Who are the Fireflies in The Last of Us?
Warning: spoilers ahead for The Last of Us episode 1.
The Last of Us TV series, based on the video game franchise of the same name, has already taken viewers by storm since the release of episode 1.
In the opening instalment, fans of the show – which airs on HBO in the US and Sky in the UK – meet a group of people called the Fireflies, who are extremely important to the plot that unfolds.
The post-apocalyptic drama features a cast led by Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie, two strangers who end up going on a life-threatening journey across the US in a world that’s been destroyed by a fungal pandemic.
In episode one, viewers first encounter the Fireflies when it’s revealed that they’re keeping Ellie chained up and captive, having discovered that she didn’t turn into a monstrous creature despite being bitten by someone who was infected.
Who are the Fireflies in The Last of Us?
In the world of The Last of Us, society is largely governed by the Federal Disaster Response Agency, known as Fedra.
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The organisation is regarded in an extremely poor light by members of the public, due to the fascist regime that they run, which includes carrying out public executions for people who breach the rules of the quarantine zone (QZ).
The Fireflies are a rebel group who oppose Fedra and are trying to liberate the areas that are under their rule, while being labelled terrorists by the authorities.
Joel and Ellie live in the Boston QZ, where the leader of the Fireflies is a woman called Marlene, portrayed by Merle Dandridge, who also played the role in the video game series.
In episode one, Marlene arranges for a squad to transport Ellie out of the QZ, but before they can carry out the mission, they face an attack on their base with multiple casualties.
So she instead turns to Joel and his partner Tess (Anna Torv) to smuggle Ellie out instead, despite the protestations of her fellow rebel, Kim (Natasha Mumba).
One video game fan happy to see Merle return to her role as Marlene tweeted: ‘It’s pretty awesome that the original voice actress from the game is playing the same character in the live action series.’
‘Perfect casting,’ another said, while someone else wrote: ‘Good to have you back in the role!’
Following the release of the first episode, Merle shared a photo on Twitter of herself having her first costume fitting for her live-action depiction of Marlene.
She posted it next to a picture of the character in the video game, revealing just how uncanny the resemblance was.
‘First fitting in Summer 2021 and Marlene in game. Yeah…it was clear from Day 1 it would be special. I hope you loved the first episode!’ the 47-year-old tweeted.
When it was first announced that she would be returning to the character in May 2021, she tweeted: ‘Queen Firefly returns. Honored.’
In a recent interview, Merle opened up about what she believed was Marlene’s motivation for remaining so committed to the Fireflies’ cause.
‘I think someone who is perceived as a terrorist by one person can be the hope and inspiration to another. Presenting both of those things, side by side, is an important thing for the player in the game, and now the audience in the series, to examine and really ask questions, and personally investigate why they feel that way, in one way or the other,’ she told Collider.
‘But as far as why Marlene chooses to march this out and to lead this resistance is that it’s steeped in her own experience and her own pain and everything that has been ripped from her, so that this doesn’t happen to other people and so those that are around her understand that the status quo of this regime that Fedra has brought in and kept us under their thumb with, is not the only option.’
The actor added: ‘You can’t forget the fullness and the beauty of who you were before this, along with the hope, belief, and vision for what can be in the future, if you just believe in the Fireflies.’
The Last of Us is available to watch on Sky Atlantic and NOW, with new episodes released on Mondays.
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