‘The Final of Us’: Who’re the Fireflies and FEDRA?

If you happen to’re watching The Final of Us, you’d have heard the phrases “Fireflies” and “FEDRA” thrown round within the first episode. However who’re they once more?

The 2 teams are featured each within the Naughty Canine recreation and the HBO adaptation by Chernobyl director Craig Mazin and The Final of Us creator Neil Druckmann. Now, it’ll be inconceivable for me to let you know the whole lot concerning the Fireflies and FEDRA, as we’re just one episode in — should you’ve performed the sport, you’ll have rather more information of what occurs with each these teams and the folks in them because the story goes on. And past these two, there are lots extra raiders, smugglers, black market sellers like Robert (Brendan Fletcher), militant teams, and armed communities Joel (Pedro Pascal), Tess (Anna Torv), and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) come throughout of their travels.

However right here’s what I can inform viewers of the HBO collection thus far concerning the Fireflies and FEDRA.

Who’re the Fireflies in The Final of Us?

The Fireflies are a highly-skilled, revolutionary militia group revolting towards the U.S. authorities’s army arm FEDRA within the quarantine zones (QZs) throughout the nation. Utilizing repurposed (learn: seized or smuggled) FEDRA gear and weapons, their objective is to liberate QZs from FEDRA forces and topple the army dictatorship — however they’re branded terrorists by the authorities. The Fireflies’ signature brand is an summary design of a firefly, which the rebels spray all around the QZ partitions together with written graffiti that reads, “If you’re misplaced within the darkness, search for the sunshine.” It’s the Firefly motto, one Joel immediately recognises when approached by a recruiter within the market.

After we encounter the Fireflies within the HBO collection, we meet the Fireflies’ chief Marlene of their Boston QZ hideout, giving orders to place Firefly groups in place throughout town. Completely embodied by Merle Dandridge, reprising her position from the sport, Marlene is referred to by Tess as “the Che Guevara of Boston.” Having strategically blown up FEDRA targets over two weeks and ​​regardless of her second-in-command, Kim’s (Natasha Mumba) doubts, the plan is for all Boston Fireflies to go away town.

Tess (Anna Torv) didn’t look forward to finding the Fireflies right here.
Credit score: Shane Harvey/HBO

“We’re in a conflict towards a army dictatorship to revive democracy and freedom,” says Marlene. “Combat for 20 years and get nowhere, you’re not a riot. Simply spray paint.”

One in all these explosions is the automobile bomb that interrupts Tess’ dialog with black market supplier Robert — “Free Boston now, motherfuckers!” calls out a close-by Firefly sniper partaking FEDRA’s Incident Safety Drive from the rooftops. When Tess will get arrested by these authorities, she screams, “I’m not a Firefly!” and will get despatched to lockup.

We first meet Ellie (Bella Ramsey) captive within the Fireflies’ Boston QZ hideout.
Credit score: Shane Harvey/HBO

The larger plan for Marlene’s Fireflies is to go away Boston and take Ellie west to a bunch of Fireflies supposedly ready on the outdated State Home in one other QZ in Massachusetts. Marlene has recognized Ellie since her youth — Ellie was coaching in FEDRA’s army college, as Marlene explains she enrolled Ellie there to maintain her protected — however Ellie snuck out and was bitten by an Contaminated. Marlene stopped her from being killed.

When looking for and pulverise Robert for screwing them over, Joel and Tess observe the path to the Fireflies hideout, the place Ellie has been held captive and monitored for indicators of an infection. Joel’s brother Tommy has had a historical past with the Fireflies, which implies Joel doesn’t precisely have love for Marlene. However as Marlene is shot in her dangerous cope with Robert, Joel and Tess tackle the journey with Ellie.

Who’s FEDRA in The Final of Us?

Joel (Pedro Pascal) is noticed by a FEDRA officer exterior the Boston QZ.
Credit score: Liane Hentscher/HBO

The Federal Catastrophe Response Company (FEDRA) is the principle authority within the U.S. following the outbreak of the Cordyceps fungus, a army arm of the federal government that has primarily changed it. 

You’ll see FEDRA warning indicators dotted all around the buildings in The Final of Us, as markers of quarantine zones, guidelines, and laws to handle the fungal pandemic. “Security begins with you,” reads a FEDRA signal itemizing the indicators of Cordyceps an infection. “Report Cordyceps to authorities instantly,” reads one other detailing how lengthy it takes to full an infection with a diagram. FEDRA additionally runs factories for making ammunition and prescription drugs, because the FEDRA officer tells Joel in episode 1 of a manufacturing facility within the Atlanta QZ that supposedly solely makes each.

FEDRA acts because the legislation within the QZs, with surveillance marking the streets and perimeter in particular person or by way of safety cameras. They enact the QZ curfew of 6 a.m. to six p.m. “to struggle an infection and riot,” as you possibly can see specified on an indication Tess walks previous in episode 1. FEDRA additionally has an Incident Safety Drive, which works to “safe areas,” inside the QZs — this group engages a rooftop Firefly and wrongfully arrests Tess after the automobile bomb goes off.

Carrying navy army armor with ballistic protect helmets, FEDRA officers patrol the entrances to QZs, ensuring nobody will get in or out. If folks arrive on the gates of the QZ, they’re taken to a processing station, the place they’re checked for an infection. After we first encounter FEDRA in The Final of Us, an officer is questioning a baby who collapsed exterior the QZ. They’re scanned with FEDRA’s bio system, and when discovered to be contaminated, they’re executed by injection.

Crimson is dangerous.
Credit score: Shane Harvey/HBO

Contaminated are usually not the one ones executed by FEDRA, nevertheless. Joel witnesses a public hanging within the Boston QZ of individuals accused of violating FEDRA’s legislation. In these instances, unauthorised entry or exit in a quarantine zone. Every particular person was “tried in a court docket of army justice” and located responsible offscreen, however we’re not aware of how truthful these trials have been.

FEDRA has an inventory of jobs out for folks within the QZ to enroll in, together with road sweeping and sewer upkeep, of various pay ranges. In truth, FEDRA hires folks to burn contaminated our bodies (and doubtless not contaminated in there too) to keep away from additional unfold, for which they’ll earn ration playing cards — Joel Miller is one in all these folks.

Basically, FEDRA are the army authority in America in The Final of Us and the principle focus of the Fireflies’ riot. And there’ll be extra to every faction because the collection progresses. 

The Final of Us is now streaming on HBO Max(opens in a brand new tab) with new episodes airing weekly on Sunday nights on HBO.