10 "Good" Video Game Factions That Are Secretly Evil

The Fireflies are an organization of rebels in the Last of Us universe that tries to liberate the United States from FEDRA, the remnants of the military controlling all major cities in the country after the outbreak.

Now, the main reason most people would consider the Fireflies to be the game's bad guys is because of the final act, where they attempt to kill Ellie in order to find the cure for Cordyceps.

However, aside from this, their mission to free people from FEDRA's oppression seems noble, and even their decision to sacrifice Ellie feels justified given what's at stake.

Except the Fireflies are actually a terrible organization. Throughout the game, you learn through conversation, notes, and even direct experience that the Fireflies aren't any better than their enemies. The settlements they "liberate" usually only replace one tyrannical power for another, only more bloodthirsty and disorganized.

Their wars just make the US wasteland more chaotic, not free, and whenever they win, bloodshed and terror follow.

So if you felt bad about helping Joel blast his way through their members in the final sequence in Part 1, just know that you were doing some settlements under Firefly control a big favor.