HBO’s adaptation of Naughty Dog’s hit game, The Last of Us, has exceeded fans’ very high expectations, delivering an impressive balance of straight-from-the-game recreations and original content. The same goes for the show’s characters; some, like ruthless Kansas City resistance leader Kathleen (Melanie Lynskey), were invented for the show, while others, like Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett), were pulled from the game, but given more depth in the series.
As Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) continue their journey West, there’s another character, who’s been mentioned a few times, that viewers are wondering about: Riley (Storm Reid). So, who is Riley in The Last of Us — and what is she like in the game series?
Who Is Riley To Ellie?
In the series pilot, Marlene (Merle Dandridge), the leader of the Boston Quarantine Zone’s (QZ) branch of the Fireflies, mentions Riley during a conversation with Ellie. Held captive by the Fireflies for days after she’s bitten, Ellie doesn’t turn into an Infected, making her valuable to the group’s desire to develop a cure. Ellie clearly has some reservations about the resistance group, but the audience isn’t clued into those reservations. (Of course, they have chained Ellie up in a room, so some amount of disdain isn’t surprising.)
Marlene tries to convince Ellie of her noble intentions — and of the fact that, despite their sometimes-violent methods, the Fireflies are fighting the good fight. Ellie shoots her down, but then Marlene mentions Riley. Ellie has a strong reaction to hearing the young girl’s name. Marlene’s struck a nerve. The audience learns that Riley, whoever she was, knew Ellie well, and that she was a Firefly. Marlene’s argument to Ellie, then, is that not all Fireflies can be bad if Riley was one.
What Is Ellie and Riley's Relationship?
As far as HBO’s The Last of Us is concerned, that’s all the information that’s given about Riley so far. However, Episode 7 is titled “Left Behind,” which is also the subtitle of a piece of downloadable content (DLC) Naughty Dog released to fill in some story gaps in The Last of Us: Part 1. (Unfamiliar with DLC? Think of The Last of Us: Left Behind as a short story or a few additional chapters that didn’t make the final cut of the first game.)
Left Behind, the game, tells two parallel stories. One is set during the time skip portion — between autumn and winter — of The Last of Us: Part 1, during which Joel is injured and Ellie is tasked with finding medical supplies in an abandoned mall in Colorado. The other storyline is set three weeks before the start of The Last of Us: Part 1, and centers on Ellie and Riley, who’s described as Ellie’s best friend, as the two have some fun in an abandoned mall in Boston.
Viewers of the HBO series might recall Ellie referencing the abandoned mall in the Boston QZ; Tess (Anna Torv) asks Ellie about her bite, and Ellie says that’s where she encountered the Infected. When Tess asks Ellie if she was alone, the pause says it all — even if Ellie doesn’t. There was someone exploring the ruined stores with her, and that someone was Riley.
How Old Is Riley In The Last of Us?
In The Last of Us: Left BehindRiley Abel is 16 years old — just two years older than Ellie. At the start of the Cordyceps outbreak, Riley’s father turns into an Infected. After her spore-infected father kills her mother in front of her, Riley is forced to kill him in order to survive. Eventually, she was put into military school along with the other kids living in the Boston QZ. Openly opposed to FEDRA’s military rule, Riley speaks highly of the Fireflies in the game.
Riley In The Last of Us: American Dreams
A prequel to The Last of Us: Left Behind, The Last of Us: American Dreams is a graphic novel that centers on Riley and Ellie, who meet at the FEDRA-run military boarding school in the Boston QZ. When Riley attempts to sneak out, Ellie insists on joining her. While they sidle along FEDRA-patrolled buildings, Riley asks Ellie what she wants to do with her future, only to have Riley say it’s pointless to think about it.
But, to Riley, Ellie’s nihilism plays right into what FEDRA wants. Riley explains that in just a few months she’ll be 16 years old — the age at which she’ll have to choose between becoming a full-fledged FEDRA soldier, or another mistreated member of the QZ’s general population. Her plan? Become a revolutionary by joining the Fireflies, who are bent on toppling FEDRA’s rule.
Long story short, Riley acquires a walkie-talkie and listens in on the chatter to track down the Fireflies. She and a reluctant Ellie are soon cornered by Infected, but a few Fireflies save them. Relieved, Riley thanks the rebels and starts to introduce herself, but the Fireflies are not so welcoming. Marlene, the group’s leader, recognizes Ellie; she knew Ellie’s mother, Anna, and had promised to look out for Ellie. When Riley stubbornly insists on joining the Fireflies’ ranks, Marlene tries to dissuade her by relaying the horrors members of the rebellion have to face. Eventually, Ellie and Riley head back to the boarding school, on Marlene’s orders.
On their way, Ellie suggests she and Riley run away together, but Riley tells her to stop talking; she knows the two of them will never survive outside the QZ. After a heated argument with Ellie, Riley tracks a Firefly back to one of the group’s hideouts only to come face-to-face with Marlene again. The rebel leader asks Riley what took her so long to come back, explaining that their earlier altercation was a test. After her official initiation, Riley earns a Firefly pendant. The only problem? Marlene forbids Riley from ever seeing Ellie again.
What Happens To Riley In The Last of Us: Left Behind?
About six weeks pass between the end of American Dreams to the opening of The Last of Us: Left Behind. Disobeying Marlene’s orders, Riley (voice of Yaani King) sneaks back into the FEDRA boarding school to surprise Ellie (voice of Ashley Johnson), who’s understandably upset that Riley all but vanished for over a month. Riley reveals that she’s become a Firefly, and promises to explain everything if Ellie joins her on one last adventure to an abandoned mall.
During the bulk of Left Behind, Ellie and Riley are just being kids — exploring a carousel, pretending to play arcade games, raiding a Halloween supply store, and making faces in a photo booth. After the two have a water gun fight, Riley shares that she’s been assigned to a Firefly group in another city. Before leaving, she disobeyed Marlene’s order to see Ellie one last time. Although they argue for a bit, Ellie ultimately supports Riley’s decision as she’s wanted this life — and to leave Boston — for a long, long time.
Is Ellie In Love With Riley?
After their water gun fight Ellie reiterates her support for Riley’s decision. “I said it like an asshole but… I totally meant it. You should go,” Ellie says. “This is something that you’ve wanted for… You know, forever, so… Who am I to stop you?” Riley tells her that Ellie is the one person who can stop her from leaving the QZ. Before parting ways, Riley takes Ellie’s Walkman — a nod to how they first met in American Dreams — and plugs it into the sound system in an abandoned store.
After some encouragement, Ellie dances with Riley to Etta James’ rendition of “I Got You Babe.”
Suddenly, Ellie stops dancing and, tearfully, asks Riley to stay. In response, Riley tears off her Firefly pendant; Ellie kisses Riley. It’s clear that Ellie has feelings for Riley — and Riley’s willingness to give up on the Fireflies and stay with Ellie proves that she reciprocates those feelings. In other installments in the franchise, Ellie makes it clear that Riley was the first person she fell in love with.
Does Riley Die In The Last Of Us?
After Ellie and Riley kiss, they hear the sound of Infected — runners who heard their music and swarmed to the store. Although they outrun or kill most of the Infected, the teens are both bitten in the process. Exasperated, Ellie breaks things and, through tears, asks what they should do. Riley tells her they’ve got a few options: they can shoot themselves — the quick and painless way out — or they can fight. “Fight for what?” Ellie asks. “We're gonna turn into one of those things.”
Riley tells Ellie that there are a million ways they could have died, but that it’s important to fight for every second spent with one another. “Whether it’s two minutes. Or two days. We don’t give that up,” Riley says. “I don't want to give that up. My vote. Let’s just wait it out. You know, we can...be all poetic and just lose our minds together.”
The Last of Us: Left Behind ends there, but it’s clear that Riley succumbs to the infection and dies. Ellie, meanwhile, discovers her immunity, which leads into the events of The Last of Us: Part 1. And while the HBO adaptation of The Last of Us has departed from the source material or made some medium-appropriate changes over the course of its run, it’s clear from the Episode 7 previews that much of what’s in Left Behind will inform the show and Storm Reid’s portrayal of Riley.
The Last of Us airs on HBO, and streams on HBO Max, every Sunday at 9 PM EST through March 12, 2023.