Who are the Seraphites? Inside the beliefs of The Last of Us' mysterious cult

Hindustan Times

28-04-2025

The gripping post-apocalyptic saga The Last of Us continued to push emotional and narrative boundaries. Picking up in the aftermath of Joel's brutal death at the hands of Abby (played by Kaitlyn Dever), the series plunged viewers into Ellie's raw grief and her growing thirst for vengeance. As Ellie embarked on a perilous quest for justice, a new and mysterious faction known as the Seraphites was introduced.
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In the latest episode, the leader of the Seraphites explained to a young girl that they are a religious cult that believes in a prophet. Nothing much has been revealed about the prophet except that she died many years ago, however, her teachings continued to influence many.
According to the video game from which The Last of Us series has been adapted, the Seraphites' prophet believed that the cordyceps infection was divine judgment. This inspired her to live nomadic asceticism, which means living a simple life away from modern technology and in search of spiritual enlightenment. In the latest episode, the Seraphites appeared to be killed by the WLF.
The Seraphites in the show are very similar to how they were shown in the video game. They've been stuck in a long, drawn-out fight with a group called the Washington Liberation Front, or WLF. Both groups are battling for control over what used to be the city of Seattle, as reported by The Mirror US.
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The Seraphites are called the Scars in teh video game because of the cuts they make on their faces. The game's fandom page described, 'The Seraphites were formed in the Lower Queen Anne suburb of Seattle between September 2013 and March 2014.' It continued, 'It was here that a woman supposedly had a vision from which she became inspired to live an egalitarian life, and strive for humanity to live off the land again, detached from mortal pleasures and reliance on technology. She was also a fierce fighter, able to defeat numerous infected that attacked the community.'
It further read, 'Her charismatic sermons preaching that the Cordyceps brain infection was a punishment brought on by humanity's own sins and was a second chance for humanity to redeem itself inspired members in the community to do likewise, with the residents soon living independently.' It also added, 'They fought off infected and looters and grew food on the land they lived on. In time, the woman became their leader and was dubbed the 'Prophet'."
During the ongoing conflict, the WLF managed to capture the Seraphites' spiritual leader, known as the Prophet. While in captivity, she formed unexpected bonds with some of the WLF soldiers guarding her. Through quiet conversations, she began to challenge their beliefs, making some question the war and their way of life. Her growing influence became a threat, leading WLF leader Isaac Dixon to declare her too dangerous to keep alive.