Spoiler Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Last of Us season 1 and the game The Last of Us Part II!The Fireflies are an important group in The Last of Us, as they are the catalysts for the events of season 1. The show takes place 20 years after the Cordyceps, a deadly fungal infection, swept a good chunk of the world population. America has been divided into different communities, some of them prosperous, some of them hostile, and at the center of everything, the hardened Joel is assigned to bring Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, to safety. After years of people trying to survive a decimated world by fighting the infected, the girl represents the last hope of humanity as she seems to be immune to the infection.
The Last Of Us season 1 adapts the events of the first game in the franchise, meticulously exploring its world-building and characters and proving that TV is the future of video game adaptations. The first season introduces a range of characters and villains as Joel and Ellie cross the country in search of the Fireflies, a revolutionary group that revolts against FEDRA and their military oppression. In the end, the group that seemingly was their biggest ally becomes their final enemy: in order to keep Ellie safe, Joel sees no other way but to turn against them.
Riley Was Killed By Ellie After Being Attacked By A Clicker
Like Ellie, Riley grew up in the Boston quarantine zone under FEDRA's care in their military preparatory school. She became a rebellious teenager and learned how to sneak out of the QZ sporadically. Ellie and Riley were best friends and perfectly understood each other's frustrations. The Last Of Us season 1, episode 7, "Left Behind," details why Riley was so important to Ellie and how her impact on Ellie is important to season 2.
After convincing Ellie to sneak out with her, Riley explains that she ed the Fireflies, who invited her after learning that she hated FEDRA. This leads to a heated argument between the two as Riley reveals the Fireflies are sending her to Atlanta and refuse to let Ellie her. On the same night, an infected attacks Riley and Ellie and bites them both. They decide to wait out the infection and spend the time they have left together. Riley succumbs to the Cordyceps first, and Ellie, who never turns due to her immunity, is forced to kill her best friend.
Marlene Was Shot In The Head By Joel
Although Marlene has a good heart and hopes to make the world a better place, she becomes the show's main antagonist. Marlene knew exactly who Ellie was and what was she capable of because she was a close friend of her mother, Anna. Marlene promised to look after Ellie after Anna succumbed to the Cordyceps infection, sending the girl to the Boston quarantine zone but always keeping an eye out for her. When Ellie was old enough and learned about her immunity, Marlene decided it was time to use the girl for a possible cure.
Marlene's intentions are completely understandable; although she loves Ellie, and sending her to death breaks her heart, she knows that it's impossible to develop a possible cure without removing the Cordyceps from Ellie's brain. For this reason, she sends Joel away and brings Ellie to the Firefly's doctors. When Joel goes on a rampage and escapes with Ellie, Marlene tries once again to convince him about sacrificing Ellie, forcing Joel to commit another shocking act in the season 1 finale: knowing the Fireflies would never stop coming after them if he let Marline live, he shoots her in the head.
Tommy Miller Started A Family At Maria's Community
Tommy is a recurring character in The Last of Us and Joel's younger brother. He's a former soldier and carried out a series of illicit acts alongside Joel in order to survive the Cordyceps apocalypse, including murdering people. Conflicted by his strong sense of morals, Tommy meets Marlene and decides to fight for the Firefly cause, much to Joel's resentment. Tommy spends a lot of time with the Fireflies, getting to know their bases and the group's main research lab, growing increasingly distant from Joel.
Eventually, Tommy loses faith in the Firefly's cause and peacefully leaves the group. He wanders across America until finding Maria's community in Jackson, Wyoming. There, Tommy falls in love with her and gets married. Tommy never lost his powerful aspiration to change the world for the better, which reflects in his decision to leave a pregnant Maria behind and take Ellie to safety. But Joel went with her instead.
Kim Tembo Had Her Hearing Compromised But Survived
Kim Tembo is Marlene's Firefly in the chaotic Boston quarantine zone, motivated by the hope to find a cure for the Cordyceps infection and stop the military oppression established by FEDRA. Kim becomes a loyal Firefly and is tasked to oversee cell units in the Boston zone, as well as keep Ellie safe.
Kim only appears in the pilot and helps Marlene set up Joel's mission at the end of The Last Of Us' first episode. A deadly shootout against the smuggler Robert and his men cause many casualties, and Kim has her ear severed by a bullet. After Joel and Tess get there, Kim insists that she should take care of Ellie, but both Marlene and Kim know the task can't be successful with Kim's hearing compromised. After the Firefly massacre in the season finale, Kim remains one of the few Fireflies that know about Ellie's immunity.
The Doctor Is Killed By Joel
After rampaging through the Firefly lab, Joel finally gets to Ellie and finds the doctors about to remove the Cordyceps from her brain. Joel storms in and orders them to unhook Ellie, but the lead doctor attempts to stop Joel with a scalpel, causing Joel to shoot him in the head without hesitation.
While the doctor's death is seemingly as impactful as every other random Firefly killed by Joel, fans of the game are well aware that The Last Of Us Part II's main antagonist. Jerry's death sets up Joel's own demise since an angered Abby seeks revenge on him, brutally murdering him at the start of the second game.
15 Fireflies Were Killed By Joel Or Other Circumstances
Things don't end up well for the Fireflies in season 1. Marlene states that she lost half her six-person crew crossing the country, and Joel himself finishes off the rest and then some at the hospital in Salt Lake City. In The Last of Us season finale, Joel is haunted by a harrowing dilemma: let the doctors work on a cure and lose the only thing that matters in his life, or save Ellie and lead a good life on her side. He chooses not to sacrifice Ellie and mercilessly kills every Firefly in the building.