Warning: Spoilers forThe Last of Us Season 2.
AsThe Last of UsSeason 2 continues without Joel (Pedro Pascal), numerous other characters from the beloved game are now entering the picture. Fans have already met people like Dina (Isabela Merced) and Jesse (Young Mazino) and, unfortunately, witnessed the heartbreaking and gruesome revenge Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) enacted upon Joel. However, one character introduced in Season 2, Episode 4 (“Day One”), is not someone to trifle with, if it wasn’t abundantly clear already. In fact, he’s downright terrifying.
WhileAbby is certainly Season 2’s primary antagonist,Isaac Dixon (Jeffrey Wright) is by far the most frightening nemesis this season thus far. He certainly didn’t have much screen time in his first episode, but what viewers witnessed from him was telling for many reasons. 11 years before the events ofThe Last of UsSeason 2, Isaac violently defected from FEDRA and joined forces with the Washington Liberation Front (WLF). From that moment forward, it’s clear he’s a character worth fearing.
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Who Is Isaac in ‘The Last of Us’?
Jeffrey Wright as Isaac Dixon interrogating a Serephite in The Last of Us Season 2.
Isaac Dixon, portrayed by Jeffrey Wright (who also voiced and did the motion capture for the characterin the video game),is a former FEDRA officer and the current leader of the WLF. He remembers the world before cordyceps, but audiences aren’t given any real insight into what he did before his post-apocalyptic days. Currently at war with a seemingly peaceful religious group known as the Seraphites, whom he derogatorily refers to as the Scars, Isaac clearly holds contempt for their beliefs, just as he does for many others.
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The first time viewers meet Isaac, he’s condescending to the FEDRA soldiers under his command, mere moments before tossing grenades their way. This sets the stage for the kind of character he ultimately becomes in the present day. He isn’t a person to be in opposition to, and he holds no qualms about putting people in their place as he sees it. Now, as a man with considerable power, it would appear that power corrupted his actions and cemented his troubling tribalist notions.
What Makes Isaac So Dangerous and Terrifying in ‘The Last of Us’?
Jeffrey Wright as Isaac Dixon in FEDRA uniform talking to Alanna Ubach as Hanrahan in The Last of Us Season 2.
With only two scenes set years apart in “Day One,”Isaac’s propensity for violence was front and center every time. This was the only aspect of his character viewers were shown, which was no mistake. He’s a villain worth fearing, and audiences were meant to understand that right away. From the moment he graces the screen, it’s clear he holds no compassion or empathy for those who might oppose him and remains steadfast in what he deems to be the right way forward.
His tactics have no bounds, and the lengths he’s willing to go to achieve his goals are forever expanding, which makes hima dangerous villain. To put it simply, he’s psychotic because he’s willing to do anything if it means he gets what he wants. He might have left a corrupt organization like FEDRA, but the WLF has become just as bad. He traded one oppressive system for another. Only now, he’s leading the repressive cause.
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Whether he’s combating the Seraphites or potentially facingthe characters viewers have come to love, his actions are steeped in nothing but violence.He becomes even more frightening when viewers consider his relatively calm demeanor. Isaac appears to be a rational man, and he speaks as though he would be diplomatic, but he’s simply a wolf in sheep’s clothing, so to speak. Isaac doesn’t want peace. He wants violence because his tribalist views don’t allow for anything else, which makes him more dangerous than anyone else that audiences have seen in Season 2.
What Should Viewers Expect From Isaac in Season 2 of ‘The Last of Us’?
For those who played the game, Isaac’s psychotic nature is already well-known. That being said, viewers should expectnothing less as Season 2 progresses.He’s a ruthless man who seemingly doesn’t care who he harms. Given how he left FEDRA and took up arms with the WLF, it’s clear that viewers have only encountered the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Isaac’s horrendous capabilities. His war with the Seraphites is no small venture and will likely play a major role in future episodes.
WhileAbby remains everyone’s number one villain, Isaac just might dethrone her as Season 2 unfolds. Her actions towards Joel were devastating, but they can be rationalized. Joel killed her father and destroyed her cause, so naturally, she sought revenge. Ellie (Bella Ramsey) is about to do the same thing, and audiences are rooting for her every step of the way.
In this case, it’s all about perspective. However, Isaac is no such character. He’s objectively horrible. In fact, Abby might seem like a saint compared to him, which should speak volumes about what viewers should expect from him in Season 2.The Last of Usis currently streaming onMax, and new episodes of Season 2 premiere every Sunday on HBO. The Season 2 finale arrives on July 24, 2025.
