The Last of Us Episode Reveals How Ellie Mirrored Abby by Killing Nora

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In The Last of Us, it’s been emphasized for a while now that decent individuals are scarce in this world. Fans should hope for Ellie to find joy and tranquility since she is the main character, and we’ve watched her mature and explore life beyond her sheltered existence since Season 1. However, even Ellie occasionally displays behaviors similar to those of the foes she aims to vanquish.

Ellie and Abby, despite their contrasting roles, exhibit striking similarities. Moreover, Ellie demonstrates capabilities that are reminiscent of Isaac, one of the WLF’s most heinous war criminals. This doesn’t make Ellie a bad person like Isaac, but it suggests she’s treading on a dangerous path from which recovery may be challenging.

Ellie and Abby Become Two Sides of the Same Coin

Though Ellie displayed her anger verbally during Season 2, we hadn’t witnessed it in action until now. Nora’s demise alters that. Previously, Ellie was a lovestruck character who made jokes, showed affection towards Dina, and looked forward to starting a family. However, her father figure’s death has transformed her into an angry young woman. She is determined to avenge the person responsible for causing her grief and pain, and she won’t hesitate to inflict harm on anyone who stands in her path. This character development echoes that of Abby.

In this episode, Ellie finds herself alone as Jesse arrives in Seattle to assist. Unfortunately, Dina gets wounded by a Seraphite during an unintended encounter with the cult, forcing Jesse to take Dina to safety while Ellie keeps the Seraphites at bay. With Dina now safe, Ellie feels unrestrained and impulsively heads to the hospital to interrogate Nora about Abby’s location – mirroring Abby’s journey to find Joel. Despite warnings from her own group to stay put until a plan is in place, both women take risks, driven by desperate hope that Joel might still be found.

In simpler terms, both Ellie and Abby inflict pain on their victims (Nora and Joel) as a means to express their anger over the harm they’ve suffered, rather than for any practical purpose. This is intended to make viewers question whether Nora or Joel truly deserve such treatment, given their circumstances. However, it’s also suggested that Ellie and Abby are seeking personal satisfaction or relief from their own pain through this act of vengeance.

It Now Makes Sense Why Isaac’s Torture Scene Was Included So Early

Ellie and Abby, though seemingly identical in some ways, shouldn’t worry us too much. However, women often respond to situations based on their unique experiences, and both have been shaped by a society that sometimes normalizes violence as a solution. Abby, unfortunately, was indoctrinated into this mindset when she joined the WLF under Isaac’s leadership, who justified cruelty for the sake of a greater objective. What’s particularly concerning is that Ellie, despite never encountering anyone like Isaac, can adopt similar behaviors.

Ellie mimics the actions she witnessed, and Abby follows in the footsteps of Isaac’s cruelty towards his victims. This vicious cycle of violence, perpetuated by such behavior, becomes an unbreakable chain in a world that fosters and condones such actions.

In the show “The Last of Us,” Ellie’s encounter with Nora mirrors Isaac’s scene with the Seraphite, portraying strong characters wielding weapons over submissive, vulnerable victims on the floor. This paralleling of scenes in the series highlights how even those with noble intentions can slip into dangerous paths if they don’t choose differently. For instance, while Isaac is not introduced until later in “The Last of Us Part II,” he becomes central to an early episode in the show. In a similar vein, “The Last of Us” employs Isaac and now Ellie as cautionary characters to illustrate how easily one might descend into darkness if they don’t make better choices. All these characters – Abby, Isaac, and Ellie – started with good intentions: seeking revenge for their respective losses, but each took steps that eventually led them astray.

Nora’s Death May Turn Dina and Jesse Against Ellie

The actions of Ellie, Abby, and Isaac leave no sense of resolution; instead, they’ve deepened old wounds. At least for Ellie, she has individuals who provide her stability. Dina has been unwavering in her support of Ellie during this mission, and while Jesse might be resistant to going to Seattle, he made the journey to rescue Ellie and Dina. However, Ellie’s support system is contingent on the belief that she was merely avenging Nora. With this new knowledge, it remains to be seen how Dina and Jesse will perceive Ellie’s actions towards Nora.

In simpler terms, Jackson is different from the WLF and the Seraphites because it focuses on protecting and defending, rather than attacking and invading. Based on what we’ve seen so far, Jesse and Dina have spent more time living under Jackson’s peaceful way of life compared to Ellie, who was raised in a military orphanage and learned to fight. Even after leaving the Boston Quarantine Zone, she continued to follow Joel, who isn’t the best example to follow. For the first time, Dina and Jesse will get to see the real Ellie, not just the playful community member who occasionally disobeys rules.

In the preceding episode, Isaac challenges the Seraphite, who instead of providing an answer, asserts that it was the WLF who initiated the war. Isaac counters by stating he’s not interested in the blame game, for there isn’t a sole individual responsible for shaping Isaac, Abby, and Ellie into their current selves. What truly matters is the toll dehumanization and bitter hostility will take on them, as they journey through this ordeal. Ultimately, one must question if what Ellie did to Nora will still hold significance when she confronts Abby, given that Ellie may not care about it in the future. The most chilling aspect of it all is the possibility that Ellie’s indifference towards her actions could be a reality in the end.

New episodes of The Last of Us premiere every Sunday at 9 PM ET on HBO.

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2025-05-12 22:15