The Last of Us Part 2 seems to have divided fans – with Abby getting the most hate. But she should be key to The Last of Us 3 and the upcoming Season 2 of the TV series.
The Game Everyone Loves To Hate
There’s no doubt that The Last of Us Part 2 has become one of the most hotly debated video game releases of all time. There have been many heated discussions around character design, storytelling and the game’s controversial plot. However, one element of the game seems to have divided most fans, often getting the most resentment from fans: Abby.
We’ve seen the outrage online. Gamers on Twitter are spitting venom and calling for a boycott. “This game is garbage.” “How can they do this to the fans?” “Why did Joel have to die?” They even went as far as to threaten the life of Abby’s voice actor, Laura Bailey.
All of the hate stems from the fact that the game’s new character, Abby, kills off one of the more popular characters, Joel. At the heart of the story, Ellie ventures off to get revenge for her father figure, killing everything and everyone in her way. At the other end of the line, gamers are forced to play as Abby and experience all the events through her eyes, including ending Ellie’s rampage.
While we initially only know her as Joel’s murderer, The Last of Us Part 2 shows us Abby’s motifs and backstory.
Unlike others, when I played through the game, I found myself drawn more to Abby (the antihero) than the game’s main protagonist, Ellie.
Why I Don’t Hate The Last of Us’ Abby
When we first meet Abby, we are completely unaware of her intentions to kill Joel. This allows us to explore the world freely without apprehension. When she eventually confronts her father’s killer, things become hectic pretty quickly.
While there is some initial strong hate towards the character, playing her side of the story does reflect the old saying: there are two sides to every story.
Joel killed Abby’s father while rescuing Ellie from the Fireflies. Once you’ve completed the game and you sit back and look at the story as a whole, you realise that Ellie and Abby’s journeys are actually very similar.
Both experience a lot of the same heartaches. They both have failed relationships with lovers. They have both lost their fathers in horrible circumstances. And they’re both forced to become ruthless, revenge-hungry people fighting their way for their own justice.
The great thing about playing with Abby in The Last of Us Part 2 is that she realises her flaws before Ellie ever does. She becomes a better person before our eyes when she rescues the Seraphite siblings. We journey with her as she turns against the very people she fought for and decides to make her own path. She starts off as a cold-hearted soldier but evolves into a human. We see her move from anger to tears and laughter.
For Ellie, that journey is much longer. It’s only when she is holding Abby in her hands at the very end that she finally understands that revenge is not the way.
Personally, I found Abby’s journey far more rewarding. In fact, Ellie’s tale is so dark and twisted that you begin to lose hope for her throughout the game. She abandons her friends and becomes something of a monster herself.
Lessons We Learn From Abby & The Last of Us Part 2
Those who are angry about The Last of Us Part 2‘s Abby or Naughty Dog’s decision to include the character and make the character playable have missed the entire point of the game completely:
1. Revenge isn’t worth it.
2. There are two sides to every story.
3. Your enemies might not be as evil as you might believe.
4. There is hope if you set aside your own hurt.
5. There is always light. Even in the darkness.
Will Audiences Hate Abby on The Last of Us TV Show?
Personally, I can’t wait to see Kaitlyn Dever as Abby in season 2 of The Last of Us. Described as “a skilled soldier whose black-and-white view of the world is challenged as she seeks vengeance for those she loved,” she’s about to change the franchise forever. Considering that the show proved to be a massive hit with both critics and audiences, it will be interesting to see if the live-action TV series version of Abby will receive as much hate as The Last of Us video game character.
We can only hope that audiences understand the true reason the writers chose to tell Abby’s backstory.
What are your feelings about The Last of Us Part 2‘s Abby?
