What makes The Last of Us such a unique gaming experience is how everyone has their own individual story. The characters in The Last of Us are all so human, and even in the notes and artifacts left behind by characters players will never meet, there is such intrigue in their lives.
There’s greatness in discovering notes and letters left behind in The Last of Us’ collectibles. The deep lore of The Last of Us holds some great characters that players would love to hear or see more from, considering the interest in their stories from what has been read in the lore.
7 Eva
During the Pittsburgh chapter, players can find Mother’s letter, which will detail events that relate to the fall of Pittsburgh’s FEDRA quarantine zone. The letter explains how Eva was a mother to a son born before the outbreak, and that he joined a group of rebels to try and overthrow the corrupt military. However, her son was executed for being a rebel and a traitor.
Eva was heartbroken by her son’s murder and vowed to join the rebels and fight FEDRA herself. It’s unknown just how many FEDRA soldiers Eva killed, but if the location of her note is any indication, it could be a lot. Eva is very interesting, for the fact that her fate is unknown, and the death of her son turned her into a hardened killer of revenge.
6 Frank
The only time that players see Frank in The Last of Us is when Joel and Bill find a corpse hanging from the ceiling in Bill’s Town. Frank was Bill’s partner, which leaves Bill distraught to find him dead, with infected bites. However, Frank left Bill a crude note to remember him by, as well as being with the stolen car battery from the school.
It’s a shame audiences never got to see the relationship between Bill and Frank, as their chemistry could have been great. It’s already known that HBO’s The Last of Us will explore Frank’s character, so the interest in his being could be scratched thanks to the show.
5 Private Atwater
The relationship between survivors and the military has always been rocky since the start of The Last of Us. However, one character in the lore, in particular, is notable for this relationship. Private Atwater was an inexperienced soldier working for FEDRA and one that was patrolling the Boston area for the United States military.
Players will find the Field ops log near Atwater’s desecrated and bloody body during The Outskirts chapter. The log explains that this private and some other soldiers were killed by the infected, begging the question of how even the armored military struggles with the infected.
4 Louis
One of the first mysteries in The Last of Us is on outbreak day, in which Joel, Tommy and Sarah watch as Louis’ farmhouse helplessly burns down. Players only hear of Louis from Tommy, showing that the Millers are on friendly terms with him. Not much is known about his fate, meaning Louis could well have survived his farmhouse burning down.
It begs the question of why the farmhouse was burning and makes an interesting case for Louis as a character that may show up in the future. Perhaps he burned down his farmhouse for his safety, as there was infection inside? Only Naughty Dog knows.
3 Joe Warren
There are a few things that make Joe Warren an interesting character. One is that he is the only bloater in the game that drops something when killed. Two is the fact that what Joe Warren drops upon his death, is his Firefly pendant, showing to the audience and Joel that this bloater had a name once upon a time.
Joe Warren can be found in the dorm room during The University. He is one of the many collectibles in The Last of Us upon his death. As a Firefly, it leaves the further mystery of how they lost control of the university, and how badly Joe was infected to become a bloater.
2 Anna Williams
Another character that is set to be explored more in the live-action The Last of Us show is Ellie’s mother, Anna Williams. Not much is known about Ellie’s mother, but she is a fascinating character in The Last of Us. She has been briefly mentioned across the series.
Ellie’s mother was a very close friend to Marlene, and it begs the question of her past, and what she was doing before Ellie’s birth, and up to her death. Perhaps it’ll even answer a greater mystery as to why Ellie is immune, and if Ellie will find an impact from her mother as much as she does with Joel.
1 Ish
Throughout the Pittsburgh sewer section, players will find many notes detailing the lives of a community surviving in the sewers. This underground base was filled with love, families, and a bout of humor from the author, Ish. Ish’s notes were lighthearted for a time, and one note even asks “If you find my skeleton, please don’t step on my skull.” However, as Joel progresses through the sewers, the notes become far more morbid, until Ish is the only survivor alongside Susan.
Ish is perhaps the most interesting character that is discovered through the notes in The Last of Us, as he has a series of notes that chronicles his story. However, there is no end to Ish’s story after he and Susan flee the infected sewers, so perhaps there is hope for the character to survive in this harsh world.
The Last of Us is available now for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5