HBOWhile countless games use zombies as a source of conflict, few of them view the genre as anything other than a source of bullet sponges to mindlessly shoot at. That’s part of why The Last of Us was such a breath of fresh air; not only did it provide an ecological spin on the zombie, but it focused on the complexity of the desperate, grieving, and dangerous human beings left behind in the aftermath of the apocalypse. Yes, zombie movies have been doing this since George A. Romero created the genre, but video games often choose the disposable entertainment of mowing down hordes of walking corpses instead of wrestling with the moral complications of the people and institutions that survive, which The Last of Us and its sequel pride themselves on. Those complications define the first game, and the second one takes it further with a storyline centered on revenge, tragic misunderstanding, and the consequences of selfish actions. The second season of the HBO adaptation re-told the first half of Part 2 and introduced us to the conflict between the Washington Liberation Front, a local militia governing Seattle, and the Seraphites, a group of religious fundamentalists who blame the initial outbreak on the excesses of modern society. Their perpetual conflict is both crucial to the plot and a thematic parallel to Ellie and Abby’s bitter hatred for each other, and now a new bit of casting information reveals that Season 3 will introduce us to a Seraphite who serves as a major catalyst for the story’s second half.Abby and Ellie’s brutal conflict resembles the unending struggle between the WLF and the Seraphites. | HBOVariety recently revealed that Li Jun Li will be playing Miriam, a devout Seraphite and the mother of Lev and Yara, two game characters also set to debut in Season 3 (where they’ll be played by Kyriana Kratter and Michelle Mao). Li was just recently seen in the horror space, fighting vampires rather than zombies as Grace Chow in Sinners.In The Last of Us Part 2, Miriam raises her children within the Seraphite sect and instills a reverence for the Seraphite’s sacred Prophet in them, only to be devastated when Lev reveals that he identifies as a boy. Miriam banishes him, and loses Yara too when she leaves to protect her brother. In response, their mother has them both branded as apostates and begins starving herself to atone for her children’s perceived sins. After Lev and Yara save Abby, Lev tries to return to the Seraphites to convince his mother to leave and come with them, but she instead berates and attacks him, leading to Lev accidentally slaying her in self-defense.Lev’s tragic reunion is one of the most heartbreaking moments in a heartbreaking game. | Sony Interactive EntertainmentLev and Yara’s mother is unnamed in the game, and has a relatively small role. However, the casting of an actress like Li Jun Li is the perfect opportunity to give Miriam more depth and relevance. Her rejection of Lev’s gender identity is important to his development as a character, but a television show can show how the decision to alienate her children drives her further into religious fanaticism while fleshing out her role in her community.Yara and Lev’s journey as children born into a religious cult and eventually abandoned is a perfect showcase of how human beings are often capable of the greatest harm in The Last of Us. Hopefully, the show not only adapts their storyline, but expands on it to make it as emotionally weighty as it can be.The Last of Us season 3 is set to debut in 2027.