5 Best The Last of Us Characters, Ranked

You are neither a good person nor a bad person; we are all just a weird mix of our actions and what they shape us to be. You’re flawed, but that’s what makes you, you. These flaws are what is often missing in video games, but this is where The Last of Us proves it has some of the best writing and characters in video game history.

Looking back, The Last of Us Part I had more depth to its cast than The Last of Us Part II, even though the time we spent with each character was considerably longer. Part II did a fantastic job at bringing the WLFs alive and I felt the weight of each loss through Abby’s eyes. However, much like my issue with flawless Jesse, there wasn’t enough development for each WLF member. To summarize: Owen got on my nerves, Nora was a boss, Manny was alright, Mel was a pregnant icon, and Jordan had a “bitch scar”. Their flaws seemed restricted to the ugliness that seeped out of them when enacting their revenge on Joel for killing their families and destroying the Fireflies.

Related: 7 Saddest The Last of Us Moments That I’ll Never Forget

Characters like Bill, Tess, and Lev are great side characters that make the protagonist question their role in the world, acting as their conscience throughout the story. They’re just not as fleshed-out as Ellie or Joel. Tommy and Maria are pillars in Joel’s life and quickly become Ellie’s family. They get much-needed development and screen time in Part II and we see selfishness get in the way of their usual rational and diplomatic approach as leaders. Finally, Riley and Sarah are pivotal characters in Ellie and Joel’s backstories, both being the reason for the duo to push forward—survive and endure.

We’ve chosen the five best characters in The Last of Us game series—not based on biases—but by which characters have the most depth.

5) Marlene

What The Last of Us does so well is that neither side is good or bad, but depending on the perspective we’re looking at, our views are always bent towards the playable character. We will always see Joel and Ellie as the protagonists, where anyone who opposes them are the villains. But are we truly playing as the good guys? At least we can all agree that David was a certified wrong’un.

If the roles were swapped around, Joel would appear like an absolute monster through Marlene’s eyes. Knowing the Fireflies would continue to pursue Ellie, Joel decided to take Marlene out, alongside the scientists who could have brought this punishing world of survival to an end. Both characters were right in their views and made a difficult decision that would have massive repercussions for the future, but Marlene’s choice might have saved everyone. We’re meant to side with Joel, but for obvious reasons, Marlene shouldn’t be disliked, as she was willing to sacrifice someone she cared about if it meant that a cure could be made. She (like Joel) removed that choice from Ellie, as she likely didn’t want a child to deal with such an impossible decision.

4) Dina

The thing I love most about Dina is how she’s able to stay so positive in a hopeless world. You could get bitten any day, your rations and ammunition stolen by bandits, or succumb to the elements. Yet Dina remains forever the optimist. Much like how Ellie was in Part I, Dina is curious about a lot of things, and often reminiscences about the past. But she’s equally looking to her future, specifically with Ellie. Dina has moments where she acts on impulse, as if she’s forgotten how dire the situation truly is. This woman was ready to risk breathing in spores so that Ellie wouldn’t. That’s love right there.

The world to Dina is normal, and she’s adjusted to deal with it and be able to find happiness where she can. Dina clearly tries to live life to the fullest and adapt to whatever situation is in front of her. She won’t let the world bring her down. She knows what she wants and won’t let anyone stop her from being happy. In such an unforgiving and cruel place, Dina is kind and a positive influence to Ellie, being the light when darkness engulfs her. While she loves Ellie, she didn’t want to stay cooped up in their home with that gnawing thought that Ellie may never return. The pain of possibly losing her was worse, so she chose to leave and prioritize her son, JJ.

3) Abby

I don’t care what anyone says, I like Abby. She’s an interesting mix of Joel and Ellie’s flaws, being determined, vengeful, and hellbent on avenging her father. But, just like Ellie, Abby learns you don’t find peace from your pain by hurting others. While she goes to the extreme, Abby is hurting throughout Part II. Her story is one we should all relate to as we would all get hit hard by the loss of a family member, especially those taken from us too soon at the hands of another person.

What is so damn good about switching perspectives to the obvious antagonist in Part II is that Ellie is villainized through Abby’s eyes. The roles are reversed, perfectly capturing how neither character is inherently good or bad, but have sadly lost themselves through their grief.

It is through protecting Lev that she learns to love again and find that conscience to do the right thing, even if it’s the hard choice to make. Abby develops as a human being, starting out cold and heartless, to empathetic and protective of those she loves. We saw how her actions (much like Joel’s) had terrible repercussions (the death of her friends). Abby had a caring nature before her father’s death, and deep down, this is who she is; it’s just the pain that has transformed her into a killing machine. Returning to that place is a difficult task to achieve and Abby will probably never be the same again, but she now has to follow in her father’s footsteps in protecting her new family.

2) Joel

Who doesn’t love Joel? Seriously, who? His characterisation is so flawed, human, and real, making him really easy to understand and align with. Joel doesn’t do good things, he’s no hero, or the standard action man protagonist we’re used to seeing shoved in our faces all the time. Joel is a monster. But he’s also a father. A man who has suffered horrendous pain by losing a child and blaming himself for not protecting her, even though he did his absolute best.

“You have no idea was loss is.” Joel’s words and his song in Part II about losing oneself to grief would become a reality for Ellie. Joel is incredibly strong because he chooses to keep going. He didn’t regret his decision at the hospital because he’d rather live in a world where Ellie was still alive. In this instance, Joel finally has control, and he won’t stand by and allow his other daughter to die.

The Last of Us continuously shows us there is no good and evil, right or wrong, just the actions that a human chooses to make. Some decisions are difficult, nearly impossible to make, but Joel continues to carry that burden so no one else does. He knows his time is coming, but in his own way, he repents for his actions by loving and protecting Ellie. He finds his reason to continue living once more and a purpose that can bring back his humility. Joel has so much depth that he puts most other TLOU characters to shame, being an easy man to adore, judge, but never hate.

1) Ellie

Ellie is, in my opinion, the best video game character ever written. You see her as a wholesome, naïve kid in the midst of an apocalypse who finds love and shares joy in the presence of her best friend, Riley. Her life is altered forever when she learns she’s immune at the same time her first love is also infected. This transforms Ellie into a more standoffish character who’s petrified of people getting close to her because they always die. Ellie was scared to be alone and felt safe with Joel.

Her character gains greater depth in Part II as she’s forced to watch her father figure get killed in front of her. This would change anyone, of course, but Ellie seeks revenge to get the closure she sadly missed, as spending time with Joel was no longer possible. Ellie’s way of living was hugely impacted by Riley, who viewed survival as a means to be with each other for however long they could. It could be for as little as one minute, but Ellie would choose to survive so that she could be with her loved ones. But the person she had made plans to forgive was suddenly taken from her because of Abby, and that time they had together was up.

You can see her love for history, the curiosity to explore, and the desire to learn new things. She remains curious about the world, even as it’s falling apart around her. While her progress is hindered by her revenge arc, there is no correct way to mourn. Ellie sought revenge at whatever cost, realizing she lost Dina, her ability to play the guitar, and herself along the way. Where she ends up we don’t know, but Ellie was finally able to take the first step in moving on, showing her strength in a moment where giving up would have been okay.