Over the course of The Last of Us: Part II, players will face an unlimited amount of danger, ranging from the ruthless infected roaming around the dead city of Seattle and Santa Barbara to other survivors' bloodthirsty groups. While supplies and ammo are not always easy to come by, players must stay sharp and stay stealthy to make the most of the game.
The following ten entries are the game's most dangerous human groups, from both The Last of Us and Part II, ranked based on their strength, specialties, and numbers. This article is free of spoilers, so you'll be safe to go!
10 Ish & Co.
Before the Outbreak Day, Ish was likely a good fisherman. After that, he took his family into a sewer in Pittsburgh to form a community. Later, he met a man named Danny, and the two acted as the group's guardian. They even thrived and managed to build a "school," makeshift beds, and many other things.
The underground sewer community came to a bitter end after a door left open, inviting hordes of infected inside. Ish and his family managed to flee, but the remaining members' fate is either dead or unknown.
9 The Bandits
Unlike the Smugglers, the Bandits are more violent and hot-headed. They regularly raid civilized settlements, like Tommy's Jackson, and are not hesitant to plan a careful attack against anyone. Their signature weapons are Hunting Rifles and Shotguns, making them a lethal enemy in both long-distance shoot-outs and face-to-face altercations.
Although there hasn't been any detail that can be dug out from their leader, the Bandits live in an open swath of rural land instead of moving from a settlement of their victim to another one.
8 The Smugglers
As their name suggests, Smugglers thrived in secrecy. The biggest reason some survivors turned onto the smuggling life is that they don't have enough paperwork and qualification to get into the Quarantine Zone. Becoming a smuggler gives them plenty of benefits. They also trade weapons, become a hired guardian, and participate in boxing gambles.
Fed up from hunting, at some point, Joel became a firearm smuggler in Boston, and that's how he met Tess, Bill, Robert, and Donovan. Back in the days, he strikes deals with militia groups and thugs, not caring about any side, to make a living.
7 The Cannibals
With Joel severely wounded shortly before the Winter chapter in The Last of Us, Ellie was left with no choice but to hunt for food independently and look for medicine.
From there, Ellie met David and his right-hand man James, and little did she knew that David was into some sort of cannibalistic lifestyle. He was also eager to "re-populate" the earth, believing that he's the only person capable of restoring the human race. Cannibals can be found in the University of Eastern Colorado, in Silver Lake-Town, and in the Colorado Mountain Plaza.
6 The Hunters
Next, we have the Hunters, undoubtedly the most ruthless, unapologetic, and unrelated with any affiliation group. They're well-armed and hostile towards outsiders, whom they refer to as "tourists," showing no hesitation of killing them.
Joel couldn't cope with the loss of his beloved daughter, so he became suicidal and turned from a loving father to a ruthless & vicious Hunter. Along with Tommy, the two would loot innocent and harmless survivors just for a little bit of supplies. Tommy, finally, at his last straw before decided to leave his brother to join the Fireflies.
5 The Seraphites
It's safe to say that the Seraphites are the most primitive group on this list. Starting as a peaceful religion, the Seraphites turned into a violent, xenophobic party that doesn't really appreciate welcomers. They reside on an island, located a couple of miles away from Seattle's shore, and believe that humans' reliance on technology is the main reason for the Cordyceps Brain Infection.
Aside from that, the Seraphites also do not hesitate to perform human sacrifices, which they believe is a way to redeem their sins. Currently, they're at war with the Washington Liberation Front.
4 The Rattlers
Moving forward to Santa Barbara, you'll meet the Rattlers during your journey of finding Abby with Ellie. This heavily armed group is sadistic, proven by how they intentionally infect their prisoners and chain them for their amusement. If not, they'll capture outsiders and turn them into their slaves. Some aren't fortunate enough to escape, only to be caught again and commit suicide later.
Thanks to Ellie, she freed a vast amount of prisoners and let them steal several guns and set the Rattlers' dome-like mansion ablaze in the name of revenge.
3 The Federal Disaster Response Agency
Shortly during the Outbreak Day, the US government assigned the Federal Disaster Response Agency (FEDRA) to control American cities that were profoundly affected by the infection. On the first Last of Us, FEDRA was still a powerful force. They had the authority to move healthy civilians into appointed Quarantine Zones, located throughout the cities from each American coast.
However, on Part II, FEDRA had lost its control, and the last surviving members were either killed or joined the other side of the war.
2 The Washington Liberation Front
After successfully taking over the Seattle QZ from FEDRA, the Washington Liberation Front was formed at least 5 years after the events of the Outbreak. Like other groups, they don't really accept new members except for Seattle residents and some ex-Firefly members and are pretty much hostile against outsiders.
At their base in the CenturyLink Field stadium, they've built an impressive gym, dining hall, school, library, farm, workshops, and many other areas. Having that many facilities helps them produce their own foods and supply themselves with weapons.
1 The Jackson Residents
Lastly, we have the Jackson County Residents. Started by Maria and her father, the Jackson Residents have flourished over the years and developed into a safe and well-sustained community with rich sources in vegetables and wildlife. However, they still have to fend off the Bandits that continually raid their dam.
Sometime after leaving the Fireflies, Tommy found the settlement, eventually fell in love with Maria and married her. After Joel "saved" Ellie from St. Mary Hospital, the two headed back home to Jackson, where all of them reunited right before the events of Part II.