OVERLAY REPORT

The most crucial action made by the lead character, **Martin Hykkerud**, in the film *Dead Snow* (2009) is the **return of the stolen Nazi gold** to the zombie leader. This action is crucial because it is the only thing that temporarily stops the relentless pursuit by the horde of Nazi zombies. The film's backstory reveals that the zombies are the reanimated corpses of a Nazi German unit, led by Standartenführer Herzog, who were massacred by locals while trying to escape with valuables they had looted. The zombies' violent attacks are, in fact, an attempt to reclaim their lost treasure. ### Specific Detail: 1. **The Action:** Martin, the last surviving member of the group, realizes the Nazi zombies' true motivation after witnessing Herzog's behavior toward the body of his friend. He makes the decision to stop fighting and instead **retrieves a box containing the stolen gold and jewelry** from the ruins of the burned-down cabin. He then throws the box of gold to Standartenführer Herzog. This act appeases the zombie leader, who stops the attack to collect the treasure, allowing Martin to escape to his car. 2. **The Help:** No one directly helps Martin make this final action. He is alone when he retrieves and returns the gold. However, the realization that triggers this life-saving action is a direct result of the death of his friend, **Roy**. As Roy is being killed by Herzog, Herzog pauses to retrieve a **watch** from Roy's pocket before killing him. Witnessing the Nazi zombie's obsession with a valuable item, even in the middle of a slaughter, is what makes Martin understand that the gold is the key to stopping the massacre. The escape, however, is not a final resolution, as the film ends with Martin discovering he has kept one gold coin in his pocket, which leads to Herzog immediately smashing the car window to continue the pursuit.