Who Are The Wolves And Seraphites In ‘The Last Of Us’? Here’s What ‘WLF’ Means

Warning: Spoilers ahead for The Last of Us Season 2, Episode 3.

Ellie (Bella Ramsey) is ready to seek revenge on Joel (Pedro Pascal)’s killer in the latest episode of HBO’s drama series The Last of Us. In “The Path,” we learn the real identity of Abby’s group and the cult they’re at war with. Keep reading to find out who the Wolves (WLF) and Seraphites are and why they’re fighting with each other.

The next episode picks up three months after Joel’s death and the infected’s rampage on the Jackson settlement. As the survivors work to rebuild the town, Ellie struggles with losing her father figure. She’s pushed to meet with Gail (Catherine O’Hara), the town’s therapist, to open up about her final moments with Joel and how she’s been coping since.

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Ellie returns to their house for the first time since Joel’s death and heads into his bedroom, where she finds a shoebox on his bed with his gun inside. Dina (Isabela Merced) arrives and admits that she lied when Ellie asked her at the hospital what she knew about that day. In reality, Dina knows most of Abby’s group’s names and where they’re from, but the doctors had kept it from Ellie to avoid upsetting her.

What Does “WLF” Mean In The Last of Us?

The WLF, or Washington Liberation Front, is a militant paramilitary organization that refers to themselves as wolves. Dina reveals this to Ellie while explaining that the people involved in Joel’s death are named Manny, Owen, Nora, and Abby (Kaitlyn Dever). She says she noticed a patch on one of their backpacks featuring a yellow triangle, a wolf’s head, and the letters “WLF.”

Dina then recalls a story Eugene told her about when he was a Firefly. “He said that there were these small regional groups in the West all trying to fight FEDRA, and how stupid it was that they didn’t just join together,” Dina says. She eventually pieced together that one of those groups was the Washington Liberation Front, based out of Seattle — also known as the WLF, or “wolf.”

Because no one’s mentioned WLF before, Dina and Ellie theorize that the group’s probably small enough for them to handle. They share what they know with Joel’s younger brother, Tommy, but he insists on not rushing it and putting together a plan to do it right (which means letting Maria and the council know).

The issue was brought to the town hall for a vote, and despite an emotional speech by Ellie, it was rejected 8–3 by Jackson’s council. (This is a deviation from the video game, according to Time.com, which noted that there was no town hall vote in the original story.) Ellie and Dina, with the help of their unlikely new ally Seth, set out to find the Wolves and kill Abby on their own.

Who Are The Seraphites?

The Seraphites in The Last of Us, also known as “Scars” due to the scars on their faces, are a religious cult that emerged in the aftermath of the Cordyceps outbreak. They believe the infection was divine punishment for humanity’s over reliance on technology and the excesses of what they call the “Old World.”

Without revealing spoilers from the video game, the group is following the teachings of a deceased woman who has been dead for 10 years and who is now known as the Prophet. Viewers are introduced to the group in Season 2, Episode 3, as its followers make their way through the forest toward Seattle. A young girl questions a man about where they’re going and whether they still have the Prophet’s protection.

He explains to her that although the Prophet is no longer alive, they honor her by adhering to her teachings and uncovering truths hidden by others. Their conversation is interrupted by a whistle, signaling an attack by the “Wolves.” Later in the episode, Ellie and Dina discover their dead bodies while traveling to Seattle.

Why Are The Seraphites And The WLF Fighting?

After the WLF overthrew FEDRA and took control of Seattle, the Seraphites—who were once a peaceful group—began to adopt increasingly brutal and questionable practices. Tensions between the two factions escalated as they battled for control of the city. As Season 3 progresses, we will likely learn more about the conflict between the WLF and the Seraphites.

The Last of Us Season 3, Episode 3 is now streaming on Max. New episodes premiere Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.

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