Who are the WLF in The Last of Us season 2?
In The Last of Us season 2, Seattle is torn apart by warring factions: the WLF and the Seraphites. But who are the WLF? How is Abby connected to them?
Warning: Spoilers ahead for The Last of Us season 2 episode 3.
Season 2 episode 3 of The Last of Us introduces two warring factions: the WLF and the Seraphites.
Their introduction in the latest instalment didn't hold back, already depicting a bloody conflict between the two factions - and if the game is anything to go by, it's not going to end there.
Plus, with the end of episode 3 revealing that the WLF is much bigger than Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Dina (Isabela Merced) had assumed, finding Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) might be a much bloodier task than either had expected.
What does WLF stand for? Who are its members? Here is everything you need to know about the WLF.
Who are the WLF in The Last of Us season 2?
The Washington Liberation Front (or WLF) is a militia group fighting for control over Seattle in The Last of Us.
After the outbreak, FEDRA (Federal Disaster Response Agency) placed Seattle under Quarantine Zone, much like they did in Boston and Kansas. But as resentment grew within Seattle, with food shortages, corruption, and strict policing becoming regular occurrences, a resistance emerged.
WLF started as a liberation group, but once they seized power over Seattle, they began to resemble their previous oppressors. Executing all FEDRA soldiers and collaborators, the group forcibly relocated all Seattle survivors to their home base in Soundview Stadium (likely based off Seattle’s Lumen Stadium).
Due to the wolf on their logo, and their violent regime, the WLF are sometimes referred to as "Wolves".
When Ellie and Dina arrive, they are retreating from a recent wave of attacks. With solar panels, wind turbines, and a steady supply of food and medicine, WLF is a powerful faction, one that Ellie is unlikely to take on alone.
Who's part of the WLF in The Last of Us season 2?
Seattle’s WLF is a faction of thousands in Seattle, but only a few of its members play a role in the series. Here’s our list of the most important people who are part of the WLF.
How is Abby connected to the WLF in The Last of Us season 2?
Abby Anderson is an ex-Firefly and one of the main characters in The Last of Us season 2.
After Joel massacres the Fireflies in Salt Lake at the end of season 1, Abby wanted to pursue revenge. Owen told her to wait until they recuperated, and in the meantime they found refuge with the WLF in Seattle, where they have been for the five years between season 1 and 2.
As part of the WLF, Abby became a trusted soldier for the faction.
After Joel’s murder, she returns to the WLF.
Who is Owen in The Last of Us season 2?
Owen Moore is an ex-Firefly who survived Joel’s massacre at Salt Lake. He joins Abby on her search for Joel, but wanted her to turn back before finding him. Owen is the one who tells Abby to stop her torture and "end it".
Owen disagrees with the cruel policies of the WLF, as well as with Joel’s brutal torture. He is described by HBO as "a gentle soul trapped in a warrior’s body, condemned to fight an enemy he refuses to hate".
In the game, Owen once dated Abby, and is dating Mel when the main story occurs.
Spencer Lord (Heartland, Riverdale) plays Owen in the series.
Who is Manny in The Last of Us season 2?
Manny Alvarez is another one of the Salt Lake Fireflies who joined Abby’s revenge.
Eager for retribution, Manny condones Abby’s violence, and kicks Ellie in the ribs when she threatens to kill them all.
In the game, he is the closest to Abby after her vengeance. He is from Mexico and speaks of it fondly.
He is played by Danny Ramirez (The Falcon and The Winter Soldier; Assassination Nation; Top Gun: Maverick) in the series.
Who is Nora in The Last of Us season 2?
Nora Harris is a medic for the WLF and one of the ex-Fireflies who accompanied Abby on her revenge against Joel.
In episode 2, Nora held Ellie down while Abby killed Joel. Whereas some in the group seemed uncomfortable with her revenge, Nora saw it as justified.
In the game, we learn that before Joel slaughtered the Fireflies, Nora was being trained by surgeon Dr Jerry Anderson, Abby’s father.
Nora is portrayed in the series by Tati Gabrielle (You; Uncharted; Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) who will star in Naughty Dog’s new flagship game Intergalactic.
Who is Mel in The Last of Us season 2?
Reluctant to join in Abby’s revenge, Mel is a medic and one of the surviving Fireflies from Salt Lake.
Clearly disturbed by Abby’s quest for vengeance, Mel nonetheless participates by tourniqueting Joel’s leg and drugging Dina.
In the games, Mel is pregnant and in a relationship with Owen. We also learn that Mel trained under Abby’s father, Dr Jerry Anderson.
In the series, she is portrayed by Ariela Barer (How to Blow Up a Pipeline; Marvel’s Runaways; Atypical).
Who is Isaac in The Last of Us season 2?
Isaac Dixon is the leader of the WLF.
Similar to Kathleen from season 1, Isaac is a resistance fighter turned leader. While he is keen to protect his people, and welcomed in Abby and the ex-Fireflies, his hatred towards the Seraphites has led him down a cycle of self-justifying violence.
In the game, Isaac regularly tortures Seraphites for information, and eventually mounts a genocide against them.
We’re set to meet Isaac within the next few episodes, with Jeffrey Wright (Westworld; American Fiction: Marvel’s What If) reprising his role from the games.
Why are the WLF fighting the Seraphites?
Both factions are stuck in a cycle of revenge seeking dominance over the Seattle Quarantine Zone. Dating back to when WLF defeated FEDRA, their animosity is not only physical, but ideological too.
While the WLF took on the role of FEDRA, using solar panels and wind turbines to recapture some sense of pre-outbreak life, the Seraphites' anti-technology and religious beliefs saw them deemed by some as a 'death cult'.
When the leader of the Scars, The Prophet, attacked a supply platoon and killed several soldiers, tensions erupted into violence. WLF began executing Seraphite prisoners, and torturing those they found.
A ceasefire was eventually struck between the factions. But when a group of Seraphite teenagers attacked WLF soldiers, and were struck down, the WLF took this as an end to the ceasefire.
WLF captured The Prophet and Isaac ordered her to be killed. That act marked the end of coexistence, leading to the current state of increasingly violent warfare between the WLF and the Seraphites.
When Ellie and Dina enter Seattle, the WLF are on a losing streak, and are preparing to mount an attack on the Seraphites.
The Last of Us season 2 is streaming on Sky Atlantic and NOW with an Entertainment Membership.
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