Summary
After an award-winning debut season, HBO’sThe Last of Ushas begun shooting the follow-up. Joel and Ellie’s arduous journey throughout the first season closely mirrored events in Naughty Dog’sThe Last of Usgame, so many fans are assuming the second season will follow the plot of the sequel equally closely. Whether this is a good or bad thing will probably differ depending on who is asked, but one thing is for sure, the character of Abby will likely have a crucial part to play. Kaitlyn Dever has been cast as the controversial yin to Ellie’s yang, and this may hold some clues about Abby’s inclusion in any potential third game in the franchise.
WhenThe Last of Us Part 2was released in 2020, it quickly became the main topic of conversation in the video game industry due to its highly controversial plot. The Game of the Year winner, while undoubtedly a technical and visual achievement, managed to enrage a large part of its fan base by killing off the fan-favorite character of Joel in the game’s opening few hours. To make matters even worse,The Last of Us Part 2then forces players to step into the shoes of Abby, Joel’s killer, for the second half of its lengthy campaign, as the game sets about showing players her side of the story. It was a bold, innovative, and daring narrative from Naughty Dog, but Abby’s involvement in the franchise moving forward is currently unclear.
The Last of Us May Not Be Done With Abby Yet
The Last of Us Part 2’s epic conclusion sawEllie spare a gravely wounded Abby’s life after a brutal fightbetween the two young women that saw Ellie emerge victorious. Abby’s fate beyond this is unknown, but it is speculated that, along with her friend Lev, she made her way to Catalina Island, California, to meet up with the Fireflies. It remains to be seen what, if any, role she will play inThe Last of Us Part 3.
Abby’s Physique is a Huge Part of Her Character
One of Abby’s defining traits is her extremely muscular physique. It is clear that the loss of her father at the hands of Joel had quite an impact on her, and she likely spent much of her teenage life channeling her rage through physical training. Her imposing physique is pointed out by several characters during the game, so many fans expected amuscular actress to play Abby inThe Last of Us Part 2’s adaptation. The game’s conclusion shows a broken Abby emaciated from months of captivity, and it isn’t known whether she will ever return to her previous size.
Kaitlyn Dever is probably best known for her roles in theTV showsDopesickandLast Man Standing, the former for which she received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination. The 27-year-old actress' slight build could potentially point to the show taking Abby in a different direction. While Dever could conceivably gain the necessary muscle for the role, it may not be too much of a stretch for the HBO show to have a little inside knowledge about any potentialLast of Us Part 3story beats.
Should a rehabilitated Abby once again be a focal point, her muscular physique may no longer be necessary, symbolizing a new stage of her life that isn’t wrought with pain and anger. The show will stretch the events of the sequel over more than one season due to the game’s length, but even so, nobody can say for sure if events in the show will overtake those in the gamebeforeThe Last of Us Part 3sees the light of day. Until then, fans can only speculate on the direction the narrative will go in next, and if Abby will play any further part.
The Last Of Us
Based on Naughty Dog’s popular PlayStation game, HBO’s The Last of Us takes place decades after a fungal infection eradicated most of humanity. When a teenage girl named Ellie is found to be immune to the disease, Joel agrees to smuggle her across the United States.
