Besides comedic fun and action, this story serves as an ode to friendship, and the importance of having a support system of companions in your life. From beginning to end, it’s clear that Jack desires friendship and a “team,” something that he has never fully experienced as an orphan foster child who bounces from house to house, school to school. His sense of isolation and worthlessness amplifies because his adoptive family—the Robinsons—treat him poorly. When the zombie apocalypse happens, he suddenly has a strange and unexpected opportunity to create the family and environment he always wanted. That’s where Quint, Dirk, and June enter as the core of friends he can survive with—family he is quite literally willing to sacrifice his life for.

He understands that in order to create this family, he will sometimes have to make difficult decisions that may endanger himself, but in doing this, he is able to win over their hearts and trust. The most vivid example of this is when Jack and Quint encounter Dirk—their former bully—who is stranded in the apocalypse. Quint votes to leave him behind, fearing he will cause trouble for them, but Jack stops the car and goes back to save his potential friend, explaining: “He’s a survivor.