The Last of Us Part II is a divisive game, to put it mildly. Depending on who you ask, it’s either a masterpiece or a heaping pile of garbage. Whatever your feelings about the game may be, there’s no denying there are several instances throughout the game that potentially set up Part 3.
While there’s no sequel officially in the works yet, Naughty Dog has done a pretty good job of setting up the threads for a possible third part. If they do end up making a third part for The Last of Us, some of the avenues the story could go down have already been set up in Part 2. Be warned, there are major spoilers ahead.
10 Sales
While having nothing to do with the story, The Last of Us Part II’s sales numbers alone are enough to warrant turning this duology into a trilogy. The game has shattered records in the first week of its release alone, selling over four million copies worldwide and becoming the fastest selling PS4 exclusive of all time.
That said, however, making another game simply because of its impressive sales figures would more than likely hurt the story and just seem like a cash grab.
9 A Cure?
Over the course of the game, players learn that Abby’s father was the doctor in the first game about to operate on Ellie before Joel burst in and killed him. It’s her singular motivation for getting revenge on Joel, kicking off the entire game.
While Last of Us Part II has nothing to do with trying to find a cure for the Cordyceps infection, it’s often referenced. Abby in particular has line of dialogue about how even if there are other immune people, with her father dead, there’s no hope for a cure. But what if that wasn’t the case? Surely there were others out there looking for a cure and it could make for an interesting continuation of the story.
8 The Rattlers
The final stretch of the game saw the setting shift from Seattle to Santa Barbara, California, where a new gang of bandits called The Rattlers are introduced that both Ellie and Abby have to deal with. This sadistic, slave-owing bunch, however, are only featured for a brief portion of the game.
But maybe that means they could be featured as antagonists in a possible third game. Maybe this last part of the game could also be seen as a tease for a future game set in California.
7 Washington Liberation Front
The last time the Washington Liberation Front, or WLF, was seen, their leader had been killed and a lot of the others were being overrun by the Scars, or Seraphites as they prefer to be called.
It seemed like the end for at least the bulk portion of the Wolves, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we’ve seen the last of them. A potential third part could feature the remains of the WLF trying to rebuild or trying to track down Abby.
6 Early Days Of Infection
A third part for The Last of Us wouldn’t necessarily have to be a direct sequel, it could instead be a prequel. There’s a huge chunk of time between the onset of the infection and the events of Part 2.
There’s a portion of Abby’s story that takes in the lowest levels of a Seattle hospital. It’s where the infection began its spread in the city, and scattered throughout the hospital are snippets of stories from the people who had to deal with the initial outbreak. A game revolving around the first survivors would certainly make for an interesting story.
5 Jackson
Speaking of possible prequels, a game surrounding the town of Jackson would make for an interesting third part. Players were only able to see a glimpse of Jackson before setting off to Seattle.
Not much is known about Jackson so a prequel about Jackson, like its formation and the hardships its citizens had to deal with, could make for an interesting game.
4 Ellie And Dina…
Ellie and Dina have been through thick and thin. Over the course of the game, players get to see their relationship develop from a friendship to a romance but unfortunately, the end of the game leaves things a bit open ended.
Ellie and Dina parted on tense terms in the final portion of the game and when Ellie returns home, Dina is long gone. There’s a popular theory circulating that since Ellie is wearing the bracelet Dina gave her in the final scene, that means they’ve reconciled. But if that theory turns out to not be true, Ellie trying to reunite with Dina could lead the way into a third part.
3 …And Their Potato
About halfway through their journey, Ellie learns that Dina is pregnant and Jesse is the father. In the final portion of the game, Ellie and Dina are living peacefully on a farm, where they raise their son JJ, who Ellie lovingly calls Potato.
It’s possible that if there were to be a third part, it could focus on the next generation and have JJ as the protagonist.
2 Fate Of The Fireflies
The last portion of Abby’s story revolves on her and Lev traveling to California in search of the Fireflies. Thought to have been disbanded after the first game, Abby does connect to a group of fireflies over radio that are trying to rebuild.
Unfortunately, Abby and Lev are both kidnapped by the sadistic Rattlers and that search for the Fireflies story thread is left in the air. Could they be the center of Part 3? Who knows, but it’d be a great idea.
1 Abby And Lev
There’s a conversation between Abby and Lev about what they would do if the Fireflies haven’t reformed and they can’t find them. Lev says that he would like to head west, across the ocean, and see what’s there.
Frankly, you’d be hard pressed to find a better set up for Part 3 as taking the story out of the US to see how the rest of the world has dealt with the infection would make for a great change of pace.
NEXT: Ranking 10 Of The Best Gun Upgrades From Worst To Best In The Last Of Us Part 2
