The Last of Us Shocks Fans With Huge Origin Story Change for Neglected Villain Isaac

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In the early stages of the outbreak depicted in The Last of Us, it was easy to overlook the fact that survival wasn’t the only battle. The Federal Disaster Response Agency (FEDRA), dispatched by the U.S. government to major cities, aimed to preserve some semblance of normalcy amidst chaos. They established quarantine zones to offer a chance for the uninfected, but it didn’t take long before FEDRA’s power corrupted them. Their soldiers started misusing their authority and terrorizing civilians, reminding us all that the struggle wasn’t just against the infected, but also against those who rose to power and abused it.

In each city, FEDRA’s response varied, but ultimately, by the commencement of The Last of Us Season 2, there were scarcely any remnants of the government agency remaining. To keep FEDRA’s wrongdoings in the public consciousness, HBO has chosen to weave it significantly into one character’s backstory.

Isaac’s Character Didn’t Have This Much Lore in The Last of Us Part II

In Season 2, Episode 4 of “The Last of Us”, titled “Day One”, we delve into a flashback set in Seattle more than a decade before Ellie and Dina’s arrival. FEDRA soldiers are seen having fun in an armored vehicle during the apocalypse, a stark contrast to their grim duties. Their sergeant, Isaac, expresses disapproval as they refer to civilians as “voters”, a term used because the government has taken away their right to vote. It’s evident that Isaac is disillusioned with his post and quickly decides to act upon it. Upon encountering a roadblock of people, Isaac exits the vehicle to deal with them, but instead of ordering them to move, he identifies one as his contact in the Washington Liberation Front (WLF). He then proceeds to kill all but one of his men. The narrative then shifts back to the present day, where Isaac leads the WLF and is seen torturing someone he calls a “Scar”, with the soldier he spared standing guard and apparently enjoying every moment of it.

In essence, the character portrayed in today’s interpretation of Isaac isn’t vastly dissimilar to the one seen in The Last of Us Part II. Across the game, he reveals a sinister side by tormenting members of a Seattle-based religious cult known as the Seraphites. This is due to the ongoing war between them and the WLF. A temporary truce is reached at some point, but it doesn’t hold for long, causing Isaac to lose any semblance of humanity he once had. However, the live-action Isaac may follow a similar path as his counterpart in Part II, yet there are notable differences as the game’s Isaac was never associated with FEDRA; instead, he was a former Marine living under the strict control of the Seattle-based government organization. This significant alteration is expected to set the foundation for more substantial developments in The Last of Us TV series.

The Change to Isaac’s Character in HBO’s The Last of Us Will Drastically Alter the Seattle Conflict

In addition to developing a character who might not have received sufficient attention in “Part II”, HBO’s choice to portray Isaac as a former FEDRA member may be an intentional move to emphasize the story’s central themes more clearly. One of the standout aspects of “The Last of Us” is its effort to present multiple perspectives, showing that even in such a fractured world, everyone has their reasons for acting as they do, and even the most morally questionable characters can have some underlying motivations. Isaac appears to be a complex antagonist in “Part II”, driven by his need to protect his people at any cost. However, due to limited information about him, it’s challenging for viewers to fully empathize with him, despite Jeffrey Wright’s impressive portrayal.

In the second season of “The Last of Us,” it appears they’re planning to reprise Wright’s role while giving him a well-defined purpose. Isaac is familiar with exploitation, and future seasons (Season 2 and potentially Season 3) could explore his altruistic deeds in Seattle. Despite his brutal methods of extracting information through torture, one might recall that Joel also resorted to such tactics occasionally. In Isaac’s perspective, the Seraphites pose an equal threat as FEDRA.

The Last of Us Season 2 is streaming now on Max.

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2025-05-07 19:58