The Last of Us’s New Beginning

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Spoilers ahead for this week’s episode of The Last of Us, “Through the Valley.”

You now understand that “The Last of Us: Part II” has been eagerly awaited by players for years, even if you were not previously familiar with the story. The buzz surrounding the new season may have hinted at something significant due to the extensive coverage leading up to its release. Specifically, the character Abby, portrayed by Kaitlyn Dever in the HBO adaptation, was frequently described as “controversial,” reflecting the controversy that arose when the game was launched in 2020. The episode titled “Through the Valley” explains why: Abby is introduced as the vengeful daughter of the surgeon whom Joel (Pedro Pascal) killed at the end of the first season. She brutally beats Joel, leaving him severely injured, and then executes him in front of Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Dina (Isabela Merced). For new viewers, this death comes as a surprise, especially given that we’re only two episodes into the season. However, for players, Joel’s death serves as a pivotal moment, similar to the infamous “Red Wedding” in “Game of Thrones,” an event they knew was coming and were intrigued to see others’ reactions to it. (By the way, how many times will Pedro Pascal die for HBO?)

In the game, Joel’s fate is sealed around the two-hour mark, concluding a playthrough that typically lasts about 25 hours. It’s fascinating to compare this adaptation with the original and notice the subtle differences leading up to those pivotal moments. Notably, the battle at Jackson, which was central in the source material, is absent here, focusing instead on the core characters. In the show, Joel is accompanied by Dina when he meets Abby and her group of ex-Fireflies, whereas in the game, it’s Tommy (portrayed by Gabriel Luna). One significant change is that we actually witness Abby taking Joel’s life in the episode, a brutal golf-club attack that leaves his neck resembling a sliced cake, unlike the original, which kept the killing as a silhouette. Although these changes may seem minor, they subtly influence the development of all characters throughout the story.

As a dedicated fan, I’ve found myself grappling with the heated discussions surrounding The Last of Us: Part II. Navigating the intricacies of any dialogue can be tricky, but the initial uproar stemmed from a passionate segment of the gaming community who felt a deep sense of betrayal by Joel’s death. After immersing myself in Joel’s character for countless hours in The Last of Us: Part I, sharing his pain and witnessing his transformation towards redemption, only to spend years imagining how he would evolve in Part II, they felt that his untimely demise tarnished both the character and their own emotional journeys.

Some elements of the online reaction echoed the problematic culture-war rhetoric reminiscent of Gamergate; there were instances where these two groups intersected. Some seemed irked by Abby’s portrayal in the game, as she was designed with a muscular physique that some find uncomfortable to see in a female character – a preference that traditionally associates strength and masculinity with men.

There were other forms of prejudice at play as well: The story features a prominent trans character later on, and Ellie’s queer identity, which was established in the Left Behind add-on chapter for Part I and also incorporated into the show’s first season, was another target. Regrettably, the intensity of this online backlash against Abby’s voice actor and motion-capture performer, Laura Bailey, escalated to a point where she started receiving death threats, even directed at her newborn son.

It’s disheartening to note that video game fandom has often harbored extreme factions, and the vitriol directed at Abby became so severe that it put Laura Bailey in harm’s way.

In Part II, the creators intended to explore the theme of tribalism, which is the opposite of love that was a major focus in Part I. Interestingly, making Joel suffer is crucial to the story’s emotional impact, and Abby serves as the character through whom this exploration takes place. The game achieves this by having you play as Abby first when you don’t understand her background, and later after witnessing her killing Joel. This approach aims to blur your perception of Abby as an antagonist, but it requires you to grapple with the emotional dissonance of playing as a character who has done something you detest before you can overcome that feeling. While a TV show might use different methods to make viewers empathize with villains, such as Game of Thrones, casting Dever as Abby significantly contributes to this emotional journey. The series has also added more scenes featuring Abby, even at an early stage in the story.

There’s room for discussion about the direction taken by the story in The Last of Us: Part II, and I’m eager to see how the creators will handle any criticisms that arise. For now, let’s focus on the emotional intensity that seems to be a key aspect of this adaptation, which was somewhat subdued in the game. In the new version, Ellie, portrayed by Ramsey, appears more rebellious, impulsive, and argumentative compared to Ashley Johnson’s original interpretation of the character. The script by Mazin enhances Ellie’s teenage defiance, increasing the tension between Ellie and Joel, a conflict that was initially more ambiguous in the source material. Even Joel’s internal struggles are made more overt in the series, as shown in his early interaction with Gail, played brilliantly by Catherine O’Hara. As for the uproar surrounding how the story allegedly mistreats Joel by having him meet a brutal and dishonorable end at the hands of Abby, it’s not something to worry about. In fact, some fans are even criticizing Dever for not being as muscular as the original Abby, demonstrating that fan expectations can sometimes be excessive.

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2025-04-21 06:56