Zombies (2017) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

The aliens A-Lan, A-Li, and A-Spen came to Earth looking for an interstellar map to their home world called Utopia. They discovered that the map was hidden in Seabrook's most precious thing, the DNA of Addison, who is revealed to be part alien. Her maternal grandmother Angie was originally the scout who came to Earth years earlier.

Foreshadowing: The aliens' initial cover story of competing in the National Cheer Off masks their true mission to locate the map.

• aliens
• utopia
• map
• seabrook
• dna
• addison

Luma Lenses are alien devices that allow the visitors to probe into people's memories and search their minds. The aliens use them on the werewolves of Seabrook to uncover secrets and locate clues about the map's whereabouts.

Foreshadowing: The mind-scanning ability explains how the aliens learned about the moonstone and Zed's connection to Addison.

• luma lenses
• aliens
• mind scan
• memories
• werewolves

During their time in Seabrook, A-Spen develops genuine feelings for Zed after interacting with him directly. A-Spen confesses this love to Addison, creating personal complications that blur the lines between the alien mission and human emotions.

Foreshadowing: A-Spen's confession hints at the aliens' growing attachment to Earth and its inhabitants.

• a-spen
• zed
• love
• aliens
• feelings

The Seabrook Cup was crafted from materials originating from the aliens' home world, making it suspicious to the visitors. The aliens believed the Cup might contain or point to the map's location, but they ultimately discovered the actual map was encoded in Addison's DNA rather than in the trophy.

Foreshadowing: The Cup's alien materials tie it to the visitors' origin, setting up the DNA revelation later.

• seabrook cup
• map
• trophy
• aliens
• coordinates

Addison's maternal grandmother Angie was an alien scout who came to Earth years before the events of the story. The coordinates to Utopia were encoded in Angie's DNA and passed down genetically to Addison, making her the living key to the alien home world.

Foreshadowing: The revelation about Angie being a scout in the alien logs directly connects Addison's heritage to the missing map.

• addison
• dna
• utopia
• coordinates
• angie
• grandmother
• heritage

When the mothership begins failing during emergency exit, Zed uses the moonstone's energy channeled through his Z-Bands to recharge the ship. This dangerous maneuver allows Addison to be beamed back to Earth before the ship jumps to hyperspace, though it means they must temporarily part ways.

Foreshadowing: The moonstone's coordinates were revealed earlier as lethal to the aliens, yet Zed uses its power creatively to save Addison.

• zed
• addison
• moonstone
• z-bands
• ship
• save
• rescue

After decoding Addison's DNA, the aliens discover that the coordinates to Utopia point not to a distant planet but to Earth itself. Addison's belief that their shared home could be Utopia is confirmed, the planet they were searching for was their own all along.

Foreshadowing: The aliens' desperate search for a new home mirrors the town's own journey of accepting different species.

• earth
• utopia
• aliens
• map
• home
• planet
• coordinates

After realizing Earth is Utopia, the aliens return to Seabrook and decide to stay, joining the town's diverse community of monsters. The town now welcomes vampires, merfolk, and other creatures alongside the aliens, humans, werewolves, and zombies.

Foreshadowing: The aliens' initial hostile mission transforms into acceptance and belonging by the film's conclusion.

• aliens
• seabrook
• ending
• community
• monsters
• return

Addison initially agrees to go with the aliens because her DNA contains the coordinates they need, and the mothership begins to pull her aboard. However, Zed's sacrifice with the moonstone energy allows her to return to Earth. The aliens eventually come back, making permanent separation unnecessary.

Foreshadowing: The tension between Addison's alien heritage and her human connections drives the emotional climax.

• addison
• aliens
• leave
• departure
• earth
• ship

Zed hopes to earn an athletic scholarship to Mountain College to join Addison, but the aliens initially outperform him in sports and academics. After Addison's powers cause him to zombie out during his interview, his chances seem ruined, though the resolution shows their futures remain intertwined despite the scholarship uncertainty.

Foreshadowing: The aliens' competitive edge threatens Zed's personal goals throughout the story.

• zed
• scholarship
• mountain college
• college
• future

The alien team is disqualified from the National Cheer Off, leaving Addison and the Seabrook Mighty Shrimp as the remaining competitors. This narrows the path to the map, making Addison the sole key to the aliens' mission and forcing them to reveal their true intentions.

Foreshadowing: The disqualification directly leads to the confrontation that exposes the aliens' plans.

• cheer off
• aliens
• disqualified
• competition
• seabrook shrimp

Z-Bands are devices created by Z-Corp that allow zombies to control their transformations. The moonstone is a powerful energy source from the aliens' home world. Zed channels the moonstone's energy through his Z-Bands to power the failing mothership, combining both technologies in a critical rescue moment.

Foreshadowing: Z-Corp's involvement with Z-Bands links back to the aliens' earlier presence in Seabrook.

• z-bands
• moonstone
• zed
• energy
• power
• rescue