HBO's adaptation of the 2013 game The Last of Us places prime importance on the human instinct for survival. It shows the lead characters, Joel Miller and Ellie's deep-seated desire to bring back some semblance into a world that was ravaged by the Cordyceps brain infection.
Ellie is immune to the Cordyceps infection and therefore is potentially important in creating its cure. Joel, on the other hand, fosters a relationship with her based on trust and shaped by their past traumas. Besides Ellie and Joel, The Last of Us is home to many more meaningful loving relationships, as featured below.
10 Danny And Connie Adler
Danny and Connie Adler are Joel and Sarah's friendly neighbors in Austin, Texas. They are among the first few casualties of the Cordyceps outbreak on The Last of Us. Connie's mother, Nana, who is wheelchair bound also lives in the Adler household. The couple tends to her, takes her to the hospital, and feeds her biscuits and some such.
The Adlers fill their home with love and that's why Sarah often visits them and Nana. Unfortunately, Danny is the first one to fall prey to Nana's attack, followed by his wife, Connie. They are infected one after the other with a bite to their neck. In their final moments, Danny and Connie turn into one of the infected types, i.e, Runners, and charge at Tommy's truck.
9 Kathleen And Perry
Melanie Lynskey's Kathleen serves as the ruthless leader of the Kansas City resistance and Perry is her right-hand man. Even though they aren't always on the same page, he obeys her commands, nonetheless.
Kathleen, aided by Perry and their group successfully depose FEDRA's rule in Kansas City, and install their own. Following this, they launch a manhunt for a man named Henry who played a part in capturing Kathleen's brother to FEDRA. Perry always does the right thing by Kathleen and in the end, sacrifices himself to a Bloater thereby letting Kathleen escape the danger.
8 Kathleen And Michael
Kathleen turns into a bloodthirsty resistance leader to seek vengeance for her brother, Michael's death. In The Last of Us season 1, episode 5 "Endure and Survive," she tells Perry that she was fearful as a child and would have nightmares often. Her brother Michael helped her feel better by teaching her to imagine their room was a box secure from the dangers of the outside world.
Kathleen and Michael shared a close bond with one another. She was inspired by his actions and his vision and never the same after he was unjustly executed by the atrocious FEDRA.
7 Henry And Sam
Henry and his younger brother, Sam are ripped apart, like everything else, by the Cordyceps outbreak on The Last of Us. Henry turns into a collaborator to save his brother's life and ends up trading Michael's information to FEDRA in exchange for a rare Leukemia drug.
Henry battles with the guilt of Michael's death, and he knows he has wronged him and his sister both, but ultimately he makes the choice because his brother's life means more to him. Henry is a protective, loving, and caring brother to the eight-year-old Sam, and he watches over him as fiercely as a parent would.
6 Joel And Tommy Miller
The Miller brother shared a close bond before the events of the Cordyceps outbreak. They worked as contractors, and continually looked out for one another in the work arena.
Tommy often ate at Joel's place, and he was close to his niece, Sarah. He saved Joel from being executed on the outbreak day and the two brothers lived together in the Boston QZ until Tommy left it to join the Fireflies. Joel and Tommy reunited in The Last of Us season 1, episode 6, "Kin." They worked out their differences by the end of the episode and bid warm goodbyes to each other.
5 Tommy And Maria
After leaving the Fireflies, Tommy makes it to Wyoming and ends up meeting a former assistant district attorney named Maria. She welcomes him into her peaceful Jackson settlement and the two fall in love. He confided the dark truths about his past to her, telling her everything he and Joel did to survive.
Tommy and Maria get married and as of The Last of Us episode 6, she is a few months along. They've created a meaningful life at Jackson, and they share a common vision for the future. Both of them want to see a better world for their child and future generations.
4 Joel And Tess
Joel and his long-time smuggling partner, Tess lived together in the Boston QZ. They were both hardened survivors and Tess wasn't particularly proud of the things she and Joel did to survive. She owned up to their acts and ultimately sought her redemption through Ellie.
In The Last of Us season 1, episode 2 "Infected," the bitten Tess sacrificed herself to make a safe passageway for Joel and Ellie. She set fire to the Capitol Building and annihilated herself and a hoard of infected just so Joel could escape with Ellie and safely deliver her to Bill and Frank's.
3 Bill And Frank
Joel and Tess' smuggling partners, and a couple, Bill and Frank appear in The Last of Us season 1, episode 3, "Long, Long Time." Bill, the survivalist, discovers Frank in the pit trap outside his fence. He lets him out and reluctantly agrees to let him into his home for a meal. They share a moment at the piano, embracing each other following which Frank stays permanently.
Bill and Frank build a beautiful life together over the years. They have their arguments like any normal couple does, but in the end, manage their differences well. Their love story ends on a heartbreaking note when Bill honors Frank's wish to end his life before his terminal disease completely takes over him. They get married, share a last meal, and unbeknownst to Frank, Bill too drinks spiked-up wine.
2 Joel And Sarah
Joel's daughter, Sarah has some of the most profound and heartbreaking quotes on The Last of Us. She is wise beyond her years, and she continually looks out for her father.
The fourteen-year-old, Sarah tragically dies on the outbreak day, leaving her dad in a deep state of shock. Sarah and Joel are a tiny family unit. They deeply care for one another and share a meaningful relationship. Sarah is fatally shot by a U.S. soldier while Joel helplessly watches her bleed to her death. Her death hardens Joel to an irrevocable extent, that is of course until Ellie arrives in his life.
1 Joel And Ellie
Joel and the sarcastic and funny, Ellie begin their The Last of Us journey deeply mistrustful of each other. Ellie attacks him with her knife and Joel is quick to knock her to the ground. Things change when Marlene makes Joel an offer and entrusts him to smuggle Ellie to the Fireflies. Their attempts to make small talk are hard to witness at first, especially because Ellie is a quick-witted fourteen-year-old and years of trauma have hardened Joel.
After Tess' death, Joel and Ellie gradually warm up to each other. He softens further after reading Bill's heartfelt letter. Their bond is rare and real, and Ellie becomes his foster daughter.