With the great success of HBO's The Last of Us season 1, there's even more excitement about which theories season 2 could potentially confirm or deny.
SUMMARY
- The Last of Us TV series can validate or disprove theories that stemmed from the video games, adding to the depth of the story.
- The show's mythos, including the concept of a hive mind, can make the infected more dangerous and create new obstacles for the characters.
- The TV series has the opportunity to explore unanswered questions, such as the Fireflies' plans for a cure and the potential existence of other immune people.
HBO's adaptation of Naughty Dog's The Last of Us video game made some changes and answered some theories, but with season 2 confirmed, there are a few others it can validate or disprove.
Video game adaptations are often a hit or miss, and The Last of Us shows that it can be faithful without being a direct copy. The positive critical and fan reception of the series is evidence of this.
Interestingly, some of the changes to the show answered theories the games didn't explore. For instance, Ellie's immunity origins are explained in The Last of Us' season 1 finale, with her mother being bitten while pregnant, and the confirmation of the fungus infection spreading is via contaminated flour.
While these answer major infection questions, a few expected topics based on the games and broader Last of Us universe theories should still be addressed in season 2 and beyond.
Joel and Ellie looking at Jackson in The Last of Us episode 9
Since The Last of Us season 1 connected the contraction and spread of the infection to consuming contaminated flour-based foods, being bitten, or exchanging saliva, the idea that everyone is slightly infected may be less likely.
However, the hive mind approach instead of airborne spores might be even more terrifying than the idea of dormant infections, since it amplifies the infected threat because of their link supposedly through consciousness. The second game's Rat King is already a hive mind of sorts because it's made up of multiple types of infected all melded together.
Adding the show's mythos would theoretically mean the Rat King could incite more infected to join in on attacking Abby. In the TV format, it's much more implausible for one human - even one as strong as Abby - to take down the Rat King in addition to numerous other infected while in a sectioned off area.
Additionally, the special effects alone would make this fight a huge undertaking that could add to the complaints about the limited infected since it might require much of the budget to go into only one infected.
The Fireflies Wanted To Control The Cure
While Joel thwarted The Last of Us' Fireflies, who planned to use Ellie's immunity as a way to reverse-engineer a cure, there's no confirmed outcome of how the group would've handled having this cure. If the Fireflies successfully achieved a cure or vaccine, it would immediately give them much more power.
Having the knowledge of how to create a vaccine for the infection could be more cynical than it seems. The Fireflies have already shown an ability to control regions with their bombing of FEDRA areas. With a vaccine, the Fireflies could control people more easily because a cure or vaccine would be a sought-after commodity.
Abby’s Immune In The Last Of Us (And Jerry Knows)
If Abby were immune, Jerry would know she would have to die during the surgery, making Joel's actions oddly aligned with the surgeon he killed. This is set up when Marlene repeatedly asks Jerry if he'd be so willing to go through with the surgery if Abby were in Ellie's shoes, and he avoids answering.
While this is speculation, it is worth unpacking since it adds an even deeper layer to the causes of revenge and anger that thematically make up much of the second game's story. With little else to go on, the TV series can address Abby's status while also expanding on the mythos behind the infection.
There’s No Cure In The Last Of Us
Much like some theories on this list, the surgery planned for Ellie being a successful way to create a vaccine is speculative. Even if they had gone through with Ellie's surgery, perhaps the chemical receptors that relay to the infected that she has the Cordyceps fungus infection can't be severed from a living organism in order to be effective.
Perhaps the elements of the receptors that make her immune can't be modified or replicated into a vaccine. Because there's never been exploration of the effectiveness of a surgery like this, since Ellie would need to die to find out, the show can address it by introducing other immune characters.
Multiple People Could Be Immune Like Ellie In The Last Of Us
Fans have often speculated that the chances of one person in the whole world being immune is questionable. With the adaptation noting Ellie's immunity was due to her mother being bitten and giving birth before the infection spread, there's a clear sign that other babies could've been delivered under similar circumstances.
While still very specific in circumstances, it removes the more mystical idea that Ellie is the only supposed savior of humanity by chance. Even if there's a limited few other immune people in the apocalypse, season 2 can address this. This is useful, particularly because the root of Ellie's immunity was only established in the season 1 finale.
Ellie's Final Scene At The Farm In The Last Of Us Part II Was Her Last Visit
Ellie's return to the farm in The Last of Us Part II suggests she wasn't surprised to find the house empty, but rather just reminiscent, indicating it was likely not her first visit there since Santa Barbara, where she spared Abby. There are other clues that suggest Ellie had already reconciled with Dina after leaving to pursue revenge, and she returned to Jackson after her altercation with Abby.
These include some missing Dina and JJ artwork, most of the studio items relating to Joel, the season seeming the same (suggesting about a year has passed), Ellie leaving behind reminders of Joel (like the guitar), and Ellie wearing Dina's bracelet again.
These suggest Ellie's process of grief moved toward acceptance, and she likely resumed her life with her partner and JJ, even facing Jackson, which is a reminder of Joel. Although perhaps more for a possible season 3, this theory can be addressed if season 2 follows similar non-linear storytelling as the game.
The Seraphite Prophet’s Death Was A Power Play By The WLF
It's established in The Last of Us Part II that the Seraphite Prophet was all about egalitarian living and peacefulness. However, the direct cause of her death is not explicitly explored. Luckily, it's been teased that untold side stories could appear in subsequent seasons of the TV adaptation, such as the Seraphite Prophet's story.
Although the WLF and Seraphite disputes are already clear from the second game, it's plausible they might have had an amicable arrangement about territory. There seems to be a geographical boundary since the growing Seraphite numbers resulted in a split between the island and the Lower Queen Anne suburb, suggesting an agreement about territories.
However, given the WLF leader Isaac's ruthlessness, it's possible the Prophet's death was a power play. There's no explanation as to why the Prophet was targeted, specifically, so it's possible she was taken to prove a point that any violence against them can be returned tenfold. Additionally, the WLF showed sadistic pleasure in their executions and torture, which indicates that they had multi-layered sinister motives. This is further supported by some Wolves, who were questioning the WLF's approach, and defected to the Seraphites.
