Interest around The Last of Us has been steady ever since the sequel was released, and doubly so after the confirmation of the HBO TV series. It’s certain that Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsay will bring their own take on Joel and Ellie, but these characters and all of the characters in the series are well developed in the games already.
A great way to analyze how the main characters’ personalities work is through their dialogue. These quotes may vary in context, but they all allude to the way their minds work. Even a single spoken line can reveal the layers behind the characters looking to survive in the zombie apocalypse.
Joel Miller: "I Struggled For A Long Time With Surviving. And No Matter What, You Keep Finding Something To Fight For."
One of the most memorable moments of The Last of Us was in the final scene. Here, Joel realized Ellie was dealing with survivor’s guilt and comforted her the only way he knew how. He told her that he lived knowing he had something to fight for, which couldn’t be more true.
After all, Joel’s original goal was to save Sarah, then it was to endure the zombie world, and then to protect Ellie. Joel was more than willing to kill people to achieve his goal because he had something to live for. He was estranged from Ellie before his death and it’s why he welcomed it, as he just didn’t see the point in surviving.
Abby Anderson: "If It Was Me, I'd Want You To Do The Surgery."
Simultaneously the killer of Joel and the second playable character, Abby is Last of Us’ sympathetic villain of sorts. This line was in a flashback where she convinced her father to take Ellie’s life to extract the cure, claiming she would’ve done the same thing.
It shows how Abby sees the world as she wants to, not how it actually is. She didn’t account for the fact that Ellie didn’t have a choice, and she didn't understand that Joel killing her father was him protecting his surrogate daughter. Abby’s vendetta got her friends killed, but in her mind, she always intended to fight for justice.
Tommy Miller: "I'll Take It To The Grave If I Have To."
Tommy is aggressive and prone to outbursts, but he has always been a trustworthy man. This statement came about when Tommy assured Joel he would keep his secret of killing the Fireflies. Tommy didn’t make judgments of his brother because of his loyalty, and he gave Joel the benefit of the doubt.
His claim of taking it to the grave may sound extreme, but it indicates the lengths Tommy is willing to go to. He became the stuff of nightmares for Abby’s friends in his revenge quest, as Tommy’s loyalty was without question even after Joel died.
Dina: "We Have A Family. She Doesn't Get To Be More Important Than That."
Many fans agree that The Last of Us went too far in the sequel when Ellie even killed a pregnant woman to hunt Abby. The latter nearly took down Ellie’s pregnant girlfriend Dina in retaliation. Dina then made the decision to move on, which Ellie was unable to do.
Dina was the closest character to a moral compass Ellie’s side of the story had. She cared about really living over surviving and vengeance wasn’t something she could ever value. For Dina, family superseded everything, which is what this quote was all about when she pleaded for Ellie to stay in vain.
Marlene: "Maybe It Was Meant To Be."
Reaching the Fireflies was the climax in the original game that led to the most heartbreaking separation in The Last of Us series. Marlene told Joel he was to leave or be killed, as she and her men were about to sacrifice Ellie to extract the cure from her.
She thought it was fate that Joel turned up both when she wanted Ellie protected a year ago and when he unexpectedly delivered her to Marlene. Marlene was the kind of person who was never in control and made things up along the way. She didn’t have it in her to take the initiative, and she always looked for something or someone to be held responsible other than herself.
Tess: "I Will Not Turn Into One Of Those Things."
Tess could be seen as the female version of Joel, in that she was headstrong and stubborn till the end. Tess would rather die than lose control, and that’s exactly how she went out. Although Joel tried to come up with an excuse, Tess defiantly accepted that she was going to die after she was infected.
Tess was inherently brave, she was someone who looked death in the eye before it was her time. Telling Joel she was prepared to die rather than become a zombie, Tess fended off their enemies until she was killed. She may not have resorted to violence like the rest of the world, but Tess still remained true to herself.
Lev: "Only When Weak May I Carry My True Strength."
Levi gave Abby a purpose after her vendetta against Joel was complete. This quote was a way for him to empower Abby, claiming a person is stronger when they’re hurting because they become aware of their flaws. Lev would know best, as he was brought to his lowest point and still got back up.
For Lev, his true strength was his personal character, he realized to accept himself after his mother attempted to kill him. He was ostracized by almost everyone, but it was after things became worse that he found the ability to accept his situation. It ultimately led to Lev convincing Abby to let Ellie live, he encouraged her to overcome her weakness in character to be of strong moral values.
Yara: "I Know Enough."
Yara was wise beyond her years, and a major reason for her maturity was that she didn’t pretend to know everything like others did. She was mainly about acceptance and whatever came along with it, as Yara told Abby she knew as much as she needed to about the things in her life.
Her characterization was mainly connected with Lev’s, with being Yara the only person who accepted him for who he was. She didn’t judge Abby for the mistakes she made because it wasn’t her place to make assumptions. Yara was fine with whatever made a person happy as long as it didn’t hurt anyone else.
Ellie: "After All We've Been Through. Everything That I've Done. It Can't Be For Nothing."
Ellie is someone who carries a lot of optimism because she can’t fathom a world without meaning. Although she became very negative in the second game, Ellie still held out hope that she would find peace even if it didn’t seem possible. These were her words at the end of the first game where she dealt with her survivor’s guilt.
Her rationale for coping was that it was all for something in the end. While it didn’t seem like it really was worth it, Ellie didn’t let herself think her future was doomed because it would mean her journey was for nothing. For Ellie, living such a way just wasn’t possible.