The Last Of Us: Story - Plot Summary

2023 Author: Sheila Hailey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-26 15:18

The story begins with the young girl Sarah, who is woken up one night in September 2013 by a call from her uncle Tommy. She should get her father Joel on the phone. Still looking drowsy, she searches the house for her father before he finally storms into the house and searches for his revolver. Not without reason, because her seemingly insane neighbor violently gains access shortly afterwards and Joel is forced to shoot him. Without time for many explanations, Joel and Sarah flee from the house where Joel's brother Tommy is just arriving by car to pick them up.

As they drive through the neighborhood and localities, they observe panicked people who seem to be fleeing from something. The outbreak of Cordyceps fungal infection was in full swing that night.

What is the Cordyceps Mushroom? The cause of the apocalypse in the world of The Last of Us is the Ophiocordyceps unilaterlis fungus. The parasitic fungus, which is actually only known from the animal world, settles in the host so that it no longer has control over its own body. In TLOU, this has now also affected humans in a mutated form and the effects are devastating. After only two days, people mutate into infection that can be caused by body fluids or fungal spores to become zombie-like creatures that attack other people. The complete outbreak in 2013 has resulted in 60% of the world's population being killed and since then nothing has been what it used to be.

After an accident with their car, Joel, Sarah and Tommy continue their escape on foot, but shortly afterwards meet soldiers from the military, who are trying to contain the outbreak as quickly as possible. Not sure if Joel and Sarah are already infected, the soldier shoots at them. While Joel suffers only minor injuries, Sarah dies that first night from the effects of her protective injury on her father's arms.

Sarah's death at the beginning of the game creates an emotional start

20 years later: life in the quarantine zone

In 2033, Joel and his partner Tess lived in a quarantine zone in Boston and worked there as smugglers. After a dispute with the arms dealer Robert, in the course of which Tess shoots him, the two learn for the first time from the grouping of Fireflies, to which Robert had sold Tess and Joel's weapons. Shortly afterwards, Marlene, the leader of the Boston Fireflies, appears and offers the two a deal for the failed gun business. If they smuggle something out of the city for them, they would get their weapons and a bonus back.

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As you will find out a little later, this “something” is about the 14-year-old girl Ellie. While Tess and Marlene go to the gun hideout, Joel escorts Ellie to the city limits, where Tess finally joins them again. Here they come across a military patrol that takes them prisoner and tests them for infection. In a panic reaction, Ellie attacks a soldier with her knife and in the process they manage to overpower and kill the soldiers. The reason for Ellie's action becomes immediately clear. She is infected and the test device indicates this, but her bite was three weeks ago at this point and for some reason she appears to be immune. The Fireflies therefore want a remedy with their help develop.

On the way to Jackson

When they arrive at the Fireflies base in Massachusetts a little later, they only find bodies, but no laboratory. It also turns out that Tess was bitten by an infected on her way here. There is no rescue for them and so she gives Joel and Ellie some more time so that they can escape from the military.

After a stopover in Lincoln, where they get a car from Joel's old friend Bill, they plan to go to Jackson, Wyoming. Tommy now lives there and there is said to be another Fireflies base nearby. First, however, they are attacked by a group of looters in Pittsburgh and lose their car. You continue on foot through the city, always hiding from the attackers' watchful eyes.

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Through the time together, Joel and Ellie slowly start to make friends and Joel is constantly trying to protect Ellie. In addition, she should not have to kill people herself, which cannot be avoided in the further course, however, when she saves Joel from the attack of a looter.

On their flight through Pittsburgh, they meet the brothers Henry and Sam. After a few exertions they manage to escape across the Ohio River and for a while they continue to head west. One morning, however, they are surprised by Sam, who attacks Ellie because he had previously been infected. In the tragic course of events, Henry first shoots Sam and then himself. From now on, Ellie and Joel are alone again.

See you again with Tommy

After around 2,000 miles and several months later, they finally arrive in Jackson County and in a closed-off settlement there is a reunion with Joel's brother Tommy. Here he lives with his new wife Maria in an old hydropower plant. Joel suggests Tommy finish the job and take Ellie to the Fireflies, as he knows the area better.

Ellie was far from enthusiastic about this and reproached Joel that their time together had meant nothing and he just wanted to get rid of them. However, Joel was more in control of his fear of loss and he was still marked by the tragic death of his daughter. Ellie was dear to his heart and he wanted to prevent anything from happening to her at all costs, which is why he rated her chances of survival with Tommy as better. However, Ellie only wanted him as her protector and eventually Joel agreed to continue accompanying her.

Arrived at Tommy, Joel's and Ellie's relationship is put to the test

The two of them finally went on horseback to the University of East Colorado, where the Fireflies were supposed to be. They no longer found members of the Fireflies there, but there was a hint of their refuge in Salt Lake City. Before they could leave, however, Joel was seriously injured in the fight with a looter. Ellie managed to get him to safety and treat his injuries. For the coming winter months, however, she had to take care of him and ensure their survival together.

The editions of The Last of Us 2 at a glance

David and the cannibals

One day, while searching for food and medicine for Joel, Ellie meets a mysterious stranger named David. He appears friendly at first, but soon reveals himself and it turns out that many members of his group were killed by Ellie and Joel in the unvisited area of East Colorado. After a perfidious cat-and-mouse game, David finally captures Ellie. When she regains consciousness in captivity, Ellie realizes that David and his group are cannibals who eat human flesh to survive.

Just before Ellie herself becomes a victim, she can free herself and finally kill David in an ultimate showdown. Joel joins her shortly afterwards, who has since recovered from his injuries.

Finale at St. Marys Hospital

At the end of their trip across the United States, Joel and Ellie finally arrive at the Salt Lake City hospital. After being knocked out by suspicious Fireflies in a raging river after a turbulent sequence, he wakes up in the hospital, where there is a reunion with Marlene. He wants to see Ellie to see that she is fine, but she explains that she is already being prepared for the operation.

Her immunity is triggered by a mutated form of the Cordyceps mushroom that had spread over her brain. The Fireflies are hopeful that the mutant fungus can be used to develop a vaccine, but the intervention inevitably leads to the death of Ellie. Joel cannot accept this and decides to get Ellie and flee the hospital with her. During the rescue operation, he does a lot of Fireflies and finally Marlene. Together they can finally escape in a car.

Joel cannot let Ellie die and escapes with her from the Fireflies

When Ellie regains consciousness in the car, Joel lies to her about the events in the hospital. He tells her that many immune people have already been examined there, but the cultivation of a vaccine has been unsuccessful and that Ellie's immunity did not help after they had done a few tests with her.

They returned to Tommy in Jackson and settled here in the settlement with him and Maria. In the final sequence, Ellie asks Joel one last time whether everything he reported about the events in the hospital was true. Joel affirmed this and upheld the lie, which Ellie accepts with a short “Okay”, which ends the story.

Left Behind DLC Story Events

The "Left Behind" DLC takes place three weeks before the first meeting of Ellie and Joel and shows how Ellie was originally bitten by an infected person. As a framework, Ellie's search for medication in an abandoned mall serves as Joel's injuries during the winter months.

The DLC is about the friendship of Riley and Ellie

Ellie remembers how she and her friend Riley explored an abandoned mall. The two put all sorts of jokes on and activate an old sound system to dance to the music. After another sequence in which Ellie kisses Riley, they are surprised by infected people who have been attracted to the music. When they escape, both Riley and Ellie are bitten and almost decide to give each other the ball. However, they want to spend the last hours of their lives together. While Riley falls victim to the infection, Ellie remains immune and since she learned about the Fireflies from Riley, she decides to trust them and finally gets to know Marlene.

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Now you are up to date and can look forward to The Last of Us Part 2, which takes place 5 years after the events of the first part and will be released on June 19, 2019 exclusively for PlayStation 4. What story developments do you hope for from the sequel? Let us know in the comments and share your anticipation.