The Last of Us and its sequel bring the contrasting sights of beautiful-yet-dangerous dead American cities to life. Often hailed as a modern-day masterpiece, the graphics play a big part in the overwhelming sense of immersion in The Last of Us, complementing the fantastic gameplay experience for players as they navigate their journey with Joel Miller and Ellie Williams.
One of the American cities featured on both of the games is Salt Lake City, one of the biggest cities in Utah and home of the infamous St. Mary Hospital from The Last of Us universe, which served as The Fireflies’ base. Given the high tension of the sequences taking place here, there are some things you might have missed in this iconic landmark.
9 It Was The Fireflies’ Base For At Least Ten Years
According to an artifact called “Marlene’s Journey,” which can be obtained at the hospital from “The Firefly Lab” chapter, St. Mary Hospital had served as The Fireflies’ base for at least ten years.
The full text reads, “We arrived at the hospital. There was much celebration, at least from the others. I guess they’re happy to see their old friends. We haven’t seen some of these guys in over ten years.”
8 Prior to Ellie’s Arrival, There Was a Huge Battle Between the Fireflies And The Military
Perusing another tidbit from “Marlene’s Journal,” it can be assumed that a huge battle broke between the Fireflies, the FEDRA, and the military prior to Ellie’s arrival.
“What was I supposed to do? I thought I was going to die… my men were being hunted by the entire Boston battalion,” she wrote. “More than a handful survived the army’s attack. I should’ve kept her (Ellie) with me, instead I handed her off to a couple of smugglers (Joel and Tess).”
7 Abby’s Father’s Inconsistent Appearance
Maybe this is more of a case of the developer’s inconsistency, but it’s still noteworthy and easy to miss. Jerry Anderson, Abby’s father who served as the Fireflies’ head surgeon, looks entirely different when compared to his in-game appearance in Part II, from his apparent age down to the color and tone of his skin.
Jerry also seemed to wear green scrubs in The Last of Us, contrary to his blue-looking dress in Part II. Naughty Dog might have a tough time explaining this plot hole.
6 Jerry Had a Different Death & Alternative Ending Planned
According to Naughty Dog’s Vice President Neil Druckmann himself, the writers had actually developed a different ending for Jerry and how the “Hospital” chapter pans out. Marlene was supposed to appear right on-time to convince Joel to “do the right thing” by letting Ellie go.
In the final product, after killing the doctors, Joel still had to make his way through the remaining armed Fireflies to reach the elevator before encountering Marlene in the parking lot.
5 Marlene Was a Longtime Friend of Ellie’s Mother
Examining “Marlene’s Journal” further, it seems that Ellie and Marlene had connected way before she was born.
While talking about giving Ellie to “a couple of smugglers” (Joel and Tess), Marlene wrote, “I failed you, Anna. I failed all of us. I am an incompetent grunt.” Anna is the mother of Ellie, and she got bitten a day before giving birth to her. Anna and Marlene were good friends, and the Firefly queen promised to take good care of her after Anna passed.
4 The Hospital Is One of the Two Chapters Where Joel Didn’t Have to Encounter Any Infected
The Last of Us’ universe is packed with dangerous-looking Infected creatures, but the “Hospital” chapter is a notable exception. It’s proof that the Fireflies had wiped the entire area clean, even though some parts like the tunnels and the sewers are still invested with the Infected.
The other chapter is “Tommy’s Dam,” where Joel and Ellie join Tommy at his Wyoming dam before departing to the hospital.
3 Hidden Motivation Easter Egg
There’s a cool, hidden Easter egg at the hospital. It’s an optometrist’s eye chart, and it spells out, “RUN YOU R NEARLY THERE DON’T QUIT.”
It’s fun, if not a bit wholesome to see that the developers are actively rooting for you to press onwards and reach the climactic conclusion of The Last of Us with this delightfully subtle nod.
2 Yes, You Can Still Pass Through the Firefly Soldiers Without Killing Anyone
Hard? Yes. Do-able? Also, yes, even if you play on the hardest “Grounded” difficulty mode. The key factor is patience, as you’re best off employing a trial-and-error method. Look for bottles and bricks to clear out your enemies and move from one place to the other.
If this doesn’t work, you may have to try a different approach. Turn your headlamp off to avoid their notice and watch out for the sound trigger effect.
1 As Convincing As It Sounds, St. Mary Hospital Does Not Exist In Real Life
Even though Naughty Dog is known to put immersive detail into their games, St. Mary Hospital is not actually a real-world hospital. As convincing as it sounds, there isn’t actually a hospital in Salt Lake City named “St. Mary Hospital.” In fact, the only Salt Lake hospital to have “Saint” in its name is “St. Mark Hospital.”
However, speaking about real-life comparisons, YouTuber ElAnalistaDeBits takes on the real-life city of Seattle and compares it to its in-game counterparts of The Last of Us: Part II. Key landmarks such as the book store and the courthouse share a striking resemblance to Seattle’s real-world places, as a fun mention.
