The Last of Usmay have released in 2013, but interest in the franchise is sky-high 10 years later as the HBO show has reminded fans of – and introduced new people to – the high quality that the series is known for.Naughty Dog struck gold withThe Last of Us, and after a sequel in 2020, as well as an upcoming multiplayer experience, it doesn’t seem like its momentum is stopping any time soon. The story is at the center of its success, bringing players and viewers along to witness Joel and Ellie’s journey from icy associates to interdependent, desperate friends.
That relationship and how it changes over the course of a year is the reason why the otherwise short singleplayer game has so much longevity. It’s very replayable despite a lack of alternate endings and choices, which is possibly one of the biggest talking points surrounding the conclusion. The final hour ofThe Last of Usis polarizing, and puts a wedge between Ellie and Joel as the latter makes a decision that changes the dynamic of both their relationship and the world around them.The Last of Us 3could give Ellie the opportunity to right the wrongs of the past, and give her back the choice that she deserved all those years ago.
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Joel Forces Ellie’s Fate Into His Own Hands
The journey inThe Last of Ustakes players across the USA from Boston to Salt Lake City, Utah where Ellie is supposed to be taken to the Fireflies. She’s the key to a potential cure that could be used to restore a shred of humanity to a world that seems to have lost it completely.Joel and Tessare tasked with handing her over, but after things go south and Joel is left alone to care for and transport Ellie, the pair are destined for a long trek out west. When they get to the hospital it becomes clear that the cure can’t be engineered without taking Ellie’s life in the process, and Joel makes a decision that he has no right to enforce.
That choice is to take Ellie back to Jackson, Wyoming, and not go ahead with the procedure. It feels wholly justified to players who know her and care for her, but it’s undeniably the wrong thing to do for the sake of the world. On top of this, he takes the decision away from Ellie, despite the latter being at peace with the risks.The Last of Us 3could be the best opportunity for Ellie to offset Joel’s actions, especially as the second game implies the Fireflies are regrouping in Santa Barbara.
The Last of Us 3 Could Right Joel’s Wrongs
Perhaps the biggest betrayal that Joel made inThe Last of Uswasn’t themassacre of the Fireflies; it was lying to Ellie in the Story’s final moments. It’s unclear just how aware Ellie was that the procedure could have taken her life, but now that she knows about the impact she could have as well as Joel’s actions to prevent this from happening, she has all the information she needs to make an informed decision for herself.
Going back to such a contested plot point could be a wonderful conclusion to a potential trilogy. It’d round out the story andhave Ellie die for the right reasonsand as a hero, whereas Joel died disgraced and at the hands of someone who was affected by his actions in Salt Lake City. Ellie deserves a more definitive resolution to the open-ended one given inThe Last of Us 2, and giving back to the Fireflies could achieve this.
The Last of Us Part 1is available now on PC and PS5.
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