Top 10 Last of Us 2 Story Moments

Alright, yes. We are aware of how much controversy this scene has caused which is why we’re getting it out of the way first. It’s a heartbreaking way to get the game rolling especially given how much players have become attached to Joel in the first game. So yeah, we feel Ellie’s pain as she’s forced to watch her adoptive father figure get bludgeoned to death. What isn’t revealed right away is why the Wolves killed Joel. As we later find out, many of the Wolves are former Fireflies members seeking justice for Joel’s rampage in the hospital. Including Abby, who’s the daughter of the slain surgeon. In their eyes; it was justice served, in Ellie’s eyes; it was senseless murder.

This is a moment some players may not come across because it’s very easy to miss. During Ellie’s first day in Seattle, when the game goes open-world for a short while, you can find a music shop just north of where you get the gas canister. And on the upper floor, you can find a fresh acoustic guitar preserved inside its case. Should you choose to play, you get a chance to hear Ashley Johnson’s singing chops as she performs a cover of a-ha’s “Take On Me” in front of Dina. It makes for a beautiful bonding moment for the two, and it’s easy to forget the world outside while listening to this.

#8: Joel & Ellie’s Day at the Museum

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Joel may have gotten killed off early, but still has a very strong presence in the game through a series of flashbacks. The first we get shows Joel giving Ellie a very nice surprise; A field trip to the Wyoming Museum of Science and History. In a nice throwback to the Left Behind DLC, Ellie gets to let out her inner child. Scaling a T-Rex, throwing hats onto dinosaurs, and also getting to let her fantasy of an astronaut run wild in a launch capsule, as Joel gives her an audio recording of the Apollo 11 launch. Of course this is still The Last of Us. And we’re reminded about the hostility of this world in the end.

Ellie goes to hell and back to find Abby and her companions. Having finally reached the Aquarium after hearing of a tip off that she might be there. Ellie instead finds two of Abby’s closest friends Owen & Mel. Ellie attempts to integrate the two for information, but gets jumped on by Owen, forcing her to kill them both without getting the info. However Ellie quickly regrets her actions when she realizes that Mel was pregnant. Mirroring her feelings for Dina, whom she learned earlier is pregnant too. It's here that Ellie regretfully decides to abandon her quest and go home, when she realises the collateral damage she is causing, though it's a move that doesn’t last too long; because Abby finds her.

Continuity wise, this moment ends up following the events of the last entry, even though they’re spaced more than 12 hours apart, gametime wise. In the theater Abby faces off against Ellie in one of the deadliest games of cat and mouse. Yeah it’s questionable that the game forces you to play as Abby here, but it’s not without significance. Abby gets the upper hand and almost kills Ellie but Dina intervenes ... and then Lev intervenes. And here we have a crucial moment for everyone in the scene. Abby is ready to kill Dina knowing that she’s pregnant, but stops when she realizes the example she’s setting for 13 year old Lev. In spite of the fact that Ellie killed her friends.

#5: The Farmhouse

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When all is said and done, the game jumps ahead a year to see that Ellie & Dina have finally been able to settle down. Dina has given birth to a baby boy, and the three of them are one big happy family together. Though Ellie still has PTSD about witnessing Joel’s death. Some fans claim this is where the game should have ended, but this is “The Last Of Us”, that would be too unrealistic for this world. After Tommy gives Ellie a new lead on Abby, Ellie eventually decides to leave despite Dina begging her not to go. And thus this would be the start of Ellie’s biggest mistake.

Everyone knew this revelation was coming ever since the first game ended. To famously quote the HBO mini-series Chernobyl “Every lie we tell incurs a debt to the truth; Sooner or later that debt is paid”, all the more reason we can’t wait for HBO’s take on “The Last of Us”. When Ellie gets suspicious of Joel’s story, she heads back to St. Mary’s Hospital and finds one of Marline’s audio tapes. The lie is busted and it’s time to pay the debt, and it's here that Ashley Johnson delivers an Oscar worthy performance. Now that the truth is out, Ellie severs all ties with Joel after learning that she was robbed of the chance to save the world.

#3: The Rat King

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During Abby’s playthrough, she has to find surgical tools so that Mel can save Yara’s life, but the only tools available; are in an area of the Seattle hospital that has been sealed off since the outbreak first started. It’s a perfect breeding ground for Bloaters, but what ended up being down there; was far worse. [00:54:07 Rat king is revealed] What follows is a pulse pounding chase sequence, but eventually Abby is forced to fight what could only be described as an unholy blend of combining INSIDE’s Human Blob with Resident Evil’s G-Virus. Even after you finish the fight, you still have to deal with heavily armored Stalkers in a pitch black room, which can be harder than the fight with the king itself. Where’s a rocket launcher when you need one? Ada?

#2: The Battle for Haven

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Part 2 raised the stakes to unimaginable heights, as in the midst of this revenge tale was a brewing conflict between two factions; the WLF which Abby is a part of; and the religious cult; the Seraphites, whom Yara and Lev are a part of. But they’re marked traitors by their respective clans; they must desperately escape the Seraphites island, which has been invaded by the WLF. This means escaping on horseback through a burning city to reach the docks, while the two factions are shooting at each other … and you. Yara does not survive the battle, and Abby and Lev are now left with nothing but each other. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Jesse & Ellie's Car Escape There’s a Clicker on the bonnet! THERE’s A CLICKER ON THE BONNET! Dina Learns Ellie is Immune Turns out to be a double whammy reveal The WLF's Hideout (WLF’s pronounced as Wolves) Not exactly the bloodthirsty scavengers we thought they were. The Skybridge Abby’s personal hell Abby Betrays the WLFs (same as before) Only surviving through a heroic sacrifice from Yara

Like we said earlier, if you were expecting a Happy Ending in “The Last of Us” you weren’t paying attention. After returning from her fight with Abby; Dina has left Ellie, she can no longer play the guitar having lost two fingers in the fight against Abby. And worst yet, we found out why she ignored Dina’s plea and sought to avenge Joel; She wanted to forgive and rekindle her relationship with him, but will now never get that chance. Thus she wanted her own personal closure, no matter who stood in her way. So why did Ellie spare Abby at the last minute? If you’ve been paying attention; the answer lies with Lev. Remember back to the theater; Abby spared Dina & Ellie because Lev intervened. If Ellie had killed Abby, Lev would have eventually sought revenge himself, possibly putting all of Jackson at risk. But if Ellie killed Lev then and there; the psychological trauma would have weighed on her far worse than what she did to Nora, Owen & Mel since Lev was not part of the group that killed Joel. Abby was in Joels Shoes, Ellie was in Abby’s, and Lev was in Ellie’s. There was never going to be any satisfaction from her killing Abby, and unfortunately for Ellie; that revelation came too late.