Warning: This post contains spoilers for Episode 3 of The Last of Us Season 2.
Following the tragic events of , this week’s episode initiated a new stage for Ellie () and the remaining survivors after the infected’s assault on Jackson.
The episode started with Tommy (Gabriel Luna) bidding farewell to his brother and Ellie awakening in the Jackson Hospital, reliving Joel’s death. Episode 3 then fast-forwarded a few months to the spring when Ellie was finally allowed to return home. That evening, Dina (Isabela Merced) revealed that she knew the identities and location of () and the group responsible for Joel’s brutal murder.
Dina explained she recognized a patch on one of their backpacks featuring a yellow triangle, a wolf’s head, and the letters W-L-F. She connected this to a story Eugene (Joe Pantoliano), Gail’s late husband, had shared from his time with the Fireflies about a Seattle-based militia fighting FEDRA called the Washington Liberation Front—also known as WLF or the Wolves in the video game.
This revelation immediately spurred Ellie to go to Seattle. However, after the women informed Tommy, he insisted on a town hall vote, which the Jackson council vetoed 8-3 despite Tommy’s support. With assistance from their unexpected ally Seth (Robert John Burke), Ellie and Dina independently journeyed to Seattle. This diverged from The Last of Us Part II video game, where no town hall vote occurs. In the game, Tommy leaves for Seattle to pursue Abby after Joel’s death, prompting Ellie and Dina to follow.
By the episode’s conclusion, Ellie and Dina arrived in Seattle, mistakenly believing the WLF to be a minor threat. However, the final scene demonstrated that the Wolves are far more formidable and possess significant firepower.
Alongside these developments, a new group of survivors was introduced, poised to play a significant role in the show, assuming it remains consistent with the game’s narrative.
Who are the Seraphites?
Approximately 20 minutes into the episode, the scene shifted from Jackson to a group traversing the woods near Seattle. The men had shaved heads, wore cloaks displaying a peculiar symbol, and bore Glasgow smile-like scars on their faces. In their initial scene, one man walked with a young girl (presumably his daughter), explaining their departure to escape a war.
The group appeared to be attacked, and later, Ellie and Dina discovered their corpses while traveling towards Seattle. While the show hasn’t identified them yet, video game players will recognize them as Seraphites.
Also known as the Scars, the Seraphites are members of a religious cult established in Seattle after the Cordyceps pandemic. Their beliefs are based on the teachings of a woman known as the Prophet. In The Last of Us Part II, the deceased Prophet believed the outbreak was a punishment for humanity’s reliance on technology and advocated for living off the land and avoiding “Old World” manufactured goods. Although initially peaceful, the Seraphites’ increasing fanaticism led to brutal practices.
In The Last of Us Part II, the Seraphites are at war with the Wolves for control of Seattle since the WLF ousted FEDRA. If the show mirrors the game, viewers can expect to learn much more about the Seraphites and their role in the upcoming violence.