Summary
One of Naughty Dog’s biggest strengths has always been its characters. Whether it’s wise-cracking adventurers likeUncharted’s Nathan Drake, or lovable mascots like Crash Bandicoot and Jak and Daxter, Naughty Dog’s games have all put their characters at the forefront of the experience, and that’s never been more true than withThe Last of Us. Taking the developer to new heights,The Last of Usfeatures some of the most rich and fleshed-out characters in gaming, and its sequel only takes things further, introducing even more complex themes and relationships to the series.
Being a TV show, HBO’sThe Last of Uswas able to focus almost solely on the series' characters and their interweaving relationships. HBO’sThe Last of Usdedicated a lot of screen time to providing additional context to these beloved gaming characters, and in the process ended up creating versions that felt even more realistic and three-dimensional than those in Naughty Dog’s games. It seems likely thatThe Last of UsSeason 2will strive to do exactly the same for the second game’s characters, though there are even more that the show absolutely needs to get right.
RELATED:The Last Of Us Season 2 Filming Still Has One Big Challenge In The Way
Game Characters That The Last of Us Season 2 Needs to Use - Abby
Obviously an integral aspect ofThe Last of Us Part 2, there’snoLast of UsSeason 2 without Abby, whether some fans like it or not. Though HBO’sLast of Usshowrunners have remained pretty quiet on what will carry over from the game to the show’s second season, Abby has been confirmed to appear in the show, though her casting is still being heavily speculated on. It’s absolutely vital thatThe Last of UsSeason 2 gets Abby right and gives her enough screen time, regardless of what some fans might still think about her character all these years later.
Game Characters That The Last of Us Season 2 Needs to Use - Lev
Another absolutely necessary addition toThe Last of UsSeason 2 is Lev, a former Seraphite that becomes close friends with Abby during the course of the second game. As well as being an excellent character in their own right, Lev’s dynamic with Abby is an integral aspect ofThe Last of Us Part 2’s story and themes, essentially acting as a foil to Joel and Ellie’s relationship in the first game and being a core part of Abby’s redemption arc.
Game Characters That The Last of Us Season 2 Needs to Use - Dina
Switching over to Ellie’s side of the story, Dina is an absolute must-have inThe Last of Us' second season. While Dina is a driving force behind a lot ofThe Last of Us Part 2’s major story moments, she’s also a vital player in Ellie’s own character arc. Without Dina, Ellie’s mission for vengeance wouldn’t hold nearly as much emotional weight. Unfortunately, Ellie’s journey for revenge needs consequences, and that’s where Dina comes in.
Game Characters That The Last of Us Season 2 Needs to Use - Jesse
Though he doesn’t have much screen time inThe Last of Us Part 2, Jesse is the subject of one of the game’s most shocking sequences, a sequence that simply needs to be seen inThe Last of UsSeason 2. Jesse’s one of the few characters that HBO could actually go a long way in fleshing out, which would make his eventual journey’s end feel even more emotional and shocking for those who don’t know it’s coming.
Game Characters That The Last of Us Season 2 Needs to Use - Isaac
Widely regarded as one of the few wasted characters inThe Last of Us Part 2, theWLF’s leader Isaacshould play an even bigger role inThe Last of Us' second season. As well as more scenes in which he interacts with Abby, it might be interesting to see Isaac’s whole backstory play out over the course of one episode solely dedicated to it, showing the uprising in Seattle against FEDRA and his eventual rise to power as the leader of the WLF.
HBO could even get Jeffrey Wright back to play Isaac in the show’s second season.
