The Last of Us 2 has been out for nearly a week now, giving fans of Naughty Dog's critically-acclaimed survival-horror franchise plenty of time to play through the game. There was a whopping seven years between the release of the original game and The Last of Us 2, so it's safe to say that many fans may not quite remember some of the key events that connect the two titles together.
The Last of Us 2 follows up on the major plot points of the first game, while also featuring a number of more subtle nods to Ellie and Joel's original adventure. Hardcore fans may have pieced all of these together, but those that haven't played the first game in awhile may not have realized all of the connections.
Here are all the ways The Last of Us 2 connects to the first game.
THIS POST HAS MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE LAST OF US 2.
Ellie's Immunity
In the original Last of Us, Ellie is unique because of her immunity from the Cordyceps fungus that has transformed everyone else into vicious Infected. This means Ellie is able to breathe in the usually-dangerous spores, and she can also withstand bites from Infected without turning. Ellie's immunity is the main reason why she and Joel are traveling across the United States in the original Last of Us, and so it's no surprise that it plays a key role in The Last of Us 2 as well.
Ellie reveals her immunity to Dina early in the game, only for it to be laughed off. However, Dina realizes Ellie is telling the truth when Ellie removes her gas mask in a spore-filled area. Ellie uses her immunity in her fight with Nora to survive in the WLF-controlled hospital as well, and her getting bit in Santa Barbara is partly what convinces one of the Rattlers to give her information on Abby's whereabouts.
Fireflies
One of the main factions depicted in the original Last of Us was the Fireflies, a group of survivors that rebel against the Quarantine Zones that have been established across the country. In the first game, Joel is tasked with delivering Ellie to the Firefly hospital in Salt Lake City so that her immunity can be used to potentially create a cure. When Joel discovers that the procedure will kill Ellie, he goes on a rampage, killing everyone in the hospital so that he can take her to safety.
In the aftermath, the Fireflies have largely disbanded, with many former members joining up with other factions. Former Firefly member Owen hears rumors about the group reforming in California, and hopes to set out in search of them. Unfortunately, Ellie kills Owen before he can see if there was any truth to the rumors, but later Abby and Lev travel to California to search for the Fireflies themselves.
Abby and Lev make radio contact with some Fireflies, confirming that the group is indeed reforming, but the two of them are captured by the villainous Rattlers group. At the end of The Last of Us 2, Abby and Lev leave California on a boat, presumably to seek out the Fireflies that they made contact with earlier. This suggests that the Fireflies will continue to play a major role in The Last of Us franchise moving forward.
Giraffes and Zebras
One of the most famous scenes from the original Last of Us was when Joel and Ellie see a herd of giraffes living in the ruins of Salt Lake City. The Last of Us 2 has a giraffe stuffed animal that players can find, but it also features a scene that somewhat parallels Joel and Ellie's encounter.
In The Last of Us 2, there is a flashback scene set around the time Joel and Ellie arrive at the Firefly hospital in Salt Lake City. It shows Abby and her father, Dr. Jerry Anderson, coming across a zebra wrapped in barbed-wire. Abby, Owen, and Jerry manage to free the zebra and follow it to its newly born foal. This scene has the same feeling of hope that the giraffe scene accomplished in the first game, and similarly, both of these scenes happen not long before Joel's assault on the Firefly hospital.
Joel's Decision
Everything that happens in The Last of Us 2 is a direct result of Joel's decision at the end of the first game. When Joel discovers that Ellie will die when the Fireflies operate on her, he kills everyone in the hospital, including Abby's father, and flees. Joel's decision is the catalyst that causes the Fireflies to disband, and sends Abby, Owen, and some other members of the group to Seattle to join up with an organization called the Washington Liberation Front (WLF) or Wolves.
Years go by before Abby gets a lead on Joel's whereabouts, and then she and her friends hunt him down to get revenge. Abby beats Joel to death with a golf club in front of Ellie, prompting Ellie, Dina, Jesse, and Tommy to set out on their own quest for revenge. Ellie kills almost everyone involved in Joel's death except Abby, and Abby manages to kill Jesse while badly wounding Tommy.
Beyond the brutal cycle of violence instigated by Joel's decision, its impact on his relationship with Ellie is also examined in The Last of Us 2. When Ellie discovers the truth about what happened, it puts incredible strain on her relationship with Joel, though she tries to forgive him.
Left Behind
Naughty Dog expanded on the story of the original Last of Us with the Left Behind expansion, further exploring Ellie's backstory and revealing some key details about her as a character. It was confirmed in the Left Behind expansion through her relationship with Riley that Ellie is in fact gay, and her sexual orientation actually plays a role in the story of The Last of Us 2.
Ellie starts a relationship with Dina at the beginning of The Last of Us 2, with the two of them sharing a kiss at a dance in Jackson. This prompts a local to hurl a homophobic slur at Ellie, though he gets confronted by Joel for his efforts. Ellie lashes out at Joel for getting involved, but the event eventually leads to a conversation between the two of them where they finally address the lingering issues they have from Joel's decision to save Ellie at the end of the first game. This is one of the final scenes in The Last of Us 2, and one of the most emotionally impactful in the entire game.
Left Behind is also referenced by the Halloween decorations that Ellie and Dina come across while exploring Seattle.
These are all the connections between The Last of Us and The Last of Us 2 that we were able to think up, but admittedly, there's a chance that we're forgetting some. It's also possible that just like there are hidden Jak and Daxter easter eggs in The Last of Us 2 that there are some secret references that have yet to be discovered. The more fans have a chance to actually replay the game, the higher chance these potential secret connections will come to light.
Looking ahead, it will be interesting to see how The Last of Us 3 connects to the events of both this game and the original. Perhaps it will feature Abby and Lev, or maybe it will show what happens next in Ellie's story. Considering how long the wait was between the first game and the sequel, it seems unlikely that fans will find out anytime soon.
The Last of Us 2 is out now, exclusively for PlayStation 4.
