Tһe Lаѕt Of Uѕ' FEDRA Explаіned: Wһo Tһey Are & Wһy Tһey Hаve So Mucһ Power

Warning: this article contains spoilers for The Last of Us season 1 and the game The Last of Us Part II.

The Last of Us's cast is led by Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as Joel and Ellie, and they are joined by a great supporting cast. While their stories are the primary ones carried over from the games, the detailed adaptation also includes important storylines about how the world came to be in its current post-apocalyptic state and what FEDRA had to do with that. There are several important groups within The Last of Us, but FEDRA is a common enemy whose actions help set the series' plot in motion and give characters someone to fight against.

FEDRA Is The Federal Disaster Response Agency In The Last Of Us

The Tyrannical Agency Serves As The Last Vestiges Of Government Leadership

FEDRA is the government's emergency response agency in The Last of Us. Season 1 of HBO's The Last of Us introduces the Cordyceps pandemic through Joel's perception of the first night of the infection when his daughter is shot and killed by a soldier. The series then jumps 20 years forward to Joel now living in a quarantine zone in Boston which is run by the mysterious FEDRA. While it left somewhat unclear whether it was a FEDRA agent who shot his daughter, given the implication, the series immediately sets the agency up as the villain.

FEDRA is like a fictional, evil version of FEMA that seeks to take over the country. While their purpose was presumably to manage the initial outbreak of the fungal infection, The Last of Us shows a much more sinister outcome. In the present timeline of the series, FEDRA has superseded all other forms of government and formed military compounds that the inhabitants are prohibited from leaving. The dystopian cities are heavily guarded and residents live very difficult lives with few prospects.

The agency's villain status and the large amounts of power that its agents wield are the result of FEDRA simply having taken the power by force. When the regular systems of government quickly failed following the initial outbreak, FEDRA used brutal techniques, including killing innocent uninfected people, to make sure that they ruled the country. In part, this was conducted under the guise of FEDRA attempting to stop the spread of the infection, but at a certain point, power rather than safety became their main goal.

Who Oversees FEDRA & Where They Are Located

The Militaristic Group Has Control Over Cities Across The Country

The government's control in The Last of Us is very militaristic, but it certainly does not reach everywhere. Rather than having one central location that they rule from, FEDRA is localized into quarantine zones (QZs) around the country. The series begins with Joel and Ellie leaving the Boston QZ and traveling West. During their journey, they encounter people from other QZs and locations where FEDRA has been overtaken by resistance groups. While there were initially multiple QZs across the country, the number has decreased over time.

FEDRA's Enemies Explained

The Fireflies Work To Overthrow The Government's Control

Following the deaths in season 1's ending, the Fireflies are attempting to regroup in The Last of Us Part II. Although the Fireflies still play an important role in the series, FEDRA has another big enemy in season 2. During The Last of Us season 2, the Fireflies are overshadowed by the Washington Liberation Front (WLF), a group that is attempting to maintain control of Seattle, Washington. Like the Fireflies, the WLF goes to extremes to wrest power away from their opponents, which also includes the Seraphites.

Beyond the Fireflies and the WLF, The Last of Us does present several other groups who are certainly against FEDRA as well as individuals who simply live beyond their QZs. One of the clearest examples in season 1 is that of the rebels who have taken control of Kansas City. This is even more explicit in the game as the group is referred to as Hunters, who forcibly took the city (originally Pittsburgh) from FEDRA.

What Happens To FEDRA In The Last Of Us

The Second Game Shifts Focus Away From FEDRA

While FEDRA is a major catalyst for Joel and Ellie needing to leave Boston in The Last of Us Part I, much of the focus has shifted away from them in the second game. The Last of Us season 2 will have much more focus on Ellie's quest for revenge and the antagonistic dynamic between her and Abby.

The Last of Us showrunner Craig Mazin and creator Neil Druckmann revealed details about the future of the infected in the show’s second installment.