One of my favorite game series of all time, The Last of Us, received a live-action adaptation. If you’ve played the series yourself, then you know just how good the first game is and how highly acclaimed the second one is. Although, the second game is very controversial as people dislike certain aspects and plot points.

Nevertheless, this article will cover what I enjoy about this series and its complexity. To start, one of the most prominent themes in the franchise is the concept of survival. As said earlier, The Last of Us, is set in a post-apocalyptic world. The theme is covered through the fact of Joel and Ellie trying to survive not just the fungal outbreak, but the human factions who ironically pose a bigger threat to them. This resulted in the characters being forced to make difficult decisions to stay alive, and the player/watcher witness the harsh reality of what the fictional characters experienced.

The theme of loss and grief is also present throughout the series. The characters in the game/show have all experienced significant loss and have been forced to come to terms with the death of loved ones. The game explores the impact of loss on the characters and how they cope with their grief. The theme of grief is particularly poignant in “The Last of Us Part II” which explores the aftermath of a devastating event that shatters the lives of the characters.

The game also touches on the theme of morality and the nature of humanity. The game explores the darker side of human nature, as the characters are forced to make difficult moral decisions in order to survive. The game also raises questions about the morality of violence and the justifications for it. An example of this is when Ellie tortured Nora, off-screen, into giving her the whereabouts of Abby.

Now, my personal favorite dynamic in the game is the two protagonists Joel and Ellie. The two of these characters went through so much together. Joel and Ellie, form a strong bond as they journey together through the game. Their relationship is built on trust, loyalty, and a shared sense of loss and trauma. The game also explores the relationships between other characters, such as the relationship between Ellie and her surrogate sister, Dina. These relationships are complex and nuanced, and they play a central role in the game’s narrative. What is the narrative? Well, of course, the hypocrisy of human nature.

To explain, throughout the game we’re given parallels non-stop. One of those being Joel and Ellie compared to Abby and Lev. Joel-Abby and Ellie-Lev. Joel and Abby represent a father/sister figure. Funnily, the one who killed Joel was Abby in the act of revenge. However, Joel killed her father in order to save Ellie from being killed against her will. It’s a chain that goes back and forth that then led Ellie to seek revenge upon Abby, chasing her across the country to places such as Seattle where she killed all of Abby’s friends and more. The cycle of revenge is a never-ending one. That’s one of the main messages of the story.

Personally, I heavily enjoyed the story and have played many story games since from God of War to The Ghost of Tsushima and more. Yet none of those were nearly as good as this. At the end of the game, Ellie and Abby had their final fight in Santa Barbara on a beach. Abby had escaped a human faction due to Ellie committing a massacre against them. Abby put Lev in a boat while she commenced her fight with Ellie. In the end, Ellie is granted the chance to finish her off. Although, she finally realized everything she had lost. So, she spared Abby and went back home.

To be expected, her girlfriend, Dina left as promised earlier in the story. This leads us to the final cutscene of the game where Ellie goes upstairs and brings out Joel’s guitar. When trying to play it, she was unable to due to the fact she had lost a finger. The final shot is through an open window with the guitar standing up next to it as Ellie walked through the field, leaving behind the house and her past. But most importantly, moving on from Joel.