Season 2 of ‘The Last of Us’: Understanding the Washington Liberation Front

We’re back with The Last of Us Season 2, featuring mysterious new characters and factions to navigate carefully in the post-apocalyptic world. In Season 1 of Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann’s adaptation of the Naughty Dog game, the focus was on FEDRA and the Fireflies. However, with most Fireflies out of the picture due to Joel’s (Pedro Pascal) actions in the Season 1 finale, this faction has undergone significant changes.

In Season 2, episode 1, we are introduced to Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) and her group, who are part of a faction identified by a wolf logo on their gear. But who are they? Are they allies or adversaries? And what vendetta do they hold against Joel? While I can’t disclose all details about this group—especially for those familiar with the games and The Last of Us Part II—here’s what viewers of the HBO series can learn about the WLF as depicted in Season 2 (without revealing any spoilers beyond the latest episode on Max).

Wait, who are the Fireflies again?

They were a skilled militia group aiming to liberate quarantine zones (QZs) from the U.S. military, known as FEDRA, which labeled them as terrorists. Viewers might remember Joel and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) encountering their graffiti throughout Season 1, with their motto: “When you’re lost in the darkness, look for the light.” Ellie, who was a FEDRA cadet along with her best friend and first love Riley (Storm Reid), had her dreams of joining the Fireflies tragically cut short.

Marlene (Merle Dandridge), the leader of the Fireflies, was the one who set Tess (Anna Torv) and Joel on the mission to retrieve Ellie from the Fireflies’ hideout in Boston to a Salt Lake City base, where doctors were working on a cure for the Cordyceps pandemic (remember, Ellie is immune to Infected bites). Marlene was ultimately the last Firefly Joel confronted in the hospital after learning Ellie would be sacrificed for research—a pivotal moment in their conflict.

And it’s at this medical facility that we first meet the WLF in Season 2, episode 1, as they grapple with the aftermath of Joel’s actions.

Who are the Washington Liberation Front in The Last of Us?

A militia group from Seattle, the Washington Liberation Front (WLF) is recognizable by their wolf logo. Dina (Isabela Merced) notices one of these logos—a yellow triangle with a snarling wolf—during Season 2, episode 2 in the group’s mountain base. Comprising former Fireflies and new recruits, the WLF remains somewhat enigmatic at this point, but they will play a significant role this season.

In Season 2, episode 1, we meet several members, including Abby and her friends Manny (Danny Ramirez), Nora (Tati Gabrielle), Mel (Ariela Barer), and Owen (Spencer Lord), who uncover the remnants of Joel’s confrontation with the Fireflies in Salt Lake City. Their anger is palpable, but Abby decides against reporting back to base; instead, she resolves to track down the killer herself.

In episode 2 (The Terrible One We Won’t Get Over Anytime Soon), Abby returns with Joel and Dina to the mountain cabin housing the rest of her WLF team. We confirm they are WLF members from Mel’s backpack, which displays the group’s logo. As tension rises when Dina notices it, Joel inquires if they are Fireflies—the group he knows all too well.

Abby declares that the Fireflies are “all gone” and reveals her intent for revenge against Joel. She explains she has been part of the militia for five years, adhering to a code that dictates they do not attack those who cannot defend themselves. “And right now, that’s you. But I am going to kill you. Because it doesn’t matter if you have a code, like me, or you’re a lawless piece of shit, like you. There are just some things everyone agrees are just fucking wrong.”

As for Abby’s commander, Isaac Dixon (Jeffrey Wright), mentioned in episode 1, we have yet to meet him, but he is positioned as an important figure in the story—and Abby’s decision to go rogue introduces a layer of conflict.

Stay tuned for new episodes of The Last of Us Season 2, airing weekly on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.