Board Thread:Naruto Discussions/@comment-28445617-20160513000858/@comment-4646462-20160513062633

The enslaved people were transformed into a mere shell of plantlike matter. It wouldn't be surprising if every Zetsu was the same, and it's also shown that Hashirama's DNA/chakra can modify Zetsu; perhaps Madara modified one into Spiral Zetsu for use as a suit of sorts.