From its very beginning, The Last of Us has built a reputation for delivering heartbreaking and unexpected turns. The story, spanning both a video game series and a hit HBO television adaptation, does not shy away from putting its characters through immense tragedy. Both the original games and the show have featured moments that have left players and viewers stunned. These events range from sudden character deaths to morally complex decisions that change the entire course of the narrative. Here are eleven of the most shocking moments from The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part II.
The Death of Sarah
The opening sequence of the story sets a devastating tone. Players and viewers are introduced to Joel Miller and his daughter, Sarah, on the night the Cordyceps brain infection outbreak begins. The prologue effectively shows Joel as a caring father before culminating in a heartbreaking tragedy. After escaping infected, a soldier who had just saved them turns his rifle on the civilians out of extreme caution. Sarah is killed, a moment that forever changes Joel and establishes the harsh, unforgiving nature of the world.
Riley’s Infection
In the expansion Left Behind, we learn about Ellie’s past with her best friend, Riley. Their story is a brief moment of teenage normalcy before tragedy strikes. After the two share a kiss, both are attacked and infected by a Clicker. This is when Ellie discovers she is immune, but Riley is not. The emotional high of their connection is brutally cut short, and Riley’s ultimate fate—either turning into an infected or being killed by Ellie—is a tragic foundation for Ellie’s character.
Sam and Henry’s Tragic End
During their journey, Joel and Ellie befriend two brothers, Sam and Henry, in Pittsburgh. Their alliance offers a glimpse of hope, but it is short-lived. Sam is bitten on the leg, and the next morning, after he turns into an infected, he attacks Ellie. Henry is forced to shoot his own brother to save her. Overcome with grief and guilt, Henry then immediately turns his gun on himself before Joel can intervene. The abruptness of this double loss is a stark reminder of the cruel reality of this world.
Ellie’s Fight with David
One of the most harrowing scenes occurs when Joel is injured and Ellie is captured by David, the leader of a group of survivors who turn out to be cannibals. Ellie is forced to fight for her life in a brutal struggle. After earlier killing a man to defend Joel, this confrontation pushes her further. She finally kills David by savagely using a machete, a moment that is both stomach-turning and a tragic loss of innocence for the young character.
Joel’s Final Lie
At the end of the first game and season one of the show, Joel makes a decision that defines the rest of the story. Upon learning that creating a cure from Ellie’s immunity would require a fatal surgery, he storms the Firefly hospital, killing many, including Marlene. He then rescues Ellie and lies to her, telling her that there were other immune people and the Fireflies had stopped looking for a cure. This morally questionable choice, made out of paternal love, saves Ellie but damns their relationship and has catastrophic consequences.
The Introduction of the Rat King
The Last of Us Part II introduces a new level of horror with the Rat King. This monster is a terrifying amalgamation of multiple infected that have fused together over years in the Seattle hospital. The creature is incredibly resistant and represents the most gruesome possible outcome of the Cordyceps infection. The intense boss fight against it is a shocking reminder of the grotesque threats that still exist in this world.
Abby’s Introduction and Motive
The second season of the HBO show took a bold step by revealing Abby’s backstory earlier than the game. In the episode “Through the Valley,” Abby explicitly tells Joel that he killed her father during his assault on the Firefly hospital in Salt Lake City. This early revelation provides immediate context for her actions, shifting the narrative perspective and challenging the audience’s loyalties from the outset.
Joel’s Death
Perhaps the most divisive and shocking moment occurs early in The Last of Us Part II and the show’s second season. Just as Joel and Ellie begin to mend their relationship, Abby finds them. In revenge for Joel killing her father, Abby brutally beats Joel to death with a golf club while a helpless Ellie is forced to watch. Killing a main character and fan favorite so early in the story was a daring narrative risk that left many players and viewers stunned and set the entire plot of Part II in motion.
The Sudden Death of Jesse
Roughly halfway through The Last of Us Part II, the suddenness of death is emphasized again with Jesse. In the midst of a tense confrontation at the theater, Jesse bursts through a door to help Ellie and Tommy and is immediately shot in the head by Abby. There is no time to process the event, as the action continues instantly. His death is abrupt and unceremonious, highlighting the randomness of violence in this world.
Abby Sparing Ellie and Dina
After tracking Ellie to the theater, Abby gets her revenge for the death of her friends by killing Jesse and incapacitating Tommy. She then bests Ellie in a fight and discovers that Dina is pregnant. Despite her rage, Abby is convinced by Lev to show mercy. She spares both Ellie and Dina, a decision that contrasts sharply with the cycle of violence and adds complexity to her character.
Ellie Sparing Abby
The final act of The Last of Us Part II sees Ellie abandon a peaceful life with Dina for one last pursuit of Abby in Santa Barbara. When she finally finds a weakened and enslaved Abby, a final brutal fight ensues. Ellie nearly drowns Abby before having a sudden change of heart. She inexplicably lets Abby and Lev go, leaving herself sobbing on a beach. This decision to break the cycle of revenge, after it has cost her everything, is a profoundly shocking and memorable conclusion.
The Season 2 Cliffhanger
The second season of the HBO show ended on a major cliffhanger. After Ellie kills Abby’s friends Owen and Mel, Abby arrives at the theater. She subdues Tommy, kills Jesse, and then points a gun at Ellie, declaring, “I let you live—and you wasted it.” A gunshot is heard, but the scene immediately cuts to black, shifting to “Seattle Day One” from Abby’s perspective. This leaves Ellie’s fate unknown and signals a major narrative shift for the next season.
Series co-creator Craig Mazin explained the bold choice, saying:
“This show is going to be a different show every season, which is a tricky thing to do when you’re a hit show. You keep asking people like, ‘I know you love this, we’re taking it away and giving you this now.’”
He also confirmed that the story will continue, noting, “We haven’t seen the last of Kaitlyn Dever, and we haven’t seen the last of Bella Ramsey.”
Also Read: Pedro Pascal’s Future in The Last of Us Season 3: What We Know So Far
Credits: ScreenRant
