Smugglers are survivors who take jobs involving sneaking people, supplies, and illegal contraband into and out of FEDRA-controlled areas in HBO's The Last of Us. Completing these jobs would earn payment in illegal goods such as guns, ration cards, and drugs.[1]
History[]
After the Cordyceps brain infection occurred, the Federal Disaster Response Agency turned Boston into a quarantine zone to keep the infected outside. However, they began to oppress the survivors living in the zone. To combat this, residents created an underground black market and smuggling network. They would smuggle illegal or otherwise hard-to-find goods into the QZ to trade with each other, such as cigarettes, drugs, bullets, and batteries; they would even share information, using ration cards as payment.[1] Smuggling had been occurring in Boston since at least 2010, with the smugglers able to leave the zone to trade with other survivors. Joel and Tess established a trading partnership with Bill and Frank living in Lincoln to achieve this.[2] The smugglers would also arm themselves, keeping guns hidden under the floorboards in their apartments to retrieve when needed[3] and even store weapons and supplies in locations outside the zone to collect on future runs.[2]
By the summer of 2023, Tess and Joel were notorious in the zone for their ruthless methods. Other notable smugglers were Robert, who hired thugs for protection — especially against Joel, whom he feared — and Miguel. The smugglers knew each other, with it being common knowledge which smugglers controlled the market in a certain area of the quarantine zone. These smugglers worked with anyone who paid the best price, with Robert infamous for trading fake or damaged goods, ripping people off. FEDRA disliked the smuggling network and worked to stamp it out, notably condemning buildings they found smugglers using (dubbed "red-tagging") and even executing those they caught doing it, especially outside the wall. However, this did not deter some soldiers from trading with the smugglers — Lee notably traded with Joel to secure drugs. Marlene and the Fireflies traded with them as well, as did law-abiding citizens like Abe.[1]
Known members[]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 HBO's The Last of Us, episode 1: "When You're Lost in the Darkness"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 HBO's The Last of Us episode 3: "Long, Long Time"
- ↑ HBO's The Last of Us episode 2: "Infected"
