Joel, Ellie, and now Abby may beThe Last of Us’ core characters as playable protagonists, but the environmental storytelling inPart 1andPart 2does a great job of inviting players into other characters’ stories, even if it’s just abridged glimpses via note artifacts. It’s fascinating to learn about Ish and the group from Pittsburgh’s sewers inPart 1, for instance, and it’s great to read aboutIsaac and Seattle’s Washington Liberation Front inPart 2since players don’t actually get to see much of Isaac in-game. This is doubly intriguing becausePart 1didn’t necessarily have discernible enemy factions, or at least not ones that were established with a name, such as the hunters with a turret-mounted Humvee or David and his town of cannibals.
Just like almost every faction inThe Last of Us, the Seraphites are nuanced antagonists with a lot of documented members wholly believing in their plight and teachings, even if that can result in outsiders being hanged and disemboweled or anyone perceived as a traitor having their ‘wings clipped’ by way of having their arms bashed at the elbow with a hammer. This organized and harrowing cult is a phenomenal addition toThe Last of Us’ lore, absconding from the series’ typical marauder gangs or militia troops. Now, depending on howIntergalactic: The Heretic Prophet’s planet Sempiria is tackled, the Seraphites (or “Scars,” as the Wolves dub them) may be something of a blueprint to follow.
The Last of Us Part 2’s Seraphites Represent a Niche Brand of Religious Horror
WhileThe Last of Us Part 2’s Rattlersseem to exclusively enlist despicable delinquents, the Seraphites are a tapestry examining harmful religious practices, illustrated via wavering and unwavering faith as well as identity crises. The Seraphites lack a ton of redeeming qualities, but their brutality and sneakiness make for a thrilling enemy faction in-game with followers who wear brown trench coats, communicate by whistling, wield hammers, clubs, and sickles, and loose arrows that deal damage over time until players pluck them out.
As for their role in the narrative, notes throughoutPart 2do a great job of peeling layers back on how the purposefully primitive Seraphites and their prophet’s warm, guiding light was a balm to many. Interestingly, this is not dissimilar to how the Fireflies have always been a beacon of hope to those who don’t view them as a terrorist organization. Abby’s earliest flashback—discovering the Seattle aquarium with Owen—is profound in how it gradually tells a story of a family whose children left to join the Seraphites after perceiving their father’s inaction regarding their mother’s death to be a weakness.
The most significant insights into the cult, though, areThe Last of Us Part 2’s Yara and Lev, especially with Lev being a transgender character and fleeing persecution for shaving his head “like one of the men.” Plus, the siblings’ mother trying to kill Lev demonstrates how deeply the Seraphites’ religious beliefs are ingrained.
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet May Look to The Last of Us’ Palette for Its Blank Canvas
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet’s title alone signifies thatNaughty Dog’s new sci-fi IPwill explore religious themes. The game being centered around learning about the lore of a remote planet’s ancient civilization suggests that it will involve a rich history and environmental storytelling of its own, and it wouldn’t be at all surprising ifIntergalactic’s Sempirians are molded from the same clay that shaped the Seraphites, at least in terms of conceptual design practices.
The Last of Us Part 2’s Seraphitesdon’t inhabit a planet in deep space, but they do live on a remote island and wage war with the WLF for territory in Seattle. InIntergalactic, it’s anyone’s guess what happened on Sempiria and what has become of its ‘prophet.’ That said, it may be no small coincidence thatIntergalacticreferences a prophet character when the Seraphites worship a deceased one of their own.
It’s entirely too early to estimate whatIntergalacticmay be like when it actually gets into the meat of its story and Sempirian lore. Regardless, until more is revealed,Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet’s announcement teaser seems to have barely depicted what the garnish on its dense cake will taste like.
