The Last of Us Part IIhas been highly anticipated since its' announcement in 2016. Since then, fans have been theorizing what’s to come for Joel and Ellie. Many have been carefully scrutinizing the trailers to deduce plot points, while others are throwing themselves into the deep end ofleaks and spoilers. However, for those of us who are unspoiled, all the unanswered questions fromThe Last of Usleave us wondering ifPart IIwill tell us a bit more about the less-explored aspects of the first title.
RELATED:10 Games To Play While You Wait For The Last Of Us Part II
While there were loads of subtle plot elements that many have questioned (Bill’s favor to Joel, Tess and Joel’s relationship, etc.), we will be covering the ones that are the most likely to be important inPart II.Contains light spoilers for the trailers
10How Did Marlene Know Ellie’s Mom?
There’s a bit of a mystery surrounding how exactly Marlene knew Ellie. Additionally, the nature of Marlene and Anna’s (Ellie’s mother) relationship is shrouded in mystery. Firstly, why Anna chose to entrust Marlene with Ellie is never explored. Additionally, Ellie and Marlene seem to not know each other too well. They’re loyal to each other, but it doesn’t seem like they had much communication before Ellie got bitten. Also, some fans have been speculating if Marlene and Anna’s relationship was a romantic one due to tape recorders found in the Firefly hospital. Obviously Anna is important to Ellie’s character development, so we’re hoping we find out more about her and her relationship with Marlene inPart II.
9Why Are Tommy And Joel Estranged?
During most ofThe Last of Us, Ellie and Joel are attempting to find Tommy, Joel’s younger brother. However, when the two come face-to-face things get a bit nasty. Tommy and Joel scream at one another and even get a bit physical. In addition, Tommy implies that Joel used to mistreat him, saying that things are different now and Joel isn’t allowed to push him around anymore. This interaction raised many questions among fans who are curious about how a previously strong relationship as shown in the prologue devolved into one where the two men haven’t even spoken in years.The Last of Usshowed Joel and Ellie return to Tommy’s compound at the end of the game, so we’re hoping the tensions between Tommy and Joel will be explored further.
8What About Joel’s Time As A Hunter?
There' s a lot of one-off interactions that imply Joel’s been a pretty horrible person and this is no exception. In Pittsburgh, Ellie and Joel are ambushed by hunters–killers who survive by stealing from the people they murder. When Ellie asks how Joel knew they were being ambushed, Joel replies that he’s “been on both sides,” implying he spent time as a hunter. Joel’s dual heroic and villainous nature drove much of the first game, so we’re hoping we’ll be able to learn more about Joel’s shady past and how that affects his new, peaceful life.
7How Did Riley Die?
Riley is mentioned only once inThe Last of Usbut plays an important role inLeft Behind. We know that Riley was bitten and died, but we don’t really know the nature of her death. When Ellie mentions Riley’s death at the end of the first game, she’s broken up, saying she’s “still waiting for [her] turn.”
RELATED:The Last Of Us Part II: Ranking Every Character Based On Likelihood Of Their Return
We also know that Ellie and Riley got bitten together and had intended on turning together as well. The fact that Ellie is still alive and we know that they were together when Riley died is…concerning. Because of this, we wonder if Ellie’s survival guilt (and the possible actions she may have had to take) will drive any of her motivation inPart II.
6How Has Joel And Ellie’s Relationship Changed?
The end of the first game gave us the “okay” heard ‘round the world. When Joel tells Ellie that he’s telling the truth about the Fireflies she accepts what he says, agreeing to go with him to Tommy’s. However, it’s heavily implied that she knows this to be a lie. Ellie’s “okay” felt less like an acceptance of Joel’s tale and more like a decision to move forward with him. She’s perceptive and intelligent, no doubt already knowing the truth about what really happened. Because of this moment of insane tension, Joel and Ellie’s relationship must have changed tremendously, surely effecting the sequel.
5What’s Up With Ellie’s Tattoo?
Ellie’s new ink has been shown quite a bit in trailers and that surely can’t be for no reason. It covers her bite mark to function as a shield from nosey survivors, but the design itself seems important thematically. Her tattoo prominently features a moth, a creature that’s known for circling light sources. Meanwhile, the Fireflies’ motto is to “look for the light.” Because of this, we wonder what exactly that’s going to mean for Ellie’s motivations. Does she still believe in the Fireflies even though she chose to go with Joel? Or does the moth symbolize her departure from that worldview, choosing to find her own “light?”
4How Does Immunity Work?
In the Fireflies' hospital, Marlene mentions that the reason Ellie is immune to cordyceps is that the fungus mutated in her brain. Still though, it doesn’t really explain too much about why she’s apparently the only person with this condition. Sure, there could be others like her, but Marlene insists that there’s nobody else with immunity. Two options present themselves: either Marlene was wrong, or Ellie has some seriously wack biology that makes her very strange. Still, it’s hard to believe that Ellie’s immunity won’t be coming up again. Hopefully, the actual mechanics of this medical marvel will be expanded upon.
3How’s The Rest Of The World?
The Last of Usfeatures a pretty lengthy jaunt across the United States, which altogether seems to be doing pretty terrible in the wake of the cordyceps pandemic. However, it makes us wonder if other countries are faring any better. American individualism isverypresent inThe Last ofUs.Most people look out for their own with little regard for others.
RELATED:10 Things That Make No Sense In The Last Of Us
Because of that, we wonder what more collectivist societies–like Japan and Taiwan–are doing in regards to survival. Military rule and individual leadership prevail inThe Last of Us’America, but does the government stand in other places? Is everyone as bad off or is there a different way to survive? Hopefully,Part IIwill expand on the state of the world a bit.
2What About The Fireflies?
At the end ofThe Last of Us, it’s assumed that the Fireflies have disbanded due to Marlene’s death. However, the Firefly symbol appears in the trailers toPart II, implying that they might’ve not been snuffed out after all. Because of Ellie and Joel’s ties to the group, we wonder what part the Fireflies will play in Ellie’s story. We know that the Fireflies will do anything for the sake of humanity, so does that include hunting Ellie down? We’ve wondered since the release of the original game if the Fireflies were disbanded, and we’re excited to finally get some answers! Hopefully not at the expense of Joel and Ellie’s lives, though.
1How’s Ellie’s Mental State?
The last few chapters ofThe Last of Uswere…heavy, to say the least. Ellie is thrown trial after trial and put through truly traumatic situations, especially for a 14-year-old kid. At the beginning of summer, Ellie is shown to be withdrawn and sullen after her encounter with David. She’s also bearing the weight of her winter caring for Joel, attempting to come to terms with the unsavory things she’s had to do, and struggling with survivor’s guilt. Although she’s lived in safety in the 5 years following these events, the mental toll must be extreme. Additionally, thePart IItrailers how Ellie being quite ruthless. Because of this, we can’t help but wonder exactly how her year traveling with Joel affected her.
