The Last of Us 2 is a phenomenal game that deepens the world and characters of the franchise in major ways. After the harrowing journey of the game and seeing the ugly cycle of violence that Joel, Ellie, and Abby have created, players are left emotionally drained by the time the credits roll.
Fans who have finished the game are torn between their loyalty to Abby and Ellie, as both commit terrible acts in their quests for revenge and both are good people when stripped down to the core of their characters. This list will breakdown why some fans have fallen in love with Abby, and why others maintain their dedication to Ellie.
10 Team Abby: Killing Joel Was Justified
While some fans won’t admit it, Abby killing Joel is 100% justified. Joel murdered her father, a good man who was trying to save the human race from extinction. Regardless of the cruel way in which Abby takes her revenge, her revenge is legitimate and she shouldn’t be demonized for it.
Let’s not forget that Joel is no innocent bystander either and, on top of murdering Abby’s father, he has taken countless lives. While most of those people deserved it, not all of them did.
9 Team Ellie: Our History With Her
Fans of The Last of Us franchise have a deep and long-standing relationship with Ellie after the journey we all went through together in the first game. Ellie has been through so much and fans have been by her side every step of the way.
That time and those memories have emotional weight and it’s something fans can’t help but take into consideration when comparing Ellie to Abby. Fans have a history with Ellie and that history creates a loyal bond.
8 Team Abby: Less Destructive In Her Revenge
One of the most impactful moments of the game is helplessly witnessing, and taking part in, Ellie killing several people, including a pregnant woman, who do not deserve to die as she recklessly hunts down Abby. It plays into the main theme of the game of how violence only leads to more violence.
On the other end of the spectrum, Abby’s killing of Joel is surgical and precise, resulting in essentially no one being killed other than her target.
7 Team Ellie: We Feel Her Pain With Joel
Joel isn’t perfect and has made many mistakes in his life, but deep down he’s still a good man who loves Ellie like a daughter. Similar to Ellie, fans of The Last of Us have a history with Joel that connects them to him and creates sympathy.
Watching Abby kill Joel is just as painful for us as it is for Ellie. We understand Ellie’s pain and her need to seek vengeance against Abby. The mutual relationship fans and Ellie share through Joel further ties us to her character.
6 Team Abby: Challenges Female Body Expectations In Gaming
Some fans love the gun show Abby puts on throughout the game, but others feel she looks overly muscular and borderline cartoonish. For those questioning if Abby looks realistic, look up athlete Colleen Fotsch who Abby’s body is modeled after.
While Naughty Dog has a solid track record of female representation in their games, Abby pushes the envelope in a new direction, completely changing how women can be visualized in video games. The fact that her appearance has been so jarring for some is a testament to the issues related to body standards in our society.
5 Team Ellie: Family Woman
Although this picturesque life collapses for Ellie by the end of the game, seeing the family that she and Dina form together shows fans the type of life Ellie is capable of living when she’s removed from the violence and pain of this ugly world.
It’s yet another aspect of Ellie that ties gamers even closer to her. Watching Ellie choose her thirst for revenge against Abby over her life with Dina is heartbreaking and something fans wish they could change.
4 Team Abby: Deep Friendships
From the plethora of NPCs who are happy to see you around the WLF bases, to Lev and Yara who belong to an enemy clan, Abby has a multitude of friendships that clue fans into the type of person she is.
Abby has many friends who are willing to put their life at risk for her, and it’s because they know Abby would do the same for them. While Ellie is close with Dina and has a growing relationship with Jesse, this essentially comprises all the people Ellie can call a friend outside of Joel and Tommy.
3 Team Ellie: She Lets Abby Live
Forgiveness and empathy is an undervalued human trait that can go a long way in bridging divides and bringing different groups of people together. Ellie’s ability to forgive Abby for killing Joel speaks volumes about who she is and what defines her.
Most fans would likely never have forgiven Abby for killing Joel, and that’s why it’s so important that Ellie does. Humanity and compassion are rare commodities in The Last of Us and the choice Ellie makes at the end of the game gives us hope for the future of their world.
2 Team Abby: Abandons Her Life For The Greater Good
Relating to Ellie’s humanity and her ability to reject hate, Abby also represents similar traits in how she becomes a guardian for Lev and Yara. Abby has every reason not to trust Lev and Yara and to let them die, but she chooses not to because of the good she sees in them.
Turning your back on everything you know is hard, and Abby being willing to betray the WLF in order to do the right thing and protect Lev and Yara is not only admirable but inspiring.
1 Team Ellie: Value Of Her Immunity
Although it has been hinted that there are others like Ellie who carry an immunity, as far as fans have seen, Ellie is the only person in the country who possesses this unique attribute.
With Ellie still alive, the hope for a cure and for the world to return to what it once was is possible. Ellie represents hope and could be humanity’s last chance at saving themselves from annihilation.
NEXT: 10 Games To Play While Waiting For The Last Of Us Part II
