The Last of Us Part II is Ellie’s story and her quest of vengeance against those who wronged her, with Dina trapped inside it. She might not be the game’s number-one character, but Dina has been serving as the moral compass and Ellie’s stepping stone throughout the game.
To celebrate Part II’s second most beautiful relationship (with Joel and Ellie being the first, of course), let’s take a look at 10 facts about Ellie and Dina’s relationship. Major spoilers ahead, so if you haven’t played The Last of Us Part II or don’t want to know what’s coming, feel free to back off!
10 Who Was Ellie With Before Dina?
Before Dina, Ellie was a girlfriend of Cat, a fellow Jackson resident. Although her appearance on the game is almost slim to none, Cat appears on Ellie’s diary book supposedly a short of Catherine. Cat’s a tattoo artist that gave Ellie her iconic tattoo to cover her bite mark, and she’s always open to talk about Ellie in front of her peers.
At that time, Cat still had no idea that Ellie possesses such immunity. Ellie’s fear of infecting Cat led her to push her girlfriend away, lying that she ‘has never kissed anyone before.’
9 Joel Thought Ellie & Jesse Were A Thing
Joel had always been a protective figure to Ellie. Having on Jackson’s same patrol team back in the days, Joel always thought that Ellie and Jesse were a thing.
“Joel liked you a lot too, you know. He used to think I had a crush on you,” Ellie said. “I mean, you’re handsome and whatever, but I’m not into your type.”
8 Instead, He Gave His Blessing to Dina
The night after that harsh encounter with Seth, ended up by Ellie telling Joel that she ‘doesn’t need (his) f*cking help anymore,’ Ellie visited Joel at his place while he’s busy with his six-strings and glass of coffee. On that last emotional night, spoiler alert, before his death, Joel told Ellie how supportive he was about her relationship with Dina.
“Dina. Is she your girlfriend?” asked Joel, prompting a rather denial answer from Ellie. “Look, I have no idea what that girl’s intentions are, but I do know that she would be lucky to have you.”
7 What Was The Song Dina & Ellie Dance To?
On that celebration night, Ellie and Dina were dancing to a 20th-century folk ballad rendition, Little Sadie, by Crooked Still. Despite its joyous and cheerful tone, the song itself tells a story about a man who gets caught after shooting his lover, and he’s about to face justice from the judges. The original song was written back in the early 1920s, but the cover was made in 2006.
Fans were excited after seeing Part II’s trailer at E3 2018 with this song playing in the background, and little did they know how dark and turbulent this game is going to turn out later.
6 Dina Vs. Kat
It makes sense to say that Dina was never a fan of Cat in the first place. Dina had always avoided Ellie whenever Ellie was seen with Cat back in the days, and it negatively affected their friendship to some extent.
“I feel like Dina’s avoiding me. Cat says she’s just jealous about how I’m spending my time. I keep trying to invite Dina along, but she keeps saying she’s busy,” Ellie wrote in her diary.
It’s a shame that Cat never made an actual in-game appearance. It would be cool to see a little teen drama during this unprecedented time, wouldn’t it?
5 Dina Had Never Got a Chance To Tell Jesse That She Was Pregnant Of His Baby
Even though Jesse was JJ’s biological father, Dina had never gotten a chance to tell him. Whenever Jesse brought up how she feels sick and uneasy, she always avoided the topic. However, Ellie did tell him, and he wasn’t quite surprised at best. He insisted on taking Dina back to Jackson, but he knew that Dina would never leave without Ellie.
At least Jesse died knowing Dina is (or, was) in a happy relationship with Ellie, and their baby is in the right hand, right?
4 Despite That Fact, Jesse’s Parents Still Hold the Upmost Love & Respect For Dina
On a letter that can be found on a table during the latter stage of the game at the farmhouse, Dina still actively contacted Jesse’s parents. After the three re-settled at the farm, Dina mailed a letter and a photograph to Jesse’s parents, and after everything, they’d still welcome her with open arms.
“Thank you for your letter and the photograph. J.J.’s gotten so big already! He’s got Jesse’s smile. If he’s anything like his dad… well, good luck,” said his parents. “I will say what I hope is obvious, Jesse wouldn’t blame you for what happened, and neither do any of us. We love you.”
3 Ellie Is A Monophobic
Monophobia is a fear of being alone. Having to lose Riley (her old friend and the main story of the Left Behind DLC), Sam (another survivor she met on her way to the Fireflies), and Tess (Joel’s former sidekick) has put Ellie in endless fear of being alone.
Ellie has never seen her estranged parents or even found out what exactly happened to them, so it makes total sense if she would always do what it takes to keep her loved ones around, including Dina.
2 Ellie Is Either An Atheist Or An Agnostic, While Dina Is Devout Jewish
Dina has always been a devout Jew, and she’s proud of her Israeli heritage. The bracelet that she gave to Ellie is a hamsa bracelet that you can hang on your door to keep away bad luck or wear it for good luck. During the scene where they get inside a synagogue, Dina said that being inside it ‘brings back a lot of memories’ and how her sister, Talia, used to drag her to a synagogue all the time.’
On the other hand, Ellie is either an atheist or an agnostic, proven by how she ‘doesn’t believe in luck’ and her questioning about Dina’s prayers. Nevertheless, that’s a lot of diversity in the game.
1 Fans Theories: What Happened To Dina After The Farmyard?
So, we know how Ellie’s final showdown with Abby turned out to be, but what happened exactly to Dina and JJ after that? Many fans have theorized that they had indeed resettled back at Jackson; hence Ellie appeared to wear Dina’s bracelet, all dressed, and didn’t seem to be surprised when she found out that the house was empty.
Ellie leaving Joel’s guitar could serve as a symbolization of how she’s ready to totally let go of Joel and leave everything behind. There are no words from Naughty Dog about this theory, whether it’s true or not, but it really does make sense.
