Naughty Dog's The Last of Us 2 has proven to be one of the most controversial gaming experiences in recent memory. That's not reflective of its quality, however, as critics have praised and lauded the game which has gone on to become the most awarded title of all time.
While the leaked death of Joel leading up to the launch of the game was the root cause of controversies surrounding the game, others started forming selective opinions about the two protagonists of the game: Ellie and Abby. It's certainly great to see fans feeling incredibly attached to these well-written characters, but being exclusive to either of these characters doesn't really resonate with the themes that the narrative tries to touch on.
There Is No Team Abby Or Ellie In The Last of Us 2
Unlike many other video games, The Last of Us 2's world is seldom ruled by one's moral standards of what's right or wrong, but rather the circumstances and choices presented by the situation. The post-apocalypse is brutal in the truest sense, and witnessing governments and humanity fall apart is commonplace. Nature once again reigns supreme, making it extremely hard for humans to survive. People are forced to fight tough battles, both against themselves and others, to survive and spend time with the ones they love so dearly.
This also directly applies to Ellie and Abby, who are incredibly similar to each other. Their motivations to pursue their quests for revenge and subsequent redemption might seem justified in their own rights, but every selfish decision they make has huge implications. Ellie wants to believe that whatever Joel did was ultimately for her own good, but even she is facing survivor guilt from not being given a choice to give her life for the greater cause. In a similar vein, Abby thinks it righteous to murder Joel brutally for his wrongs, even though he is the one who saves her from death mere moments before.
The relentless pursuit of exacting this revenge affects both of their lives significantly, costing the lives of many others who might have deserved better. By the time it dawns on either Ellie or Abby, there is nothing but death and destruction all around. Both might seek redemption then, but risk losing others who have stood by them in yet another seemingly selfish pursuit. Ellie forgoes a peaceful life with her love Dina, while Abby severs her ties with the WLF and subsequently kills many of those she once fought alongside.
The ends to their journeys might be different, but the road that takes them there is the same. Neither of the decisions taken by the two protagonists is outright justified, nor can they be entirely ridiculed. Naughty Dog has created an incredibly detailed and richly realized post-apocalypse where moral ambiguity lies at the epicenter. How circumstances and a shattered state of mind dictate decisions is a central theme, and siding with one character over another after walking almost equally in each's shoes goes against the very purpose of it all.
The Last of Us 2 is available now on PS4.