The Last of Us is a simple story. It's one of reluctant companionship and total reliance as Joel and Ellie go from begrudging allies to father and daughter over the course of a year, trekking across North America in search of hope. They are two of the finest video game personalities of all time, as their complexities and nuances often come to the forefront as they are regularly in tight, tense, or taxing situations. The Last of Us is far more than the sum of its parts, it seems.
Each character has their secrets, however, and while Left Behind digs into Ellie's past somewhat, Joel's life is only explored a little at the beginning of the first game. Sarah is his priority when that story begins, but the absence of one person in the household is evident from the get-go. Little is known about them, but should Ellie return, she could come into contact with one of The Last of Us' most elusive characters to keep Joel on the mind of players, even after the horrific events of the second game.
The Last of Us Has One Unexplored Character
Though The Last of Us is fundamentally about two characters' budding friendship and reliance on each other, there are plenty of others that litter the story. In the first game, their impact may have been fleeting, or they may only have been referred to by name, but most get another chance to make a bigger impact, be it in DLC, a sequel, or the HBO adaptation. The likes of Bill, Riley, and Tommy get more time to be developed since the first game. Rather, one person who is notable in Joel's early life is never mentioned.
The opening of The Last of Us establishes that Joel is raising Sarah alone, and players quickly get to know their relationship and the way they get along. It's the calm before the storm and does well to show Joel's soft side. Still, Sarah's mother was absent and does not factor in the story at all. Sarah's death is a catalyst to push Joel's dejected personality to the forefront, so it's not expected that more context will be given to his pre-apocalyptic life, but the mystery surrounding Sarah's mother is a small yet potentially viable loose end that a new game could follow up on.
Letting Go of Joel Has Been Hard for Everyone
Joel Miller is arguably not a good man. He's a natural dad who is desperate to retain the feeling of fatherhood, so much so that he's willing to doom the rest of the earth to keep Ellie for as long as possible. However, while his flaws are a big part of The Last of Us, players come to love him because the development of his relationship with Ellie is a pleasure to bear witness to. Seeing him meet a brutal end in The Last of Us 2 was one of the toughest narrative moments in gaming, and Ellie is left lost and alone in the pursuit of answers.
The connection between Joel and Ellie could cleverly be at the forefront of the next game if it opts to pull on the thread of Joel's ex-partner. Having Ellie come into contact with her could help her close the door on her past with Joel, and find peace with his passing. The presence of Sarah's mother would present a new, blank slate of a character while also giving the narrative the opportunity to share more stories and context about Joel, a character that the gaming industry just can't seem to let go of.
The Last of Us Part 1 is currently available on PlayStation 5 and will be available for PC on March 28, 2023.
