HBO's adaptation of the 2013 game, The Last of Us is a tale of survival in the post-apocalyptic United States. It follows the hardened survivor, Joel Miller who grieves inwardly for failing to save his only child, Sarah on outbreak day i.e. September 23, 2003.
The Last of Us shows a world where the Infected continue to ravage whatever is left of humanity. While Joel (Pedro Pascal) and his cargo-turned-foster-daughter, Ellie (Bella Ramsey) have lost their near and dear ones to either Cordyceps brain infection outbreak or its aftermath, some character deaths are inherently more heartbreaking than others, as seen below.
Warning! Spoilers ahead.
9 Nana
The oldest member in the Adler household and Joel and Sarah Miller's neighbor, Nana falls prey to the Cordyceps brain infection. The Last of Us subtly hints that the fungal infection got to her through contaminated flour and sugary items that she consumed on outbreak day.
After Nana turns into a Runner, Joel acts out of self-defense and bludgeons her using a wrench. She quickly falls to the ground and her death leaves Sarah in a state of shock.
8 Danny Adler
Nana's son-in-law, Danny Adler becomes her first casualty on The Last of Us. She bites him on the shoulder and leaves him to prey on her daughter, Connie.
Sarah finds Danny bleeding and pleading for help when she enters the Adler household. As she inches closer, she sees Nana infecting her daughter. Danny looked after Nana in her old age. He fed her and asked Sarah to pay her visits and therefore witnessing his death is traumatic.
7 Connie Adler
Nana's second prey is her daughter, Connie who spends the day tending to her, and baking cookies. Connie's husband, Danny helplessly watches his wife get bitten, while he bleeds profusely.
After successfully infecting Connie, Nana tries to leap onto Sarah who makes her way out of the Adler household quickly. Since Nana is in the early stage of infection, her attacks are sluggish. Sarah is able to escape her deadly attack, unlike Connie who becomes easy prey.
6 Sam
One of the best characters in The Last of Us, Sam doesn't come out unscathed when a melee breaks out between the KC resistance, the Infected, him, and his brother, Henry. An Infected gets a hold of him and bites him on his leg. This event takes place in The Last of Us season 1, episode 5, "Endure and Survive."
Later, Sam reveals his bite mark to Ellie at an abandoned motel and insists she stay awake with him throughout the night. He's transformed into a Runner by the morning, which is when he leaps onto her. Sam's protective brother, Henry reluctantly shoots him to death leaving Ellie in a state of shock.
5 Henry
Former FEDRA collaborator and big brother to Sam, Henry dies in the most unexpected of ways. He evades the KC resistance manhunt and makes it alive out of an Infected ambush, but in the end, dies by suicide.
Henry saves Ellie's life by shooting Sam in the nick of time. Stricken by shock, and unable to come to terms with the killing, Henry points the gun to his head. He contemplates for a brief second and shoots himself for killing the very brother he was fiercely protective of. His death casts gloom on both Ellie and Joel.
4 ​​​​​​Tess
Joel's smuggling partner, Tess saves him and Ellie from being attacked by the Infected. She is bitten in The Last of Us season 1, episode 2 "Infected" in an abandoned museum. She reveals her bite mark to Joel and Ellie and thereafter, decides to stay back to make a safe passage for them.
Tess is given a kiss of death by an Infected and seconds later, she goes out in a blaze of glory by blowing up the Capitol Building. Tess' sacrifice helps Joel and Ellie escape from the wrath of the Infected and continue their journey.
3 Sarah Miller
Joel's fourteen-year-old daughter, Sarah Miller dies on outbreak day in The Last of Us season 1, episode 1 "When You're Lost in the Darkness." Her death comes as a shock to her father and uncle who watch helplessly as she writhes in pain from a grievous wound.
Sarah is fatally shot in the abdomen by a U.S. soldier who acts at his superior's orders. Joel is never the same after witnessing his child's heartbreaking death in The Last of Us premiere.
2 Bill
Lincoln resident, Bill is a survivalist who is seen in The Last of Us season 1, episode 3 "Long, Long Time." A paranoid man, he's turned his house into a fortress by installing security cameras and fortifying a fence around his town. Bill falls in love with a man named Frank who he lets out of a pit outside his fence.
Years later, Frank is wheelchair-bound and wishes to end his life. On their last day, they marry themselves and Bill honors Frank's request of crushing a poisonous dose of pills into his wine. Unbeknownst to Frank, Bill also drinks spiked wine. The couple shares a last laugh, Bill reveals his truth, and they retire to their bedroom only to never wake up again. Bill's quirky mannerisms and survivalist spirit make his death quite heartbreaking to witness.
1 Frank
Frank makes a loving partner to bill. Though they have their ups and downs, their relationship is one of the very best in The Last of Us. Frank is wheelchair-bound due to an unnamed illness that's affected his movement. He's suffered quite a deal, and he wishes to end his life.
On his last day, Bill cooks Frank the same meal he cooked him on their first day. They drink their spiked wine after which Bill takes him to their bedroom. Their incredible love story ends on a somber note in The Last of Us episode 3.