Episode 3 of “The Last of Us” Season 2 just dropped, and wow—did it ever kick some storylines into high gear. If you’ve been clicking through our site, watching aftershows, or idly doomscrolling through social media, you know fans have thoughts. Wild theories have burst open like spores in a humid basement, so let’s poke our heads into the mess and see which ones look the most likely to stick—and which might quietly infect the fandom in some totally unexpected ways.
Enter the Seraphites: Not Your Average Cult
Let’s start with what everyone can’t stop talking about: the Seraphites. When they showed up in Episode 3, with their whispering, the strange chanting, and those haunting scars? That was some real-world cult-dystopia stuff, and fans quickly started theorizing about where this is going.
- Some think we’re primed for a whole “cult origins” flashback episode. The game stuck to surface mysteries, but showrunners seem way too interested in these people’s theology to pass up the chance to dig deeper.
- What if we learn what the Seraphites lost, or what pushed them to those twisted rituals?
- Already on Reddit, fans are betting hard on at least one Peregrine-style flashback focusing on a key cultist’s journey into madness.
And no question, the Seraphites are going to shake up Seattle. Their methods, brutal as they are, look pretty rational from the outside—at least compared to the chaos from the Washington Liberation Front. Expect conflict, and maybe even a few uncomfortable moments when viewers realize that desperation makes monsters out of all of us.
Kaitlyn Dever as Abby: The Sympathy Card
People freaked when they heard Kaitlyn Dever would play Abby, and for good reason. She’s bringing layers to the role that fans didn’t see even in the game. The show’s already teasing at her past: we get flashes of her before everything fell apart, and in every new frame, it’s clear she’s a product of loss.
- Plenty of fans predict the show will actually swing sympathy her way. Imagine them showing Abby with her dad, or struggling to forgive herself even as she gears up for brutal revenge. You could end up rooting for her, despite everything.
- Messages on Twitter and comments everywhere point to Dever nailing moments of vulnerability; fans think more of these are coming, especially as her story runs parallel to Ellie’s.
- Expect lots of emotional whiplash, because every new Abby scene adds fuel to the debate: hero, villain, or something far messier?
So, get ready for some online flame wars. But also—maybe—be prepared to pick a side you didn’t expect.
Joel’s Guilt: Shadows and Hauntings
You remember how Season 1 ended, right? Joel shot up the Fireflies to save Ellie and told a whopper of a lie to keep her from the truth. Now, the guilt seems to be closing in.
- Fans are buzzing about the way the show keeps hinting at Joel’s internal torment. You see it when he talks to Tommy. You feel it in his uneasy silence around Ellie.
- Some are sure we’ll get more than just haunted looks. Will we see dream sequences, or a hallucination hitting Joel at the worst possible moment?
- Watch for their relationship to strain. Joel can’t protect his secret for long, and every fan seems to think the big reveal will blow apart their bond.
With guilt eating at him and enemies closing in, Joel’s days of playing the hero could wrap up fast.
New Factions Enter the Game
Just when you think Seattle’s run out of troublemakers, fans start spotting clues about new baddies. The Rattlers, anyone? If you missed it, these are nasty types who run a human trafficking operation in the game’s final act.
- The current theory says the showrunners won’t be able to resist tossing them into the mix. Everything points to a power struggle bigger than two battling factions. Seattle’s on a powder keg, and the Rattlers lighting a fuse would explode the whole thing.
- There’s a solid bet going around that we’ll see random, smaller groups too—opportunists, runaway cultists, stray survivors with sketchy agendas.
By dividing the threats up, the show has a real chance to keep us guessing. We might see allegiances shift, betrayals explode, and everybody scramble for whatever hope they can claw out of the wreck.
Deaths on the Horizon: Who’s Safe, Really?
Here’s a warning for anyone getting attached to side characters. Don’t. The writers have made it clear they’re not afraid to spill beloved blood—ask anyone still moaning about what happened to Tess.
- Tommy, Maria, maybe even new friends Ellie makes through Dina. Fans keep reading the runes, dreading the next emotional gut punch.
- Online polls have “The Walking Dead”-style death pools running wild, and nobody feels safe. Sometimes even the fan favorites with the best lines and the brightest eyes are first on the chopping block.
In a world this rough, loss shapes the survivors. So, keep the tissues ready.
Ellie and Dina: The Heart of Season 2?
Blink and you’ll miss it, but Dina’s got chemistry in spades with Ellie. Every scene together pulses with possibility. It already has fans speculating about love stories, heartbreak, and—let’s be honest—bittersweet hope.
- Reddit boards exploded after Episode 3 teased their budding romance. Will the show give them moments of joy before it rips everything apart?
- There are whispers that their relationship will anchor Ellie through the coming trauma, giving her a reason not to slide into bitterness.
Don’t be surprised if future episodes slow down for campfire talks, stolen kisses, or even full-blown romantic interludes. Whatever happens, their partnership is one to watch—because its survival (or destruction) might mean everything for Ellie’s future.
Music as a Second Voice
Every good apocalypse needs a soundtrack. The showrunners keep working subtle music into scenes, hinting that tunes mean more than you’d think.
- Fan theories say music will become another character this season, especially for Ellie. Watch for her to pick up Joel’s guitar again, using it to filter her pain and her memories.
- The score has already been dropping heartbreakers at key moments—expect it to keep signaling shifts in mood, danger, or even hope.
Whether it’s a lullaby before the storm or a ballad after heartbreak, music’s about to strum a few nerves in all of us.
Flashbacks: Open Those Old Wounds
Nobody survives the apocalypse without a few regrets. And the show’s been peppering in meaningful flashbacks, so fans expect even more glimpses of pre-outbreak life in the next handful of episodes.
- Some want to see Joel and his daughter Sarah again, while others hope for snippets of Dina’s past, or Abby before her world went black.
- Each flashback could drop crucial context for the choices these characters make now.
And honestly, who doesn’t want to know how small acts before the Collapse shaped who fights, who forgives, and who falls apart?
The Fungal Threat: Don’t Forget the Monsters
With fresh monsters come fresh terrors. Episode 3 focused on human drama—but fans are certain we haven’t seen the last of the infected.
- Gamers expect some new types to show up, maybe even ones never seen in the game.
- Every safe place remains just one mutating spore away from disaster, and the best jump scares probably sit just around the corner.
Along with the growing human chaos, a sudden outbreak of horrors could easily tip the balance and remind everyone what’s really deadly out there.
Joel’s Lie: Waiting for the Fallout
Let’s circle back. Joel’s big lie sits at the heart of everything. It’s a pressure cooker, and almost everyone agrees the time bomb will explode before this season ends.
- So many, from The Last of Us subreddit to Twitter threads, expect the betrayal to drive a wedge that’s nearly impossible to bridge.
- Fans suspect Ellie’s quest for the truth—and Joel’s struggle to dodge her anger—will force choices that spiral into violence or heartbreak, or maybe both.
What happens when truth comes out? Will forgiveness follow, or will the whole thing tear the last vestiges of family apart? Most theories lean toward heartbreak, but with this show, you never really know.
Where Does That Leave Us?
Heading deeper into Season 2, the guessing game doesn’t slow down. Social media’s pumping out new theories every day, mixing wild optimism with bleak predictions. Will Abby find peace? Will Ellie hold onto love? Do the Seraphites win hearts or drive everyone further into madness?
Only time—and maybe a few more tears—will tell. One thing’s certain: “The Last of Us” has stoked fan imaginations hotter than ever, and the wild, sometimes-absurd, always-passionate predictions are just getting started. Keep your flashlight handy and your subreddit tabs open; the next episode could change everything.
