Summary
- The Last of Us showrunner confirms a mentioned character from The Last of Us Part 2 will have a bigger role in Season 2.
- Potential options include the Seraphite Prophet and the love interests of Joel and Ellie.
- Season 2 of The Last of Us will also include cut content from the game.
The second season of HBO’s post-apocalyptic video game adaptation The Last of Us is due for release in 2025. The first season excelled at expanding the stories of characters from Naughty Dog’s game that didn’t get much screen time in the source material and if Season 2 is to do the same, there are some characters from The Last of Us: Part 2 that are worth digging into.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly recently, The Last of Us showrunner Neil Druckmann teased that a “prominent character that is talked a lot about in the game” will be a bigger part of the new season. Druckmann likened it to what they did with Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank’s (Murray Bartlett) story in Season 1, which saw the two minor characters from the game receive a decades-long heart-wrenching love story in Episode 3. There’s been no confirmation of who Druckmann is referring to from The Last of Us Part 2, but with the additional news that the second season of the HBO show will expand on cut content from the game, there are some likely candidates for whom this could (and should) be in The Last of Us Season 2.
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Missing The Last of Us Part 2 Characters That Should Be Included In The HBO Series
The Prophet
Of all the characters from The Last of Us Part 2 world that are begging for expansion, one of the most obvious is the Seraphite Prophet. The mysterious woman who started the Seraphites and their spiritual beliefs was only mentioned throughout the game, often appearing in murals around Seattle or referred to in whispers by the Scars, particularly Yara and Lev.
Pieces of the Prophet’s backstory can be gleaned throughout The Last of Us Part 2, but a full backstory episode explaining the character’s history and the beginnings of the Seraphites would be an exciting story for The Last of Us fans to experience. The potential of the role would also no doubt entice some of Hollywood’s biggest talents, which could play into the “cool casting” announcement that Druckmann teased in the interview.
Pieces of the Prophet’s backstory can be gleaned throughout The Last of Us Part 2, but a full backstory episode explaining the character’s history and the beginnings of the Seraphites would be an exciting story for The Last of Us fans to experience.
Cat (Ellie’s ex-girlfriend)
When audiences catch up with Ellie in The Last of Us Part 2 she has spent the last five years living in Jackson with Joel and Tommy. The relatively normal life and community that Jackson offers allowed Ellie to have some normal teenage experiences, including her first girlfriend. Ellie’s ex-girlfriend, Cat, is mentioned throughout Ellie’s journal and in the dialogue between Ellie and Dina. All that’s really known about Cat is that she is an artist who gave Ellie her forearm tattoo. Their relationship also puts a strain on the friendship between Ellie and Dina (who becomes Ellie’s new girlfriend in The Last of Us Part 2).
In one of the cut scenes from The Last of Us Part 2 it was revealed that Cat was once intended to be involved in the Jackson dance sequence, which would allow players to engage in a conversation with her before Ellie and Dina’s kiss at the dance. While it was ultimately cut from the game, the TV series offers a chance to flesh out Ellie and Cat’s relationship more, perhaps re-introducing her part in the dance sequence, or even extending beyond that to show the duo’s relationship in the years between Part 1 and Part 2.
Joel’s Love Interest
Similar to Ellie, Joel also had a love interest while living in Jackson that never made it into the game. The character was never mentioned in The Last of Us Part 2, but writers Druckmann and Halley Gross revealed in a Washington Post interview post the game’s release that there were once plans to introduce Joel’s girlfriend, Esther. According to the writers, Esther lived in a community a few hours away from Joel, and the two had a commuter relationship. Players would have learned about her a few hours into the game when Joel and Ellie were on a mission and found Esther’s building overrun by infected. Joel would then have mercifully killed Esther to end her infection.
While it’s a tragic ending, so many are in the world of The Last of Us, and Esther’s inclusion in Season 2 could provide a way to expand on Joel’s story. If The Last of Us does go the route of including some more backstory-heavy episodes, learning more about Joel and his life in Jackson between the events of the two games – including any romantic prospects – could aid in making his story hit even harder in Season 2.
Eugene
Another wildcard character that The Last of Us might choose to expand on in Season 2 is Eugene. The Jackson resident was one of the patrolmen for the community who became close friends with Dina. Eugene’s history revealed he was once a Firefly alongside Tommy which led to them doing some unspeakable things. After settling in Jackson, Eugene began mentoring Dina in how to repair electronics and he built himself a refuge in the abandoned library along one of the patrol routes. Dina reveals in the game that he died at 73 from a stroke.
Eugene is another character who plates never got to physically meet in the game. Learning more about Eugene and his backstory could offer a window into Tommy’s history while also introducing a character who was an important part of Dina’s life.
The Last of Us Season 2 will be released in April on Max.