Every wolf pack has an alpha. In The last of Us season 2, the Washington Liberation Front (W.L.F.), also called Wolves, have a leader of their own. His name is Isaac Dixon. And in episode 4 of the hit HBO drama, The Last of UsIsaac finally makes his debut as the show’s most intimidating villain yet.
But who is Isaac Dixon, really? What’s his story in the original video games? And how might his lore from the source material hint about what’s to come in the TV show?
Westworld and The Batman actor Jeffrey Wright reprises his role as Isaac from The Last of Us Part II in season 2 of the HBO adaptation. But just because both versions of Isaac share Wright in common may not mean they’re totally the same. Here’s everything we know about Isaac Dixon from The Last of Us Part IIand what that might mean for season 2.
Who is Isaac in The Last of Us Part II?
Just like Kaitlyn Dever’s Abby and the enemy factions of Seraphites and Wolves, Isaac originates from the 2020 video game The Last of Us Part II. While Abby is arguably the main antagonist for most of the story (and certainly Ellie would agree), Isaac functions as a secondary, but no less important villain, standing in Abby’s way for her half of the narrative.
Little is known about Isaac before the Cordyceps outbreak. In The Art of The Last of Us Part II coffee table book—which contains concept art and insight into the game’s development—it’s mentioned that Isaac was a member of the United States Marine Corps prior to the apocalypse.
Isaac’s story really begins after the outbreak, as a disillusioned soldier of FEDRA who was fed up with their corruption and overwhelming control over Seattle. Eventually, Isaac defected from FEDRA to join the guerrilla group Washington Liberation Front, with its founders Emma and Jason Patterson in the very early days of the W.L.F.
After FEDRA killed the Pattersons, the surviving Wolves elected Isaac as their new leader. His strategic warfare allowed the Wolves to regrow and accumulate greater numbers. Under Isaac’s leadership, the W.L.F. finally fought back against FEDRA and took control of Seattle. Soon, the Wolves found the hard way what it takes to keep law and order in a post-apocalyptic world. Though the W.L.F. lived up to their promises of taking care of Seattle residents with food, medicine, and electricity, they also imposed their own brand of control over Seattleites.
Eventually, the Wolves came into conflict with the Seraphites, a.k.a. “Scars,” led by a charismatic woman known only as “The Prophet” who claimed to have visions of a new way for mankind. After some fighting, the two groups agreed to a ceasefire. Their uneasy peace quickly ended after a group of Seraphite teenagers were killed after provoking a W.L.F. patrol. As their war reignited, the W.L.F. eventually arrested the Prophet, and under Isaac’s command carried out her execution.
That brings us to the events of The Last of Us Part IIwhich is more or less the same story in the HBO adaptation. We’ll refrain from spoilers of the video game, as doing so might also spoil the TV show. But just know that Isaac is not a threat to take lightly.
In a prologue to the most recent episode of The Last of Uswe see Isaac (Jeffrey Wright) officially join the underground W.L.F. after defecting from FEDRA.
How Will Isaac Factor Into the Rest of The Last of Us season 2?
Abby may be Ellie’s enemy. But if season 2 is anything like The Last of Us Part IIthen that means Abby may not be the show’s “villain” for much longer. Though season 2 has thus far spent most of its time with Ellie (Bella Ramsey), Abby will almost certainly rise in importance, and maybe even gain audience sympathy, too. (Excluding hardcore Pedro Pascal fans.) But audiences still need something to root against, and the Infected are just too primal and too primitive to be a worthy season-long adversary.
That leaves someone like Isaac Dixon to function as a true antagonist. While Isaac isn’t a mustache-twirling bad guy either, his control over the fully-armed W.L.F. and intent to wipe out all Seraphites make him dangerous.
