It's been a little over a year since Naughty Dog released The Last of Us 2 to widespread critical acclaim, but while the game earned strong reviews from critics, it wasn't without its controversy. One of the most divisive aspects of The Last of Us 2 was the decision to have players control Abby for a significant portion of the game, especially due to some of the actions Abby takes when players first meet the character. A year later, WWE star Shayna Baszler has thrown her support behind Abby, claiming to be "Team Abby" on Twitter, expectedly garnering a mixed response from her followers on the platform.
Note: In order to properly discuss the controversy surrounding Abby, it's necessary for this article to get into Last of Us spoilers. Proceed with caution.
Some of the responses on Twitter are supportive of Baszler being on Team Abby, whereas others have declared themselves to be Team Ellie. It's an argument that's been raging since The Last of Us 2 first launched last year, but there are a surprising number of replies that seem to be on Team Abby, showing perhaps a general change in how the public views the characters and events of The Last of Us 2.
The reason why so many people are vehemently against the Abby character in The Last of Us 2 is because she brutally murders Joel at the beginning of the game. Abby killing Joel is easily one of the most shocking moments in the Last of Us games, and since Joel was such a fan favorite character, many were understandably upset about his death. Forcing players to play through about half the game as Abby seemed to further cement their dislike for the character.
Twitter user Richard Haylor is one fan who found Naughty Dog's decision to make The Last of Us 2 players play as Abby a "bold and brilliant move" as it forced players to "look at the other side." This tweet prompted a response from Baszler, who offered yet another controversial opinion. Baszler believes that The Last of Us 2 actually makes people play as the villain first, implying Ellie is the real villain of the game. "And I think that is brilliant," she added.
Shayna Baszler wasn't the only WWE star who offered a controversial statement on The Last of Us 2 on the game's 1 year anniversary. Fellow WWE wrestler Dakota Kai also chimed in, saying no one should call Abby a villain without also "calling Joel and Ellie villains" as well. As one might expect, Kai's comments also generated quite varied reactions from the community.
While The Last of Us 2 remains a controversial game, there's no taking away from its success. The Last of Us 2 has more Game of the Year awards than any other game in history and sold millions of copies. A Last of Us HBO series is in the works, and Naughty Dog reportedly has an outline for The Last of Us 3, not to mention a potential Last of Us 2 multiplayer game and a remake of the first game in the works. Fans of the franchise should have a lot to look forward to in the years ahead.
The Last of Us 2 is out now, exclusively for PS4.
