Last of Us 2: Who The Seraphites’ Prophet Was (& What Happened To Them)

[WARNING: Spoilers for The Last of Us: Part 2 below]

In The Last of Us: Part 2, the Seraphites follow the teachings of a mysterious prophet, even though little is mentioned about the religious figure’s backstory throughout the game. Given that the prophet is heavily referenced, and the Seraphites are an important faction in the overall story of The Last of Us: Part 2, it’s disappointing the payers know so little about the prophet by the time the game ends.

The Seraphites are a religious cult that formed in Seattle shortly after the onset of the infection. The group was brought together by the teachings of a woman who claimed to know the reason as to why the infection was wreaking havoc on society. She primarily blamed the world’s over-reliance on technology. The prophet’s claims were written down, and the group soon developed a religion based on her beliefs. As explored in the game, the Seraphites established a thriving (yet strict) community on an island near Seattle and resorted to an extreme way of life, refusing to use ‘Old World’ technologies due to their beliefs about why the infection started.

The prophet was critical to the establishment of the cult, but even so, The Last of Us 2 fails to even mention her first name. What is known, however, is that the prophet is no longer alive by the time Ellie reaches Seattle. A brief moment of dialogue in the game reveals her death, though much of it remains clouded in mystery.

How Does The Prophet Die In The Last Of Us 2?

The way in which the prophet dies in The Last of Us 2 is never explicitly mentioned. Given how many dangers lurk in the game’s post-apocalyptic society, particularly given the large threat WLF poses to the Seraphites, there are innumerable, believable ways the prophet could have died. A WLF attack could have gone wrong, or the infected could have gotten to her. At the same time, given how the Elders took control of the group after her death, The Last of Us: Part 2 may be implying they had something to do with it.

It appears the Seraphites may have become more ruthless and strict after the prophet’s death. For instance, Abby can uncover a note on the Seraphite’s island listing food rations, and it clearly shows that the Elders get priority when it comes to the good meats. It’s not inconceivable that the Elders killed the prophet in order to take hold of the group for their benefit. They could see how loyal and moved the people were by her teachings, but due to her eccentricity, they couldn’t control her. So, killing her right when her teachings were being established as a religion gave the Elders an opportunity to spearhead the group’s development in order to gain the upper hand. They could easily lie to the rest of the group and say she was killed by the WLF or infected. However, since it’s never concretely explained how and why the prophet died, The Last of Us: Part 2 leaves much up to the players to infer and imagine.

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