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Now that filming has wrapped on HBO Max's The Last of Us, there is a lot of hype and excitement circulating the internet as fans are trying their best to get any hints of what's to come. Though it's more likely than not that the show will premiere in 2023, fans are still excited to see beloved characters like Joel depicted by extraordinary actors like Pedro Pascal or the experienced Bella Ramsey as Ellie.
But it isn't just Joel and Ellie that fans are excited to see. As fans on Ranker have proven, there are a lot of characters that fans love from the franchise, and they are certainly intrigued to see Gabriel Luna and Con O'Neill's take on them (or if they will change anything).
Note: Ranker lists are live and continue to accrue votes, so some rankings may have changed after this publishing.
Henry
Surviving the apocalypse isn't easy, and not everyone is going to make it. The Last of Us proves that time and time again. Yet, somehow, each time, it's all the more shocking. Henry was one of the most tragic characters in the original Last of Us. While some consider his death a total waste of a great character, it helped to set the tone of the game in more ways than one.
The death of Sarah proved that humanity's coldness could cause death. Tess proved the danger of the infected. Henry, though, proved that humanity's sense of compassion could prove its own downfall. A loving and devoted brother, as soon as Sam turned, it was the end for Henry, which is an exceptionally painful moment.
Dina
A supportive girlfriend in more ways than one, Dina truly loved Ellie with all her heart and proved it constantly. While she grew increasingly more worried for her with every passing moment in Washington, she still continued to help and support Ellie until her pregnancy meant that she physically couldn't go on.
Every small moment where she shared stories with Ellie or cracked jokes just further proved the depth of her love and further ingrained Dina in the hearts of fans. After all, she loved the character as much as the fans on Ranker do, so it was easy to empathize. To make matters even more tragic, she begged Ellie to stay in relative safety, even up until the moment of the saddest separation in the series as Ellie abandoned them both. Like fans, Dina just wanted Ellie safe, which is why the fans adore her.
Sam
Sam was the little boy who proved that even hardened survivors couldn't necessarily live forever. Ellie's friend and Henry's brother, Sam desperately tried to help keep his fellow survivors alive. Sadly, in the end, he suffered a bite that left him infected.
Sam was one of the first people in the series to truly empathize with the infected. His compassion was boundless, and it's why fans found themselves so grieved by his death. It really seemed like Henry and Sam would stick with Ellie and Joel to the end, but the infected took another good kid too soon, hardening Joel and truly hurting Ellie.
Riley
A character only remembered by vague mentions and a touching DLC, Riley was the first real friend Ellie had, and one who suffered an unbearably tragic end. The Left Behind DLC was a game that didn't initially appear to have the same heavy stakes as the rest of the series. But, once Ellie and Riley were attacked and bitten, the emotions set in.
Fans exposed to Riley through a brick-throwing contest, dancing, and Ellie's first kiss quickly realized how much fun the character was. It made it extra painful when she lost her life in the process, which is why fans latched onto her the way that they did.
Bill
In every apocalypse, there's always going to be a hermit. The gruff Bill happened to be an ally of Tess and Joel, while also serving as a brilliant survivor who certainly knew how to protect a safe house.
Fans immediately latched onto Bill out of a respect for the man's ingenuity. No one in either game lays traps as well as he can, and no one manages to be as much of a grump either. The pain of losing his partner made him sympathetic, while his outwardly hard exterior made him an understandable figure in the midst of dystopia.
Jesse
The most supportive friend in the world, Jessie held a significant leadership position in Jackson. Yet, while he was well aware that he was essential to the town, he still went off to help his friends, because he knew that they needed him too.
A confidant for Dina and a much-needed extra pair of hands for Ellie once Dina fell sick, Jesse proved himself a thousand times over. It's why his death proved to be such a shocking moment, and why fans have come to respect the character as much as they have.
Tess
Joel's original partner and a woman who certainly knew how to get the job done, Tess was even more dedicated to the cause of protecting Ellie than Joel was. Every quote from Tess set up her personality, from her insistence that she would not become infected to her nonchalant takedown of Robert.
But it was her noble desire to protect Joel and Ellie that really set Tess apart. While she could have lied and tried to pretend everything was alright, she acknowledged her infection, acknowledged Ellie's importance, and bought them the time she needed. Without her, Ellie and Joel would never have made it.
Tommy
Few characters in The Last of Us live long enough to go through the kind of character arc that Tommy has. From a respected founder of a community to an injured survivor on the outs with his wife and desperately trying to find a way to avenge his fallen brother, he experiences quite the change.
In his most iconic scene, Tommy nearly kills Abby but doesn't quite get there. It's a story of what could have been, and it's why many fans, who generally dislike Abby, according to the Ranker ratings, have found him so compelling. Tommy fell into the cycle of vengeance just like Ellie did. Unlike her, however, he just couldn't break its hold.
Ellie
The girl that Joel risked his life to save, who tried to give it all up to avenge him, Ellie grew up on the screen. Fans had the chance to watch her turn into a capable young woman, while all of her mistakes and quietest, happiest moments played out before them.
Is it any wonder that fans in Joel's shoes came to adore Ellie? She went up against the worst villains in The Last of Us and came out on top each time and grew from each experience. Her clever nature helped her get out of countless jams, even if they eventually led her down the wrong path entirely.
Joel
The starring protagonist of the first game, Joel wasn't always a hero. Most times, he was stubborn, cold, and defensive. He was also far from selfless, going so far as to give up the chance to save the world, just so he could save his adoptive daughter. But all of Joel's flaws are exactly the reasons fans love him.
He didn't have to be the perfect hero, and he certainly didn't have to be a hero at every moment. Instead, he was a very realistic protagonist who lived and died by being true to himself. He was a man who wasn't willing to lose another child just to save the world, and it was an understandable choice that still sparks considerable debate, nearly a decade later.