Besides new characters, Part II introduces players to an abundance of brand new places ready to be explored. One of them is Santa Barbara, home to the beautiful beach landscapes of the Californian coastline. These are ten facts you might have missed from this area. The following list contains major spoilers of The Last of Us: Part II. Proceed with caution.
10 The Actor Who Played The Large Rattler Is The Real-Life Husband Of Abby’s Actress
Upon arriving in Santa Barbara, Ellie comes across two ‘Rattlers’ trying to capture survivors and turn them into slaves. One of them is a muscular guy with grey hair and a ripped physique, called the Large Rattler. This character is mo-capped by Travis Willingham, a familiar face if you’re a fan of Battlefield Hardline, Spider-Man, Battlefield 3, or Telltale’s Batman series. In real life, Willingham married Laura Bailey, the voice actress of Abby Anderson, in 2011.
9 He’s Also A Prominent Face On Television
Besides voice acting, Willingham has a pretty solid CV in acting for movies, television series, and even anime. The lifelong fan of the Dallas Cowboys appears in the likes of The Tower of Druaga, Phineas & Ferb, DC Super Friends, Ben 10, Batman: Assault on Arkham, and many others. As of this writing, Willingham serves as chief executive editor for the weekly show, Critical Role.
8 Rapper Logic Also Appeared During This Chapter
Another unexpected cameo comes from Grammy-nominated rapper Logic, who shares the stage with Willingham as the Small Rattler. It may come as a surprise for many because his in-game character does not resemble his physical appearance or voice.
In fact, Logic is a big fan of The Last of Us, calling it one of his top-three favorite video games of all time. As of this writing, the rapper has hung up the microphone for good and signed a ‘seven-figure’ exclusive deal with Twitch.
7 Rattler’s Letter Home
Collecting letters and artifacts in The Last of Us is a tricky business because it requires massive attention to the little details. This chapter features an object called ‘Rattler’s Letter Home’ detailing what life was like before the Rattlers took over. To obtain it, head over to the Rattler’s oceanside dome-like base. Make your way to the second level of the building to find a table where this collectible lies.
6 The Rattler Journal Entry
This one is hard to miss because it’s located right after the first fight against the Rattlers. Roam around the neighborhood to find a teal van with a massive Rattler tag on it. Approach the vehicle and hit the triangle button to trigger ‘The Rattler Journal Entry’ in Ellie’s journal. If you’re a trophy grinder, finding this will help you get the gold ‘Archivist’ trophy. To complete it, you need to get all the 127 artifacts and 20 journal entries.
5 Santa Barbara Slave Note Artifact
Another easy-to-be-missed collectible is the Santa Barbara Slave Note. After seeing a group of slaves and saying ’that looks like a tall, round building,’ Ellie slips off the train to proceed with her journey. Do not continue before heading to the left side to find a few barrels and pallets where you’ll find the note on top. This artifact tells the story of a survivor named ‘McKenzie’ promising the Rattlers revenge after becoming enslaved.
4 Sparkthug Trading Card
To find the Sparkthug Trading Card, head over to the joint building after fighting off a group of Rattlers. Make your way to the building and find a wooden table with the Sparkthug Trading Card ready to be collected.
Naughty Dog is no stranger to putting hidden references and Easter eggs in their games. Speaking about trading cards, one of the most golden card in this game is ‘Doctor Uckmann,’ a nod to the game’s director, Neil Druckmann.
3 The Striking Resemblance To The Real-Life Catalina Casino
After completing Part II for the first time, the game’s grimy-looking welcome screen will automatically change into a much warmer picture of a boat near a seashore with a round-shaped building in the far distance. This building is a perfect recreation of the Catalina Casino, a large gathering facility in Santa Catalina. In the game, after the showdown with Ellie, Abby & Lev head out to the Fireflies’ new home base located on that island.
2 The Tiny Detail That Might Shape Abby & Lev’s Ending
This tiny little clue may lead to their happy ending: finding the Fireflies and finding a place to call home at their new base. After all, whether you hate or love her character development, Abby does not deserve everything that happened to her. She lost her father, her group, and almost every single one of her friends, including her illicit love, Owen. At leas, this ending breathes a bit of a sense of relief, knowing that the two settle might down for good.
1 The Dark Reality Of The Ending
Abby and Lev might never have reached Santa Catalina, with fan theories suggesting they died on the way due to the cold and strong waves, and the boat players see on the menu is theirs, stranded on the beach. Until Neil Druckmann and Naughty Dog announce a Part III, there aren’t any more details that can be dug out about this theory.
NEXT: The Last Of Us 2: Ranking The 10 Strongest Characters
