When Naughty Dog released The Last of Us Part II in 2020, people lost their minds. Some hated the plot twists, others loved the brutality, but a specific subset of the internet started digging into something way deeper than just zombie spore mechanics. They started talking about The Last of Us Zionism connections. Honestly, it sounds like a reach at first. Why would a game about a fungus apocalypse have anything to do with Middle Eastern geopolitics?
Well, it’s because of Neil Druckmann.
Druckmann, the co-creator and creative lead behind the franchise, was born in Israel. He spent his early childhood there before moving to the US. He’s been very open—like, surprisingly open—about how his experiences growing up in that environment shaped the way he writes violence. If you look at the cycle of revenge between Ellie and Abby, it isn't just a generic "revenge is bad" trope. It’s actually modeled on the specific, grinding friction of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Lynch Mob Incident that Changed Everything
You’ve probably seen the "cycle of violence" meme, but for Druckmann, it started with a real-life video. In interviews with The Washington Post and GQ, he talked about seeing a news report of a lynching in Ramallah back in 2000. He watched a crowd celebrate the death of two Israeli soldiers.
He felt a sudden, intense surge of rage. He wanted those people punished. He wanted revenge.
Then, he stepped back. He realized how terrifying it was that he, a relatively normal guy, could feel that level of bloodlust just from watching a screen. That specific moment of "I want to kill them" followed by "Wait, why do I feel this way?" is the exact emotional architecture of The Last of Us Part II. When you’re playing as Ellie, hunting down the WLF, the game wants you to feel that same righteous fury. Then it forces you to play as the "enemy" to show you they have a dog, a dad, and a favorite burrito place.
It’s uncomfortable. It’s supposed to be.
WLF vs. Seraphites: A Proxy for the West Bank?
The game takes place in Seattle, but the factions feel weirdly specific. You have the Washington Liberation Front (WLF), who are organized, militarized, and tech-heavy. They’re basically a standing army with checkpoints and uniforms. Then you have the Seraphites (Scars), a religious group using "primitive" weapons, living on an island, and following a prophet whose original message has been warped by her followers.
A lot of critics, including those writing for Vice and Medium, have pointed out the parallels. The WLF looks a lot like the IDF (Israel Defense Forces), and the Seraphites occupy the space of an insurgent or marginalized group.
Is it a direct 1:1 allegory? Probably not. Druckmann has said he tries to keep it universal. But you can't really separate the artist from the art. If your worldview was forged in a place where "us vs. them" is the daily bread, that’s going to leak into your digital world-building.
The "Zionism" label gets thrown around because the game reflects the stalemate of that region. Neither side can ever truly "win" because every kill just recruits five more people for the other side's revenge tour.
Why People Are Still Arguing About It
Some players feel the game is a "Zionist defense" because it suggests both sides are equally at fault. Critics of this perspective argue that in the real world, there’s a massive power imbalance that the game ignores. They say by making the WLF and Seraphites "equally" violent, Druckmann is sanitizing the reality of occupation.
On the flip side, some fans think that's a ridiculous over-analysis. They see a game about mushrooms and lesbians and wonder why anyone is bringing up the Levant.
But here’s the thing: Druckmann himself brought it up. In a 2020 interview with Dot Esports, he mentioned that the game is about the "cycle of violence" specifically through the lens of being an Israeli. He didn't hide it. He leaned into it.
The game doesn't actually offer a "pro-Zionist" or "anti-Zionist" message in a traditional sense. Instead, it offers a deeply pessimistic view of human nature. It suggests that humans are tribal animals who will always find a reason to bash each other's heads in over a patch of dirt or a dead relative.
The Joel and Ellie Dynamic
Even the first game has these themes if you squint. Joel is a man who has lost everything and decides that his "tribe" (Ellie) is the only thing that matters. He’s willing to burn the entire world—and the hope for a cure—just to keep his small circle safe.
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That’s a very "fortress mentality" way of thinking.
In the sequel, Ellie takes that to the extreme. She leaves a happy life in Jackson because she can't let go of the "honor" of her dead father figure. She’s trapped in the past. This is a common critique of nationalist movements on both sides of any border: the inability to move forward because the ghosts of the past won't stop screaming.
Real-World Impact and the "Canceled" Conversations
There was a massive pushback on social media from people trying to "cancel" the game based on these political readings. You’ll find threads on Reddit and Twitter (X) with thousands of upvotes arguing that the game is "propaganda."
But art isn't usually that simple.
Most people playing the game just see a tragic story about two women who ruin their lives. They don't see the West Bank. They see Seattle. Yet, for those who know Druckmann’s background, the fingerprints are everywhere. The brutalist architecture of the WLF bases, the emphasis on "security," the way the Seraphites are "othered" by the soldiers—it’s all there.
How to Engage With the Themes Yourself
If you’re looking to understand the The Last of Us Zionism connection better, you don't need a political science degree. You just need to look at how the game treats empathy.
- Watch the Ramallah Interview: Look up Neil Druckmann’s talk with The Washington Post. It’s the closest thing to a "Rosetta Stone" for his writing.
- Analyze the Factions: Next time you play, don't just shoot. Listen to the WLF dialogue. They talk about "liberating" the city. Look at how they view the Seraphites as "savages."
- Compare the Prophecies: Look at the Seraphite Prophet. She was a pacifist whose words were turned into a justification for war. It’s a classic look at how religious and nationalistic movements evolve.
The game doesn't give you an easy answer. It doesn't tell you who is "right." In fact, it kind of tells you that everyone is "wrong" the moment they pick up a gun to settle an old score.
Moving Forward with the Story
The conversation around these themes isn't going away, especially with The Last of Us Part III rumors swirling and the HBO show reaching a massive global audience. The show, in particular, has a chance to flesh out these factions even more than the game did.
To really get the most out of the narrative, stop looking for a "hero." The game wants you to realize that in a conflict this deep, the concept of a hero is the first thing that dies.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Critics:
- Read the Source Material: Check out the The Last of Us: American Dreams comic co-written by Druckmann and Faith Erin Hicks. It provides more context on the world-building logic.
- Study the "Cycle of Violence" Theory: Look into the psychological concept of "In-group/Out-group" bias. It explains why Ellie can kill hundreds of people but still feel like she’s the victim.
- Diverse Perspectives: Seek out reviews of the game written by Palestinian and Israeli gamers. Their lived experience provides a layer of critique that standard "gaming journalism" usually misses.
- Replay with Intent: In your next playthrough, try to find every collectible note from the "other" side. It changes the way you view the combat encounters entirely.
The debate isn't about whether the game is "political"—all art is. It's about whether you're willing to look at the uncomfortable reality that inspired it. The world isn't divided into Infected and Survivors; it’s divided into people who can forgive and people who can’t.