In The Last of Us Season 2, we witness a brief hotly disputed truce between the Seraphites (also known as “Scars”) and the Washington Liberation Front (also known as “WLF” and “Wolves”). Although short-lived, this truce adds a new element to the already violent dynamic between the two factions. Here’s a look at the truce, how it came ot be, and why it failed.
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The Background of Seraphites and WLF Conflict
The conflict between WLF and the Seraphites existed long before the story of The Last of Us Part II and its HBO adaptation. The Seraphites were a cult with a religious background who believed in the teachings of a Prophet. They appeared in Seattle’s Lower Queen Anne district between September 2013 and March 2014, just after the Cordyceps outbreak, and established a colony outside of the Quarantine Zones maintained by FEDRA.
The movement began when a woman, who would later be revealed as the Prophet, proclaimed that she had seen a vision from God. Their Prophet believed that the Cordyceps apocalypse was a punishment from God because mankind had sinned. It was a sign that humanity must return to their traditional, natural life in the forests away from all modern tech and gadgets, including weapons. It was divine judgment. Her followers later began tilling the land, leaving behind modern tools and distancing themselves from what they called the “old world.”
By March 2014, FEDRA had found Seraphites’ hidden colony, but failed to force them into quarantine zones like others. Their survival was seen as proof of their Prophet’s teachings, even hailed as a miracle by local media. Internal military reports indicated increasing frustration with the Seraphites. Lieutenant Carmelo Torres referred to them as fanatics, but admitted that they were not as much of an immediate threat as the increasingly militant WLF.
Once FEDRA lost control in Seattle, the Washington Liberation Front, a paramilitary group originally comprised of FEDRA defectors, filled the power vacuum. They took the city, maintaining strict order through weapons, training, and infrastructure.
The WLF wanted to rule the post-apocalyptic world using military firepower. They wanted to bring order using sheer might and weapons, ready to gun down anyone who defied them. Initially, Seraphites weren’t much of a threat, but as they spread out, they started bothering the WLF, who were interested in taking over Seattle. They wanted to bring some sort of order to the post-apocalyptic world, restoring humanity.
Things went out of control when the Seraphites advanced further into FEDRA’s old lands by defying the WLF’s warnings and rules. Their refusal to give up the Prophet’s teachings and increasing numbers led to a war with the WLF. The WLF, with guns, tactical thinking, and military strategies, was up against the Seraphites, with bows, arrows, and their strong religious thinking.
The Role of the Prophet in the Truce
The Prophet was a key figure in this fragile peace. She was the spiritual leader of the Seraphites, and the people followed her blindly. She provided them with a sense of direction in their struggle against the WLF in the New World. She is never directly named in the game or the show but is called simply ‘Her’, ‘Prophet’, etc.
When she was held captive by WLF, she started talking to the guards, even convincing a few that the war was not worth dying for. Several WLF members joined the Seraphites, believing that the only way to redemption was to leave behind the life of violence.
However, the leader of WLF, Isaac Dixon, viewed her as a direct threat to his leadership. So, he took her out of his way by executing her. Her execution escalated the war even further. Her teachings established a formal system of belief and a formal society of over 500 trained warriors when she died.
Some of the Seraphites saw the Prophet’s death as a sign of the end of suffering, urging restraint. Others saw it as a sign of the WLF’s innate evil, urging revenge. This division finally resulted in the fragile nature of the ceasefire.
The Truce Between WLF and Seraphites
Despite their conflict, a truce was ultimately negotiated between the two groups. This truce came after the death of the Prophet, something that could have easily destroyed the Seraphites entirely, but instead made her a martyr whose words became even more significant.
Her death did not immediately lead to war. Instead, both sides, weary of constant fighting, opted for a ceasefire. The truce was not made in good faith, but was practical for both sides. This brief peace offered hope, though fragile. The Seraphites promised not to interfere with WLF supply lines or patrols, while the WLF promised not to enter Seraphite’s territory.
Also Read:
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- The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 3: 8 Ways the Show Differs from the Game
The Seraphites had no choice but to agree to the terms of the bargain, since WLF’s military strength was too strong to fight head-on. The WLF, on the other hand, knew that it was no easy task to wipe out the Seraphites overnight. The peace was fragile, but it was an acknowledgment that neither could annihilate the other.
The Breakdown of the Truce
The truce broke down into a disaster, and, contrary to what many believe, it was not WLF assassins murdering the Prophet who broke the truce; she died first, before a truce could be established. The Seraphites were the ones who triggered the war.
The Seraphites attacked out of the blue during the truce by ambushing a WLF convoy. The attack was brutal, and children and soldiers were cut down mercilessly. The WLF was furious and caught off guard by their attack, so they retaliated with full force. Diplomacy was dead after that.
There are different accounts of who broke the truce, but one thing is certain: it reignited the war between a WLF patrol and the Seraphites. This treachery ended any hope of negotiation. While the Seraphites probably viewed the attack as a judgment of God or a purification, the WLF saw it as pure barbarism.
The WLF viewed the Seraphites as extremist terrorists who wanted to annihilate all they had rebuilt in Seattle. The Seraphites, on the other hand, think the WLF embodies the evils of the previous world, militarism, pride, and dependence on technology.
The Seraphites keep raiding WLF settlements, and the WLF wage full-scale military campaigns to wipe out Seraphite towns. This moment marked the beginning of a full-scale war, with both sides going all out.
The Aftermath and Ongoing War
By the time of The Last of Us Part II, the war is firmly established. The Seraphites still occupy the surroundings of Seattle, their combatants with bows, hammers, and silence. The WLF, meanwhile, still occupies the city center with heavy guns, trained wolves, and guerrilla tactics.
The conflict between the Seraphites and the WLF turned into a cycle of violence. The actions of both groups, based on their own belief, made it nearly impossible for peace to exist. The war continued, greatly affecting the lives of the survivors on both sides.
Conclusion
The Seraphite-WLF truce in The Last of Us (both game and series) was a brief moment of peace in the middle of a war. Even though the truce brought temporary relief in a brutal world for a short period, it was always doomed to collapse because of the differences between the two factions.
