‘The Last Of Us‘ is a story of kinship that develops between Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) in the post-apocalyptic United States of America. But in the background, their lives run parallel to institutions that control the world, FEDRA and the Fireflies.
Where there is conflict, there will always be two parties with countering views. FEDRA and The Fireflies are the predominant institutions in the world of ‘The Last Of Us.’ Always at each other’s throats, both sides are in a constant power struggle. We break down these organizations’ identity and function from the beloved video game.
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What Is FEDRA In ‘The Last Of Us’?
Federal Disaster Response Agency, or FEDRA, is the organization that came into power in a Cordyceps-infected world. When the virus broke out in 2013, it overtook the American government and assumed all bureaucratic control. Soon, they declared martial law and established Quarantine Zones (QZs) in major cities such as Pittsburgh, Boston, and Seattle.
In the world of ‘The Last Of Us,’ FEDRA’s presence is felt through its posting of various soldiers on patrol. They developed Mycotoxin Containment Protocols to curb the spread of infection, with four levels of threat detection. FEDRA also recruits civilians to do maintenance jobs for the QZ. It also has training schools where they prepare soldiers for tomorrow.
In the HBO series, Joel (Pedro Pascal) is seen working maintenance jobs sanctioned by FEDRA. He also makes a deal with a FEDRA soldier, implying the degree of middleman that runs deep. While protecting Ellie, he has to kill a FEDRA soldier.
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‘The Last Of Us’: Who Are The Fireflies?
Where there’s fire, there must be water. Fireflies is the resistance group fighting FEDRA’s military dictatorship with weapons and ideology. They are constantly fighting the FEDRA to restore governmental control to the United States Of America.
Marlene founded Fireflies in the 2010s and led the group till her death in 2034. The organization is desperate to obtain the vaccine to end the Cordyceps infection, asking Joel to smuggle Ellie to their hospital. Fireflies make their presence felt through a graffitied slogan, “Look for the light,” on the building walls.
They successfully fight back against the military Quarantine Zones of Pittsburgh and Seattle. However, this scattered and somewhat disorganized group focuses on obtaining a cure for the virus. As their last resort, Marlene (Merle Dandridge), founder and the leader of the Fireflies, asks Joel (Pedro Pascal) to smuggle Ellie (Bella Ramsey) to the hospital of their military base.
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