The finale to The Last of Us Part 2 is somewhat ambiguous, leaving a few players to wonder about the eventual fates of the main characters without a full explanation of The Last of Us 2's ending. However, some perceptive players have noticed that the menu screen itself gives some insight into where the protagonists may have found themselves by the end of the game.
Looking into the meaning of the menu screens in The Last of Us Part 2 will involve some Major Spoilers about the story and especially the ending. Additionally, the implications connect to The Last of Us and the consequences of its ending and what it means for the characters and factions involved.
To begin, the ending of The Last of Us Part 2 leaves off with Ellie sparing secondary protagonist Abby, and allowing her to escape with Lev in a boat off of the coast of Santa Barbara. While the tense fight that leads to this conclusion is one of the shining moments of the game, there's little to indicate if Abby and Lev are able to survive their journey, or even where they are headed. However, in a segment right before the end, there is a scene where Abby learns about the remnants of the Fireflies and is instructed to head to Catalina Island in order to reunite with her former comrades.
This of course, leads back to the title screen after completing the game and before heading into New Game Plus, where the picture changes from a boat on a foggy dock to a boat on a sandy beach. In the background of that beach shot is a building that Santa Barbara locals might recognize as the Catalina Casino, with the implication that the boat on the shore is Abby and Lev's. So, while the end of Ellie's story is left on a dark note of loss and the price of her revenge, Abby's story comes full circle as she possibly reunites with the Fireflies, as the previous scene suggests.
So, while The Last of Us Part 2 received some unhealthy review bombing on launch, the overarching story delivers on the same type of bittersweet ending that the original established for the series. With some characters earning their redemption and others losing themselves to revenge, getting at least the implication of a happy ending for someone is refreshing after the misery of the rest of the game. Although, keeping in classic The Last of Us style, it might still not be the happy ending for everyone's favorite characters.
The Last of Us Part 2 is available now for PS4.
Source: Gamespot