Spoilers for both The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part II. Before Part II begins, Joel has lied to Ellie about the Fireflies and the cure. Abby kills Joel for killing her father, and Ellie sets out to find her. The story then shifts between Ellie’s and Abby’s overlapping journeys, with the final chapter taking them from Seattle to Santa Barbara.
What happened in The Last of Us before Part II?
At the end of the first game, Joel reaches the Fireflies’ hospital in Salt Lake City and finds out they plan to operate on Ellie. The procedure would kill her. Joel rescues her, killing the surgeon and other Fireflies, then tells Ellie the Fireflies could not make a cure. Ellie’s doubts about that account—and Joel’s refusal to tell her the truth—leave their relationship strained. Push Square’s story recap covers the events leading into the sequel.
Years later, Joel and Ellie are living in Jackson, Wyoming. Abby and her companions find Joel; her father was the surgeon Joel killed at the hospital. Abby kills him while Ellie is forced to watch. Ellie goes to Seattle with Dina, determined to find Abby and take revenge.
What happens during Ellie’s Seattle story?
Ellie’s first section follows three days of searching Seattle with Dina and, later, Jesse. They encounter the Washington Liberation Front (WLF) and the Seraphites, groups fighting for control of the city. Ellie kills several people connected to Abby as she pursues her. The game presents a conflict in which both sides see the other as a threat, rather than a simple contest between a hero and a villain.
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- Game: The Last of Us Part II, SteelBook, 48-Page Art Book, Ellie Statue, Ellie’s bracelet, Four stickers, 6 Pins, Digital Art Book, Digital Soundtrack
At a theater, Abby confronts Ellie and her companions. She kills Jesse and wounds Tommy, then defeats Ellie and Dina. Lev intervenes before Abby kills Dina. Abby lets Ellie live, warning her to stay away.
Why does the story switch to Abby?
After Ellie’s Seattle days, the game rewinds and follows Abby through three overlapping days in the same city. Her sections show her ties to Owen, Mel, and Manny, her place in the WLF, and her growing connection with Lev and Yara, Seraphite siblings. By giving Abby a perspective of her own, the game reveals the histories behind the theater confrontation and how each side experiences the other as a danger.
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Abby’s story catches up with the theater fight. The narrative then moves forward to a farmhouse, where Ellie lives with Dina and their baby, JJ. Ellie remains troubled by trauma and memories of Joel. When Tommy arrives with word that Abby may be in Santa Barbara, Ellie leaves to pursue her again, despite Dina asking her to stay.
How does The Last of Us Part II end?
In Santa Barbara, Abby and Lev have been captured by the Rattlers. Ellie finds them and cuts them down from the stakes where they have been left. She still forces a final fight with Abby. Abby bites off two of Ellie’s fingers, but Ellie stops short of killing her and lets her leave with Lev.
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A final flashback shows Ellie telling Joel she wanted to try to forgive him. Back at the farmhouse, Ellie finds Dina and JJ gone. She tries to play Joel’s guitar but cannot fret it normally with her injured hand. She leaves the guitar behind and walks away. The game does not say where she goes next.
GameSpot interprets the ending as Ellie relinquishing revenge and anger, after the losses her pursuit has brought; that is an interpretation of the ending, not a stated definitive explanation from the developers. GameSpot’s ending analysis discusses that reading. In Naughty Dog’s launch post, author Neil Druckmann described the game as a “character driven story, focusing on flawed individuals and the difficult choices that they make.” Read Naughty Dog’s launch post.
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- Flexible design
- High-quality material
- Durable
Which version and content rating should you know about?
The original Part II was released for PS4. Naughty Dog announced The Last of Us Part II Remastered for PS5, describing the campaign alongside technical improvements, new modes, behind-the-scenes features, DualSense support, and additional accessibility options. Check current store listings for availability and edition details before buying. PlayStation’s game page and Naughty Dog’s Remastered announcement provide official version information.
The ESRB rates The Last of Us Part II M for Mature 17+, citing Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, and Use of Drugs. See the ESRB rating.
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