generator: This is a standard generator that is protected by a shield that absorbs and returns any energy back to the source. This generator appears in "Ride the Whirlwind" (episode 9).

### Alternative Methods of Deploying Zone Generators

Overlord prefers to deploy zone generators either by air or getting the generator in the desired location, however, he has used other unique means of deploying zone generators to bring other areas under his control.

* Behemoth: The Behemoth was a massive transport vehicle with a zone generator on top, creating a moving zone; the vehicle drops zone generators along the way to keep the territories it passes through under the zone. The Behemoth was used by Overlord to zone sections of China in the episode of the same name (episode 37).

* Zone Cannon Fort: This is never given a name in the episode, but it is a fort with two cannons that are manned by two people. Each cannon fires zone generators into areas far away from the fort. Overlord placed the fort at the top of the Rock of Gibraltar and fired zone generators into cities around the Mediterranean such as Madrid, Lisbon, and Marrakesh; it appears in "The Assault on the Rock" (episode 55).
* Power Transmitter: The power transmitter turned the zone into energy and transmitted it to satellite dishes around the world. The power transmitter sent the zone to the remainder of the world and had the entire world zoned until Max Jones was able to destroy it. This was "The Final Weapon" that Overlord needed to conquer the planet (episode 58).

## Zoners

The function of the zone generators is to spread the zone and turn the people in the area into zoners. A zoner is a person who has been exposed to the zone, lost their free will because of the zone, and is a mindless slave of Overlord and the Black Widows. How the zone transforms a person into a zoner is not ever explained in the series. We know that the zone has two elements, the fog which contains a viral agent that weakens the will, and the electricity which affects the bioelectricity and neuro-electricity of the person. A simple way to put how the zone creates a zoner is that the zone attacks the will of the person from both the inside and the outside, wearing the person's mental state down and bringing the person under the control of Overlord and the Black Widows.

All zoners have yellow sclera (the white part of the eys) and lesions on their face and body due to the viral agent within the fog of the zone. With their will gone, they follow the orders of Overlord and the Black Widows. Without any orders, zoners seem to follow the basic instincts of humanity as no zoner ever seems to die (nor would Overlord want them to). A deeper discussion of how the zone works will appear in the blog of this Wiki; consult the blog for the discussion of how long it takes for a person exposed to an existing zone to become a zoner. There are two types of zoners: regular zoners and zoner troopers.

### Regular Zoners

Anyone who is exposed to the zone becomes a regular zoner (or simply a zoner); these are the majority of zoners encountered in the series. They are seen doing various tasks because the zone does not affect the skills and knowledge of the zoner. So we see zoner scientists carrying out various experiments, zoners driving vehicles, and zoned soldiers still using their fighting skills. Regular Zoners can and sometimes do serve as the foot soldiers of the Black Widows within the zone; all it takes is an order from any of the Widows for regular zoners to fight. All of the Zone Riders themselves have become regular zoners at different points in the series; Hiro and Tank have actually fought against the Zone Rider as zoners; Dirk became a Zoner to try and destroy the New York Zone; the others simply have succumbed to the zone but never were commanded by Overlord or the Black Widows.

The citizens of London as zoners after the zone generator is dropped on their cityDr. Lawrence zoned in MCCGeneral MacFarland zoned in MCCAn indigenous man zoned by Bandit's zone cannonOther indigenous men serving as foot soldiers for the Black WidowsLt. Len Jacobs following Overlord's command to destroy the Zone RidersJohnny following the same orderNew York zoners stare at the screen where Overlord gives his order to seek and destroy the Zone RidersHiro Taka zoned and giving Overlord informationBeth, the younger sister of Carol, zonedZoners in Overlord's New York base monitor screens and informationA zoner scientist tells Overlord his findings about Carol's immunity to the zoneA zoner drives a truck and spots Tank in the Montreal zoneWakia's father as a zonerZoners fight as foot soldiers in the California ZoneTank zoned and about to fight Hiro and KaterinaTwo zoners in Chicago chase after MaxZoners as foot soldiers fighting the Zone Riders in ChicagoDirk as a zoner is ordered by Overlord to take off his armorZoned UN soldiers fight against the Zone Riders
### Zoner Troopers

The other type of zoners in the series are zoner troopers; these zoners serve as the main forces of Overlord and the Black Widows both inside and outside of the zone. Unlike regular zoners, who wear whatever they had on when they were zoned, zoner troopers wear an armored uniform derived from a spacesuit (Overlord, when he was James Bent, was a NASA scientist and used the spacesuit as the basis for the armor of his troopers and the uniform for the workers in his command center). The undergarment is black while the chest armor, waist belt, and boots are brown and yellow; troopers wear a headcover that is black on the sides and yellow down the middle with yellow ear muffs, again derived from spacesuit specs. Some zoner troopers in the zone are seen without a helmet, but most, especially those who fight or carry out missions outside the zone, wear a helmet again based on spacesuit specs. The helmet contains the mechanism to produce the zone fog inside it, keeping the trooper zoned both inside and outside of the zone. The depictions of the interior of the helmet are inconsistent; sometimes it appears to have dense zone fog and only yellow eye slots where the trooper see out of can be seen; other times the zone fog is less dense and the face of the zoner trooper can be seen. But the helmet is a part of the zoner trooper's armor.

The troopers are organized in a military-style system; this we know from "The Shuttle Engine" (episode 20) where a zoner trooper announces that all zoners below the rank of corporal will report to Overlord. But how the system works is another thing that is left unclear. Similarly, how many of the troopers are actually military and how many are regular zoners is also unclear; we do see troopers who once their helmet is removed might not be soldiers but regular zoners made into troopers. For all the times they appear in *Spiral Zone*, the zoner troopers leave us with more questions than answers.

Zoner troopers in Montreal fire at the Zone RidersZoner troopers beside Razorback and Lt. Len JacobsTroopers with and without helmets in New York receive Overlord's ordersThe same troopers head out to carry Overlord's order outZoner Troopers without helmets fire at the Zone Riders in MontrealZoner troopers with heavy fog helmets fire at the Zone RidersA zoner trooper without a helmet in fear as the bridge he is on fallsAnother trooper without a helmet on that bridge slides down the fallen bridgeThe zoner trooper from the bridge sits up while another trooper looks at the Zone Riders escapingA zoner trooper with a heavy fog helmet takes a sniper positionA zoner trooper responds to Overlord's call for reinforcementsA zoner trooper announces that zoners below corporal will report to OverlordA zoner trooper with a heavy fog helmet flees a sinking zone generatorAnother zoner with a light fog helmet flees; you can see his expressionA zoner trooper with a heavy fog helmet looking out of the yellow eye slotsTank sneaks up behind a zoner trooper...and removes the helmet; this is a common strategy the Zone Riders take with troopers outside the zone
### De-zoning a Zoner

If Overlord and the Black Widow's goal is to make everyone into zoners, the Zone Riders and the UN forces hope to free existing zoners from the zone. There are two ways to de-zone a zoner: 1.) destroy the zone generator and 2.) remove a zoner from the zone. The series depicts the first option as instantly de-zoning any and all zoners who were in the zone at the time, but actually, that would not be how things would work. As Understanding the Spiral Zone Part 1 explains, the series speeds up the time it takes for someone to be zoned, so the same thing is true for de-zoning a zoner by destroying the zone generator. Rather than instant de-zoning with the sclera returning to white and lesions disappearing from the skin, the zoners would still maintain the yellow sclera and lesions. Basically, destroying the zone generator and removing a zoner from the zone go down the same path to returning a zoner back to normal. The reason why is that it takes time for the viral agents of the zone fog to leave the body and the bio-electricity of the person to return to normal; so zoners would still need to taken to a hospital and monitored as they return to normal. We see this approach with people removed from the zone but the generator is not destroyed; they are taken to a hospital and allowed to gradually return to normal free of people giving them orders as they still are under the influence of the zone and would obey commands given to them. Again as Understanding the Spiral Zone Part 1 points out, in the case of Len Jacobs, he was only in the spiral zone for just longer than one hour (something like an hour and a half), so he had only just become a zoner, so it was easier for him to begin "detoxing" from the zone and not follow Overlord's order; Johnny, the young boy also rescued by the Zone Riders, had been in the zone much longer and required more time to detox from the Zone. Also, as pointed out above, a strategy the Zone Riders take with regards to zoner troopers is to remove their helmets and de-zone them; this in actuality would begin the de-zoning process but still leave a zoner trooper who could be ordered to fight them, not a de-zoned person that would be disoriented.

Dirk picks up a knocked out and zoned HiroDirk ties Hiro up to take him out of the zoneHiro is de-zoned and stares out of the window in the hospitalHiro talks to the Zone Riders who come to visit himKing Donovan drives out of the zoneDirk comes in to visit King Donovan in the hospitalTank gets Carol and Beth and heads for his cycleBeth begins to de-zone in the hospitalBeth still zoned responds to Tank's question of where Carol wentLen Jacobs outside of the zone begins to de-zoneJohnny still zoned is handed to Max by TankJohnny is de-zoned and runs to MaxJohnny in Max's arms beside Len Jacobs in bed