Who are the Seraphites in The Last of Us? Explained
After Joe's fateful end in The Last of Us season 2 episode 2, the show has begun hinting at the upcoming introduction of several new characters. Although they have not yet appeared onscreen, they are expected to play an important role in the show's narrative.
These new characters belong to a group known as the Seraphites. In The Last of Us games, on which the HBO series is based, the Seraphites are depicted as a religious cult who place their belief in a woman they refer to as the Prophet.
As highlighted in episode 3 of season 2, the Prophet has been dead for a long time. However, her followers remain devoted to her teachings.
The Seraphites in The Last of Us are a group of people who believe in the preachings of the Prophet
The latest episode of the HBO series The Last of Us has already laid the groundwork for the introduction of the Seraphites. As previously mentioned, they are a group that plays a crucial role in The Last of Us games. Additionally, they are expected to play an important role in the narrative of the show adapted from the game.
In the game, the Seraphites follow the preachings of the Prophet, whom they believe had a divine intervention. They believe that this intervention led to the Prophet being told that the Cordyceps infection, central to the game, was unleashed upon the people as punishment for the sins they had committed.
That said, the WLF (Washington Liberation Front) was not tolerant of the Seraphites, viewing them as a threat for questioning the motives behind the ongoing war. To silence them, the WLF killed the Prophet of the Seraphites after the WLF's leader, Isaac Nixon, ordered it. Since then, the Seraphites (also referred to as the Scars) and the WLF (also known as the Wolves) have been locked in an ongoing war.
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Why do the Seraphites have a distinctive scar on their face?
Portrayed in the third episode of The Last of Us season 2, the Seraphites, who are yet to be introduced, were shown with a distinctive scar on one side of their face. This scar was worn by all the members of the group, including children.
Although the episode does not clarify the reason behind the unique facial feature, it is likely a mark of identity for the Seraphites. It may also be one of the reasons the group is sometimes referred to as the Scars.
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About the show
Based on the video game of the same name by Naughty Dog, The Last of Us on HBO tells the story of a world devastated by a pandemic. The outbreak is caused by a parasitic infection that turns humans into zombie-like creatures referred to as the Infected.
The official synopsis for the show's first and second seasons reads:
"In 2003, a parasitic fungal infection ravaged the planet, turning humans into violent creatures known as the Infected. Twenty years later, hardened survivor Joel (Pedro Pascal) is hired to smuggle 14-year-old Ellie (Bella Ramsey) to the rebel Fireflies."
It continues:
"Season 2 of The Last of Us picks up five years after the events of Season 1. Joel and Ellie’s collective past catches up to them, drawing them into conflict with each other and a world even more dangerous and unpredictable than the one they left behind."
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The next episode of The Last of Us season 2 is scheduled to be released on May 4, 2025.
