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The Last of Us, based on the videogame of the same name, premiered with its first episode on HBO Max on January 15, 2023.
The highly anticipated show, starring Bella Ramsay and Pedro Pascal, follows a smuggler in his attempt to transport a young girl across the United States amidst a violent fungal pandemic that "converts" humans.
This young girl, Ellie (played by Ramsay), is the only one unaffected by the ravaging fungus, making her key to finding a cure.
The first episode of The Last of Us may have had too many details for someone who hasn't played the game or is unfamiliar with the story. Set in a desolate post-apocalyptic United States, there is a lot to understand in the story apart from the tale of Joel (played by Pascal).
The first episode has already given a glimpse into two organizations - The Fireflies and FEDRA.
If you are confused about the two organizations and their purpose, we have broken down everything you need to know from the first episode of The Last of Us.
Who is FEDRA in the Last of Us?
FEDRA, or F.E.D.R.A., is a military organization from the United States. It stands for Federal Disaster Response Agency. In essence, this military organization is what's left of the government.
Since the Cordyceps Brain Infection pandemic began 20 years ago, the democratic government has crumbled to the ground.
FEDRA has replaced it with authoritarian military rule and has created various quarantine zones to keep survivors safe. However, their autocratic reign and extreme measures may be seen as antagonistic. FEDRA is led by an unknown entity. It could also be a leaderless organization.
FEDRA has been shown to have a zero-tolerance policy towards the carriers of the fungus as they mercilessly euthanize an infected young child in the first episode.
Who are the Fireflies?
The polar opposites of FEDRA, the Fireflies are a rebel militia group that aims to destabilize the autocratic system and military rule and bring back the old ways of governance. This group is led by Merle Dandridge's Marlene.
The Fireflies seem to be going head-to-head against FEDRA to take control of the quarantine zones. Their end goal seems to be restoring democracy and removing the autocratic, dictatorship-like rule prevalent in the country. This was, at least, their purpose in the video game.
In the series, the Fireflies seem to focus on destabilization without further implication of what they plan to do next. Anyhow, both these organizations will play a major part in the unfolding of the story over the next few episodes.
The creator of The Last of Us, Neil Druckmann, previously spoke in an interview with ScreenRant about the need for survival and the grey characters in the series:
"I love the idea that there aren't just good guys and bad guys. Everybody's trying to survive, everybody's trying to live life to the fullest way they can. But often, the goals are competing with each other, and that's where the interesting things happen and the different philosophies of how to survive or do the ends justify the means, speak to what the story is really about in new ways than we did in the game."
The next episode of The Last of Us will premiere on January 22, 2023, on HBO Max.
