The Brutal Truth: Why Abby Killed Joel in The Last of Us Part II
Abby’s vengeful act against Joel in The Last of Us Part II stems directly from his actions at the end of the first game. Joel, driven by his love for Ellie, slaughtered numerous Fireflies, including Abby’s father, Dr. Jerry Anderson, to prevent them from sacrificing Ellie to create a vaccine. Abby, consumed by grief and a burning desire for revenge, meticulously tracked Joel down and brutally murdered him to avenge her father’s death. She felt Joel robbed her and the world of a potential cure, and more personally, he took away her father. This act of vengeance fueled the central conflict of the game, forcing players to confront the cyclical nature of violence and the devastating consequences of revenge.
Understanding Abby’s Motivation: A Deep Dive
Abby’s perspective is crucial to understanding her actions. She witnessed firsthand the dedication and sacrifice her father and the Fireflies made in their desperate attempt to create a vaccine. Joel’s intervention, while motivated by love for Ellie, shattered their hopes and left Abby emotionally scarred. The game deliberately humanizes Abby, showing her relationships, her struggles, and her own acts of kindness, albeit within a morally grey world.
Abby doesn’t see Joel as a hero saving a young girl; she sees him as a murderer who destroyed the possibility of a cure and orphaned her. This fundamental difference in perspective is the core conflict that drives the narrative. Her journey becomes a mirror to Ellie’s, forcing players to grapple with the complexities of justice and the lasting impact of trauma. While Abby doesn’t immediately find peace or satisfaction after killing Joel, the journey she undergoes in the game is a critical part of the broader themes exploring revenge and redemption.
The Cycle of Violence and its Consequences
The killing of Joel serves as a catalyst for the entire narrative of The Last of Us Part II. It sets Ellie on her own path of revenge, mirroring Abby’s initial quest. The game forces players to experience the story from both perspectives, highlighting the devastating consequences of violence on everyone involved. Neither Abby nor Ellie finds lasting peace through their actions, illustrating the futility of revenge and the importance of breaking the cycle.
The developers aimed to challenge players to consider the motivations of all characters, even those who commit terrible acts. Abby’s character is not presented as purely evil, but rather as a complex individual driven by grief and a desire for justice, albeit a warped version of it. This moral ambiguity is a hallmark of the series and a key element in its enduring appeal. The game’s narrative choices are deliberately uncomfortable, forcing players to confront their own biases and consider the perspectives of those they might otherwise demonize. This narrative approach highlights key points as discussed at Games Learning Society.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Abby and Joel
Here are some frequently asked questions about Abby’s actions and the related themes within The Last of Us Part II, providing further insight and clarification:
1. Is Abby sorry for killing Joel?
While Abby doesn’t express explicit regret in the immediate aftermath, her experiences throughout the game suggest a growing awareness of the destructive nature of her revenge. She witnesses the toll her actions take on herself and her friends, particularly Owen and Mel. It becomes increasingly clear that the act didn’t bring her the closure she sought.
2. Why did they kill off Joel in The Last of Us Part II?
Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann felt that Joel’s arc was complete after the first game. His death was a crucial narrative device to explore the themes of revenge and the cycle of violence. Joel’s death serves as a catalyst for Ellie’s journey and allows the game to explore the consequences of Joel’s actions in the first game from a different perspective.
3. Why did Ellie spare Abby at the end?
Ellie’s decision to spare Abby is a culmination of her own journey of self-discovery. In the final moments, she remembers Joel and realizes that killing Abby won’t bring him back or honor his memory. Instead, it would perpetuate the cycle of violence that has already caused so much suffering. Allowing Abby to live represents Ellie’s attempt to finally let go of her need for revenge.
4. Why was Ellie mad at Joel for saving her?
Ellie’s anger towards Joel stems from the fact that he robbed her of the agency to choose her own fate. She believed her life could have had greater meaning by sacrificing herself for a vaccine. Joel’s choice denied her that potential and left her feeling as though her life didn’t matter.
5. What was Joel stabbed with in The Last of Us Part II?
Joel was beaten and eventually killed with a golf club. The narrative choice to have Joel killed so brutally was a conscious decision to emphasize the visceral and brutal nature of revenge.
6. How is Joel not infected in The Last of Us?
The game suggests that Joel, Sarah, and Tommy avoided the early spread of the cordyceps infection by avoiding foods tainted with contaminated flour or sugar.
7. What sickness did Joel have in The Last of Us?
Joel takes medication for anxiety, gastric ulcers, and high blood pressure, suggesting he suffered from these conditions even before the apocalypse. These likely stem from the stress of his past traumas and the harsh realities of survival.
8. Is Abby stronger than Joel?
In a hand-to-hand fight, Abby is demonstrably stronger than Joel. This is visually represented in the game and contributes to the feeling of helplessness during Joel’s death scene. In a gunfight, however, Joel’s experience and ruthlessness would likely give him the edge.
9. Did Joel shoot Abby’s dad?
Yes, the surgeon at the end of The Last of Us, Dr. Jerry Anderson, who Joel kills, is Abby’s father. This is the central motivation for Abby’s revenge.
10. Who does Abby hate more, Joel or Ellie?
Abby initially directs her hatred solely at Joel for killing her father. However, as the narrative progresses, the conflict between Abby and Ellie intensifies, and their hatred becomes mutual and complex. It evolves beyond a simple desire for revenge and delves into a personal conflict born of shared trauma and loss.
11. Did Abby bite Ellie’s fingers off?
Yes, during their fight, Abby bites off two of Ellie’s fingers. This adds to the brutality of their confrontation and has a lasting impact on Ellie’s ability to play the guitar, a gift from Joel.
12. Why does Abby get a ‘happy’ ending?
Whether Abby’s ending is truly “happy” is debatable. She and Lev escape the Rattlers and sail away, but their future is uncertain. The game doesn’t offer easy resolutions, but it does offer the possibility of redemption and a chance to rebuild.
13. Does Abby kill Tommy?
Abby shoots Tommy, but he survives, albeit with significant injuries.
14. How did Joel survive the bite from the clicker?
Ellie finds medicine and supplies to help Joel recover after he gets bitten in the first game. His survival is largely due to Ellie’s care and his own resilience.
15. Could Joel have survived being impaled?
While medically improbable, Joel’s survival after being impaled wasn’t impossible. The game leaves some ambiguity regarding the specific extent of his injuries and relies on the player’s suspension of disbelief. It’s safe to assume that the injury was severe, and his ultimate death in the sequel was hastened due to it.
In conclusion, Abby’s killing of Joel is a direct consequence of his actions in The Last of Us. It’s an act of revenge fueled by grief and a desire for justice. This act ignites a cycle of violence, forcing players to confront the moral complexities of survival and the devastating consequences of revenge. The Last of Us Part II doesn’t offer easy answers but prompts profound reflection on the human condition and the choices we make in the face of unimaginable loss. For further exploration of themes in video games, check out GamesLearningSociety.org.