HBO’s The Last of Us will continue to build on its post-apocalyptic lore with its third season. The series, adapted from the video game franchise of the same name, has reportedly cast Michelle Mao and Kyriana Kratter in key roles. The two actors will portray characters popularized in the second game, with Mao taking on the role of Yara and Kratter playing Lev.
Yara and Lev are integral characters in The Last of Us Part II
The show’s third season will further explore story arcs and characters from the game’s narrative. Yara and Lev are members of a religious group called the Seraphites, who are at war with the Washington Liberation Front.
While the first two seasons followed Ellie on her journey to find security in a world ravaged by infection, and later on a path driven by revenge following the brutal killing of Joel Miller, the third season is expected to primarily revolve around Abby Anderson, a former Firefly and member of the WLF, who serves as both a parallel protagonist and an antagonist to Ellie.
Yara and Lev are siblings, and their stories will connect with Abby’s arc, which the third season is expected to explore in depth. Michelle Mao, known for her role in the Netflix series Bridgerton, will play Yara, a character who begins to question her religious beliefs.
Meanwhile, Kyriana Kratter will play her younger sibling, Lev, a transgender boy who is part of the deeply religious Seraphite community. Kratter is known for her role in the Star Wars series Skeleton Crew.
The third season will largely adapt the latter half of The Last of Us Part II, shifting the central focus away from Ellie’s storyline while remaining connected to it. Meanwhile, Abby’s character, who acts as an antagonist in the second season, is likely to undergo a transformation, as the siblings serve as a gateway to her coming to terms with the consequences of her actions, adding depth and emotional complexity to the story.
Under the creative direction of Craig Mazin, the show has garnered significant buzz for its storytelling and character-centric approach. With the addition of Mao and Kratter as series regulars, it remains to be seen whether the upcoming season lives up to the hype of its previous iterations.
