Categories
The Last Of Us (SPOILERS. STAY THE FUCK OUT IF YOU DON'T WANT THE GAME RUINED.)
Episode
Posts: 32,049 destroyer of motherfuckers
So this is the game everyone's been talking about on here, seems like a good amount of us are playing it, and since this game's story and emotion are better than 99% of movies, I feel it deserves it's own thread. Game's a fucking masterpiece.
To start off, how we feeling about the ending?
I didn't see that shit coming at all. I thought a few different things might happen.
- Joel gets infected and Ellie has to kill him.
-Ellie dies before getting to the Fireflies.
-When they said it was like a growth or whatever in her brain that kept her immune, I thought that might eventually make her turn.
-Most likely, I thought Joel might let the surgery happen to cure mankind, but would kill himself afterwards, having nothing left to live for. Lost his daughter, Tess, and after loving and caring for her, Ellie.
-Also thought Ellie would figure out he's lying, and go back to get the surgery done.
How it actually ended was everything I DIDN'T expect. And what Naughty Dog themselves said was spot on. They said anyone who wasn't a parent would be 50/50 on what Joel did, and that's exactly how I am, I'm torn. On one hand, I do understand that he adopted that fatherly love for her and basically saw her as his daughter after Sarah was gone, and parents will do anything to protect their kids. I put me in Ellie's shoes and my Mom in Joel's shoes, and know she'd do the exact same thing. Let the world burn to save me and let me live, even if it's living in such a terrible and destroyed world.
On the other hand, I feel it was selfish and that he should have manned up and went through wit it, whether or not he kills himself after it or chooses to live to see the world rebuild. Like Marlene said, he KNEW it's what Ellie would have chosen, and she proved that herself in the closing scene. So ultimately, he did it for himself and for himself only, because of his own selfish affection. On the flip side of the same coin, I liked it because he was cold throughout the entire game, actually a straight asshole that I didn't like. Although, understandably so, you'll turn cold after losing so much, but nonetheless. I actually didn't like the character I played as, but his decisions at the end showed how drastically he evolved, regained a heart. It was prolly the best character development I've ever seen in a game.
That all being said, I hope there ain't a sequel. The story ended too perfectly and I can't think of a single way they could continue it to where it wouldn't ruin what the game already established. I love the game and gameplay, and I want another game, but not a continuation of Joel and Ellie. Maybe something involving another survivor(s) in the same world and timeframe, in a different part of the US, or even in another country.
Anyways, add your thoughts.
To start off, how we feeling about the ending?
I didn't see that shit coming at all. I thought a few different things might happen.
- Joel gets infected and Ellie has to kill him.
-Ellie dies before getting to the Fireflies.
-When they said it was like a growth or whatever in her brain that kept her immune, I thought that might eventually make her turn.
-Most likely, I thought Joel might let the surgery happen to cure mankind, but would kill himself afterwards, having nothing left to live for. Lost his daughter, Tess, and after loving and caring for her, Ellie.
-Also thought Ellie would figure out he's lying, and go back to get the surgery done.
How it actually ended was everything I DIDN'T expect. And what Naughty Dog themselves said was spot on. They said anyone who wasn't a parent would be 50/50 on what Joel did, and that's exactly how I am, I'm torn. On one hand, I do understand that he adopted that fatherly love for her and basically saw her as his daughter after Sarah was gone, and parents will do anything to protect their kids. I put me in Ellie's shoes and my Mom in Joel's shoes, and know she'd do the exact same thing. Let the world burn to save me and let me live, even if it's living in such a terrible and destroyed world.
On the other hand, I feel it was selfish and that he should have manned up and went through wit it, whether or not he kills himself after it or chooses to live to see the world rebuild. Like Marlene said, he KNEW it's what Ellie would have chosen, and she proved that herself in the closing scene. So ultimately, he did it for himself and for himself only, because of his own selfish affection. On the flip side of the same coin, I liked it because he was cold throughout the entire game, actually a straight asshole that I didn't like. Although, understandably so, you'll turn cold after losing so much, but nonetheless. I actually didn't like the character I played as, but his decisions at the end showed how drastically he evolved, regained a heart. It was prolly the best character development I've ever seen in a game.
That all being said, I hope there ain't a sequel. The story ended too perfectly and I can't think of a single way they could continue it to where it wouldn't ruin what the game already established. I love the game and gameplay, and I want another game, but not a continuation of Joel and Ellie. Maybe something involving another survivor(s) in the same world and timeframe, in a different part of the US, or even in another country.
Anyways, add your thoughts.
Comments
Now I dont have to.
However, it's just a vaccine, not a cure. The people that are already infected will stay infected no matter what. Do we even know what the fireflies would do if they were successful and got a vaccine out of that? How would it even be distributed? Humanity is destroyed, a vaccine would just cause more murder. Through Joel and Ellie's journey; they encountered not only infected, but other humans as well. The humans proved to be unpredictable and most of the time violent toward one another. Hell, we had people forming into gangs and killing, robbing, and raping anyone they saw because they could. Like Bill said, the humans scare him more than the infected because the infected are predictable.
Now I thought the ending was a perfect way to end the game. Not a fairy tale ending, but a realistic one. Before meeting up with the Fireflies, Ellie and Joel have a talk about just going back to Tommy's and living life together. Ellie says that they've gone too far to go back now and that she's ready to do this. Does she think that she's going to die, maybe so? But an argument that can be given is that they both talk about Joel teaching her how to swim, and play guitar after they're done at the hospital.
Here is the interesting part, the hospital. The Fireflies never gave Ellie an actual choice as to if she wanted to have the surgery done that will kill her to save the remanding lives that's left. The Fireflies also wouldn't let Joel see Ellie one last time (Which if he did, the same results would probably happen). Ellie was the only thing Joel had to keep fighting for, so if she was dead then what would life mean to Joel? He even says in the epilogue, "No matter what, you keep finding something to fight for." Even goes to holding and looking at his watch, (The gift Sarah gave to him on his birthday) which symbolizes that Ellie is what's keeping him alive. Joel couldn't bare to lose two daughters if you want to say it like that.
If one were to listen to the audio tapes and find Marlene's writings you would find out that, Marlene took care of Ellie and made a promise to her mother to look after her. She cared for Ellie too, and didn't want to kill her, but in her mind she thought it was the right thing. Also, you would learn that Ellie isn't the only person immune to the virus and that other children like her were tested on, but they couldn't get a vaccine out of them. Who's to say that they could get one out of Ellie as well? There is a big chance that she would have died for nothing. Joel's killing Marlene was justified also, she would have just came looking for them like he said.
We learn throughout the game that Ellie isn't dumb. She knew right when Joel told her about what happened at the hospital that he was lying. Maybe she would have went along with the sacrificing herself anyway. She still has the survivors guilt; which is why she was telling Joel about what happened when she and her best friend got bit. Ellie has too lost people close to her, Riley, Tess, and Sam. The ending lines where Ellie tells Joel to swear to her that what he said about the Fireflies is true is basically her wanting Joel to lie to her again. Throughout the game you learn that Ellie does not like to be alone and Joel was always there for her. Joel needed her and she needed Joel. For him to lie to her again, is for her to be positive that Joel needs her in the same way that she needs him. Which is why she accepts his "swear", shakes her head, says, "ok" and they go on and live the rest of their lives together. Their journey is now over. Joel was never made to be a hero, he's just human.