Zero Day's "Who Killed Bambi" Song & Meaning Explained: Why George Mullen Keeps Hearing It

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Zero Day!

The song "Who Killed Bambi?" plays a major role throughout Netflix's Zero Day, and here's what the song means and why George Mullen keeps hearing it throughout the show. Robert De Niro's George Mullen is a beloved former president in the world of Zero Day, with him having a massive fanbase and getting appointed as the head of the Zero Day Commission. However, George Mullen clearly has some underlying issues, with Zero Day's usage of the song "Who Killed Bambi?" being the biggest hint that something isn't right in George Mullen's world.

The Netflix miniseries Zero Day tells the story of Robert De Niro's George Mullen, with the former president having to reenter the world of politics after the devastating Zero Day Attack. The public trust in George Mullen is what earns him his spot on the Zero Day Commission, although it doesn't last long. Mullen's increasing authoritarian tendencies and declining mental state hurt his public reputation, with it being a mystery how he got to the point he is at. Mullen's infatuation with the song "Who Killed Bambi?" raises a lot of questions about this, and here is what it all means.

"Who Killed Bambi?" Is A Song By The Sex Pistols

It Was Released In 1980

"Who Killed Bambi?" is the most frequently heard song from throughout Zero Day, and it turns out that it is a 1980 song by the rock band Sex Pistols. Originally, Who Killed Bambi? was meant to be a movie starring the Sex Pistols, with it being viewed as a way for the band to break into the American market. The script was written by Roger Ebert and was described as a punk rock version of A Hard Days Night. Unforutnately, the film was never finished, with filming being abandoned after three days, and "Who Killed Bambi?" was released as part of The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle.

"Who Killed Bambi?" has often been interpreted as a song about the destruction and perversion of innocence. Bambi represents innocence in the song, with the animated deer being destroyed by man. These themes of corruption and perversion clearly play into the main story of Zero Day, with it having strong connections toGeorge Mullen's role in the Zero Day Commission.

"Who Killed Bambi?" Was Playing When George Mullen's Son Died

He Found His Son After His Death

George Mullen is constantly hearing the song "Who Killed Bambi?" throughout Zero Day, and it turns out that it has a connection to the former president's past. Zero Day reveals that George Mullen's son died while he was in office, with him overdosing on drugs. George Mullen is the one who found his son's body, with it traumatizing him so much that it is believed that it caused him not to run for reelection. Eventually, a flashback scene in Zero Day shows that the Sex Pistols' "Who Killed Bambi?" was playing when George Mullen found his son.

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Since George Mullen heard the Sex Pistols song when finding his son, the song has stuck with him ever since. George Mullen's declining mental state has a lot to do with his son's death, which is why he keeps hearing "Who Killed Bambi?" throughout the show. George Mullen's notebooks are also full of notes about "Who Killed Bambi?," although he doesn't seem to remember writing them down. The song has clearly had a massive impact on the former president, with it playing a big thematic and story role in the series.

Why George Keeps Hearing (And Writing Down) "Who Killed Bambi?"

Is It A Result Of Proteus?

Robert De Niro, Jesse Plemons, Connie Britton, and others in Zero Day

One of the biggest mysteries in Zero Day has to do with George Mullen's declining mental state, and the recurring usage of "Who Killed Bambi?" is one of the biggest clues to this unanswered question. There are two possibilities as to why George Mullen is hearing the song. Firstly, it could be that he simply has a declining mental state. The former president is pretty old, so it would make sense for him to have some sort of neurological issue that is causing him to relive the death of his son.

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The other option is that "Who Killed Bambi?" and the other side effects are caused by the secret NSA project Proteus. Proteus was a neurological weapon designed to cause brain damage from a distance, and some of George Mullen's symptoms line up with the victims of Proteus. However, Zero Day never officially reveals if Proteus was used on George Mullen, leaving the usage of "Who Killed Bambi?" a mystery.