Ellie’s decision to spare Abby’s life at the last moment in The Last of Us Part 2 is one of the reasons why the story works so well.
In this video, I talk about what this decision means for the narrative and for both Ellie’s and Abby’s character arc, including the importance of an ending we can interpret with hope.
The Last of Us Part II is a 2020 action-adventure game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4. Set five years after The Last of Us (2013), the game focuses on two playable characters in a post-apocalyptic United States whose lives intertwine: Ellie, who sets out for revenge after suffering a tragedy, and Abby, a soldier who becomes involved in a conflict between her militia and a religious cult.
This video contains spoilers for anyone who hasn’t played the game.