Summary
Naughty Dog has become one of the most respected developers in the industry thanks to the plethora of incredible games they have come out with over the years, but the one franchise that has really stood out for a lot of players isThe Last of Us. While the high-quality gameplay and compelling stories are big reasons why so many people have fallen in love with both of the games, another is the superb character writing, with the series marking the debut of several characters who would go on to become icons of the industry.
There’s a level of depth and complexity to many of these characters that makes them fascinating people to follow and learn about throughout the nightmarish adventures they find themselves embarking on in these games. Needless to say, there have been several key individuals inThe Last of Usgames who have stolen people’s hearts thanks to their intrigue, development, and growth, with these being the very best of the bunch.
8Lev
Lev Acts As Abby’s Voice Of Reason When She Needs Him Most
Lev may not technically be a main character in the second game, but he still plays a very important role in the story. Lev’s tragic upbringing and treatment by the cult make it easy to sympathize with him, but his innocent demeanor also rubs off on Abbie, whose rock-solid exterior starts to be chipped away little by little every time she shares a deep conversation with Lev after the two decide to team up late in the story.
It would even get to the point where Lev would essentially become Abby’s rock, keeping her on the straight and narrow any time she would start to lose her way and let her emotions take over. This isn’t even mentioning hismarksmanship skills, which come in very handy when taking on a swarm of dangerous survivors while sneaking around an area.
7Marlene
The Commander Of The Fireflies Always Stood Firm In Her Beliefs
There have been plenty of online debates and discussions centering on the actions of Marlene, which is a testament to just how intriguing she is as a character. As the commander of the Fireflies, but also a friend of Ellie’s mother, Marlene was willing to sacrifice Ellie’s life to create a cure for the infection, though this inevitably put her at odds with Joel, who eventually ended up breaking her out.
Technically, Marlene can be considered the ‘antagonist’ of the first game, but the fact that she is so morally gray shows that she is much more than a typical one-note villain. Marlene is one of the most fascinating characters in the series to talk about due to her complex nature and relevance to the wider story.
6Tommy
Joel’s Selfless Brother Shares A Complicated Relationship With His Older Sibling
When the outbreak first started, and Joel was gearing up to drive his daughter Sarah to safety, Tommy, his younger brother, was always there by his side. Tommy would even stay behind to hold off a pack of infected to allow Joel and Sarah to escape, and while Sarah would unfortunately die not long after, Tommy would continue to play an important role in the story.
Tommy acts as a sort of begrudging beacon of hope to Joel. On the one hand, his younger brother could lead Joel and Ellie to the Fireflies, but because it’s impliedJoel was very hard on Tommywhen they were growing up, saying their relationship is strained would be putting it lightly. Tommy would again play a big part in the second game, providing Ellie with words of experience and wisdom whenever she’s about to embark on a dangerous new adventure.
5Henry
A Concerned Father Who Highlights The Immense Pressure That Comes With Trying To Survive
When Joel and Ellie first run into Henry, the man pulls a gun on them, though it quickly becomes clear the reason he’s acting so hostile is because he has a little brother to protect. Henry becomes a loyal partner to Joel and Ellie throughout a small section of the first game, and proves hugely important in allowing them to escape the city and head towards the Fireflies without being gunned down.
However, Henry is also incredibly protective of his brother Sam, to the point where keeping him alive seems to be the only reason Henry himself is even still standing. Though Henry met an unfortunate end after Sam became infected, his character still highlights the dark reality and immense pressure that would come with trying to protect someone againstthe horrors that lurk around every cornerof the country.
4Dina
An Endearing Character In A World Full Of Monsters
While it can be easy to see Dina as simply Ellie’spartner in crime or sidekick, she is also a fascinating character in her own right. As someone still learning what it takes to survive in a world packed full of merciless killers and flesh-hungry Clickers, Dina still has a lot of humanity, which many of the more experienced characters have slowly lost, or at least struggle to express. This also makes her arguably the funniest character in the franchise, being able to cheer Ellie up in even the most dire circumstances.
She also acts as an extremely loyal companion to Ellie. Despite being pregnant, Dina is still willing to put herself in harm’s way to save her when the going gets tough, and she’s a real standout when it comes to the new characters introduced in part 2 of the series.
3Abby
Abby Grows Into An Entirely Different Person Over The Course Of The Second Game
Though Abby initially seems like little more than a side character of the second game, many fans were surprised when the game suddenly switches protagonists, with Abby becoming the central focus for a good chunk of the game. Over the course of a few hours, players watch Abby go from a merciless killer obsessed with revenge to someone who starts to understand the consequences that can come with participating in a constantcycle of vengeance.
Lev is who really forced Abby to open up as a character, showing a much more compassionate side of herself, which provided the perfect contrast to Ellie, with the two quickly becoming sworn enemies. Alongside her compelling character arc, Abby is also just a lot of fun to play as, especially when it comes to melee combat, where she can dish out tons of damage to both infected and human survivors.
2Joel
A Fascinating, Fun, Yet Complex Protagonist Who Has Become A Gaming Icon
On the surface, Joel can seem like any other rough and stoic video game protagonist, but there’s a lot more to this experienced survivor than initially meets the eye.After losing his daughter Sarahin the outbreak, Joel would become a coldhearted survivor whose sense of morality had clearly been slipping away after the world had gone to hell.
This began to change, however, when he met Ellie. Seeing Joel slowly become more hopeful and open over the course of the story makes for an incredibly emotional character arc, and his controversial final decision at the end of the first game still has people talking to this very day. Joel has gone on to become one of the most recognizable faces in all of gaming, which is certainly saying something considering the series has only been around for just over a decade.
1Ellie
Going Through Hell And Back Has Forced Ellie To Mature And Grow As A Character
Ellie may have started as a brash and hot-headed youngster in the first game, but she has come a very long way since then, receiving an incrediblycompelling character arcthat sees her turn into an entirely different person. When Joel was still watching over her, Ellie was able to act more carefree and silly, which is what drew many fans to the character when they first met her early on in the original game.
Once Joel is taken out of the story, though, Ellie struggles to find her place in the world and suddenly finds herself traveling down a dark path of violence and revenge.The Last of Us Part 2digs deep into Ellie’s psyche, and more specifically, the demons she has had to face as a result of so much endless fighting. This, alongside her iconic design and excellent voice work by Ashley Johnson, has all contributed to Ellie becoming many people’s favorite protagonist of all time.
