Could Ellie’s Brain Actually Make a Cure?

The possibility of Ellie’s brain being the key to a cure for the Cordyceps infection is a topic of much debate, with the answer being that while her brain could have potentially held the key to a cure, it is unlikely that a cure could have been successfully developed from it. The Fireflies’ plan to extract a cure from Ellie’s brain is based on her immunity to the Cordyceps infection, but the complexity of the infection and the limited understanding of immunology in the post-apocalyptic world make it uncertain whether a cure could have been successfully developed.

FAQs About Ellie’s Brain and the Cure

General Questions

1. Could a cure have been made from Ellie?: The chances of creating a cure from Ellie’s brain are low, and it’s uncertain whether the Fireflies could have successfully developed a cure even if they had obtained her brain.
2. Could they have made a vaccine from Ellie?: While Ellie’s immunity could have potentially been used to create a vaccine, it’s unlikely that a vaccine could have been successfully developed, especially given the limited resources and knowledge available in the post-apocalyptic world.
3. Could the Fireflies have actually made a cure?: The likelihood of the Fireflies successfully creating a cure is low, and it’s possible that Ellie’s death would have been in vain even if they had obtained her brain.

Ellie’s Immunity

4. Is Ellie actually immune to the virus?: Ellie’s immunity to the Cordyceps infection is due to the Cordyceps already present in her system, which makes her body think she is already infected and therefore immune to the effects of the infection.
5. Is Ellie the only one immune?: As far as is known, Ellie is the only person to have developed immunity to the Cordyceps infection, making her a unique individual in the post-apocalyptic world.

The Science Behind the Cure

6. Why did Ellie’s blood not heal Sam?: Ellie’s blood did not heal Sam because her immunity is not transferable through blood, and the Cordyceps infection is a complex fungal infection that requires a more comprehensive understanding of immunology to develop a cure.
7. Can Ellie infect others?: It’s unlikely that Ellie can infect others, as her immunity to the Cordyceps infection means that she is not a carrier of the infection in the classical sense.

The Fireflies’ Plan

8. Could they have made a vaccine last of us?: The chances of the Fireflies successfully creating a vaccine are low, and it’s unlikely that they could have developed a vaccine even with Ellie’s brain.
9. Was Ellie’s cure guaranteed?: There is no guarantee that a cure could have been developed from Ellie’s brain, and the Fireflies’ plan to extract a cure from her is based on uncertain science.

Joel’s Decision

10. Why did Joel prevent the cure?: Joel prevented the cure because he wanted to protect Ellie from the Fireflies and their uncertain science, and he was unwilling to risk her life for the possibility of a cure.
11. Would the cure work if Ellie died?: It’s unlikely that a cure could have been developed from Ellie’s brain even if she had died, as the science behind the Cordyceps infection is complex and not fully understood.

Additional Questions

12. Could they have done the surgery without killing Ellie?: It’s possible that the Fireflies could have developed a cure without killing Ellie, but this would have required a more comprehensive understanding of immunology and neurosurgery.
13. Would Ellie have survived the brain surgery?: It’s unlikely that Ellie would have survived the brain surgery, as the Cordyceps infection is a complex fungal infection that requires a more comprehensive understanding of immunology to develop a cure.
14. Did Ellie know Joel lied?: Ellie likely knew that Joel lied to her about the Fireflies and their plan to extract a cure from her brain, but she chose to believe him in order to protect herself from further harm.
15. Can Ellie infect Dina?: It’s unlikely that Ellie can infect Dina, as her immunity to the Cordyceps infection means that she is not a carrier of the infection in the classical sense, and any infection she might pass on would be the same mutated strain that she has, which would not infect Dina.