Who are the Seraphites Introduced in Season 2 Episode 3 of ‘The Last of Us’?

The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 3 picks up Ellie’s journey for revenge against Abby and also unveils a peculiar new group that resonates well with fans of the video game. For those unfamiliar with the game, the introduction of this eccentric tribe might come off as intriguing yet bewildering. These characters have chosen to abandon modern technology like guns and cars in favor of self-harm, simple weapons, and medieval-style cloaks.

So what’s the deal with the new cult in The Last of Us? Who exactly are the Seraphites?

**Spoilers for The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 3, now streaming on MAX**

Approximately 20 minutes into the episode, the scene transitions from Jackson, Wyoming to a lush forest path. A bald man with scars on his cheeks walks cautiously, adorned in a green cloak bearing a distinctive symbol and armed with a bow. Whistling a signal, he is met by another similarly attired bald man. A group of individuals, all marked with identical cheek scars and dressed in earthy tones, carry on their journey.

A heartwarming moment unfolds between a young girl named Constance and her father, shedding light on the group’s background. These individuals, nomads seeking a safe haven, follow the teachings of a now-deceased woman known as the Prophet for the past decade. Whistling, craftsmanship, and ceremonial rituals are integral aspects of the religious legacy she left behind.

However, their religion also makes them a target for persecution. Almost as soon as little Constance gets her hands on her first hammer, a whistle of alarm pierces the air. The Seraphites take cover and Constance’s father tells her that they aren’t hiding from “demons,” but “wolves.” (“Wolves” meaning the members of the W.L.F. or Washington Liberation Front.)

Later in the episode, Ellie and Dina (Isabela Merced) stumble upon the corpses of all these people, including Constance. It’s a scene that manages to shock the young women in its barbarity. Particularly because no mercy was given to little Constance.

Okay, so while the HBO show might be teasing out who the Seraphites are and why the Wolves hate them in a way to make us hate Abby and her pals even more than we already did, fans of the video game series know the situation is a bit more complicated.

So who are the Seraphites in The Last of Us Season 2? Here’s everything you need to know about these strange massacred people…

The only confirmation that HBO’s The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 3 gives us that this new cult calls themselves the Seraphites comes from the closing credits, which confirm actor Billy Wickman is the “Seraphite Scout.” Nevertheless, you can still find a ton of (potentially spoilery) information about the Seraphites if you simply dig into the lore of the video games, specificially The Last of Us II.

In The Last of Us II, we learn that there’s a bitter ground war in Seattle between the W.L.F. and the Seraphites. The Seraphites were created by a woman in suburban Seattle who claimed to have a vision from god. This charismatic “Prophet” also happened to be an excellent fighter, able to resist many of the Infected. All of this means is that when she saved people from certain death, only to preach egalitarian principals, it sounded pretty good to some.

The Prophet also believed the Cordyceps virus was a punishment from god. Humanity needed to cleanse itself of its sins, which in her mind meant getting rid of any technology created before the Cordyceps pandemic. Hence the bows, arrows, whistles, and hammers.

The tensions between the W.L.F. and the Seraphites basically come down to a turf war. The Seraphites, as teased in The Last of Us Season 2 trailer, aren’t exactly pacifists. They, too, terrorize and kill people unlike them. It’s basically become a fierce civil war on the streets of Seattle where the Seraphites and Wolves are fighting for their group’s own survival.

The Seraphites we meet in this week’s The Last of Us seem to be non-violent. In fact, Constance’s father expresses they are fleeing home to find a new, safe place to live. All of which suggests that, you know, the Seraphites are people, too.

The Last of Us returns next Sunday, May 4 at 9 PM ET on HBO and MAX.