[WARNING: Spoilers for The Last of Us: Part 2 below]
Players are introduced to Lev and his older sister Yara while The Last of Us: Part 2. Even though the pair are central for the development of the storyline, it’s easy to miss the reason as to why they’re on the run from their former religious group.
The inclusion of Yara and Lev serves to reveal more information about the Seraphites as well as to help humanize the cult-like group’s younger . It also is a turning point in Abby’s character development, as she begins to question why the Washington Liberation Front so ruthlessly fights with the Seraphites when they’re not so different from each other.
The Last of Us: Part 2 provides an intricate backstory that explains why Yara and Lev are on the outs with the Seraphites. During the first scene in which players are introduced to them, Yara is seen being tortured by a cult member before she gets her “wings clipped” – a vague phrase the Seraphite says when she orders the others to break Yara’s arm. It’s clear the Seraphites want to kill her, but luckily both she and Abby are saved when Lev shows up out of the blue. But amid all of the chaos that ensues following their safe escape, it’s easy to miss the dialogue in which Yara explains why the Seraphites were trying to kill them in the first place.
Lev's Conflict With The Seraphites In TLOU2, Explained
The Seraphites were specifically after Lev in The Last of Us: Part 2, and they only turned on Yara after she took her brother’s side. The reason behind why the Seraphites wanted to kill Lev is both an important and heartbreaking one, but by only mentioning it in ing, it felt as though The Last of Us 2 glossed over an incredibly important detail. Essentially, Lev was born a female but always felt inclined to express himself as a male. So, as Lev was coming of age, the Seraphites wanted him to partake in their traditional rituals. Not only did Yara explain the Elders had already chosen a partner for the teen, but they wanted Lev to wear his hair in the infamous Seraphite style – a braided up-do for women, and a buzzed head for men. But this is where the trouble started.
With the group’s strict adherence to their religious principles and traditions, it’s not surprising that the Seraphites refused to accept Lev’s gender identity. They were pressuring him to assume the role of a dutiful Seraphite woman, but Lev knew this would be setting him up for a lifetime of pain and frustration, as he knew he didn’t want to live this way. This led Lev to then shave his head in order to make a point.
Yara also revealed to Abby that her brother rejected his previous feminine name of Lily in lieu of Lev instead. Such a transformation wasn’t welcomed by the Seraphites community, or even Yara and Lev’s own mother, leading the teenage siblings to flee their community in fear for their life. Their mother chose to remain with the Seraphites and repent for the actions of her children. In essence, the Seraphites wanted to kill Lev in The Last of Us: Part 2 for expressing his gender identity, a move meant to mirror the judgement and discrimination many transgender people face in the real world.
The Last of Us: Part 2 is available now as a PS4 exclusive.
