Boston is a major location in HBO's The Last of Us. It was the largest city and state capital of Massachusetts where Joel and Tess live together before meeting Ellie in the Boston quarantine zone after the Cordyceps brain infection outbreak.[1]
History[]
Post-outbreak[]
After the Cordyceps brain infection outbreak in 2003, the Federal Disaster Response Agency and the military occupied the city and transformed it into a quarantine zone. However, given the scale of the infection and the high presence of infected, FEDRA were unable to quarantine all of the city, leading them to carpet bomb the area surrounding the zone. It meant areas like the highway and museum were left for infected to occupy. According to Tess, Boston was one of the few cities were the carpet bombing was successful at slowing the spread of infected enough that FEDRA could secure a fully functioning and defendable quarantine zone. FEDRA built walls around a segment of it to prevent the infected and hostile survivors from getting inside although it was still possible for people to sneak into and out of the zone.
However, law and order was needed in the zone, leading the military to oppress the civilians who made it inside. They put civilians to work doing various menial labor jobs to keep the zone operating, such as conducting sewer maintenance, burning dead bodies, street sweeping, and performing outside work duties. They instituted rationing in the zone, only distributing supplies—especially food—if residents could provide enough ration cards. They granted more ration cards to residents who volunteered for more work that FEDRA needed done.
In time, FEDRA's structure became permanent, despite many residents disliking that the military had effectively formed a dictatorship in the zone. To circumvent this, a smuggling ring was established in the zone, where civilians would steal and trade contraband supplies the Boston soldiers had access to. While this was a punishable offense if caught, several corrupt FEDRA soldiers would work with the smugglers to secure better lives, both for themselves and the smugglers. The military maintained their survival by working with other quarantine zones around the country, with the Boston soldiers linked with and able to trade supplies with FEDRA soldiers in Atlanta, such as trucks, batteries, bullets and medications.
FEDRA also created orphanages for parentless children, raising them to join the military when they were older. Ellie grew up in Boston's orphanage, as did Bethany and Riley.
The resistance against FEDRA's control in Boston eventually turned violent. By 2023, Marlene and the Fireflies infiltrated the city to conduct attacks against the soldiers at various checkpoint in the city. They also had a safehouse outside the city, an outpost at the Liberty Gardens mall and also controlled the Massachusetts State House.[1]
Known inhabitants[]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 HBO's The Last of Us episode 1: "When You're Lost in the Darkness"