As fans prepare for the release of HBO's The Last of Us series, there are many questions about what lies next for the franchise. At the end of the second game, players were left with a distraught Ellie who had nothing left to do and no idea where she is headed next.
After the death of Joel and the gameplay and story sequences spent with Ellie and Abby, most will be expecting the title to pick up where it left off in The Last of Us Part 3. While there is still no confirmation as to whether the game is in development, its rumor is enough to leave fans anticipating what story is left to be told and whether Joel could still feature in some way, shape, or form.
5 Flashbacks
One of the most pivotal and prominent features of The Last of Us Part 2 was its inclusion of flashbacks for multiple characters. This was one of the issues many fans had with the title as they thought it spoiled its pacing, especially towards its latter stages with Abby. Despite this, if The Last of Us Part 3 is indeed in development, flashbacks that are focused on Joel and his unseen moments with other characters other than just Ellie would be highly beneficial.
While the gripes with the pacing for the second game are understandable, some of its brightest moments were those flashbacks with Joel and Ellie, as many felt that it was more of The Last of Us Part 1 which stands as one of the most beloved games of all-time and one of the highest-rated games on Metacritic.
4 Playable Flashbacks
Given the fact that players will almost definitely not have the opportunity to play as Joel in the present day of The Last of Us, flashbacks are the only chance. Many had hoped that The Last of Us Part 2 would allow players to play as Joel considering the first game had players control both Joel and Ellie. Instead, players had to use Ellie and Abby which gave a different style of play, playing as a character that could be deemed a villain.
Not only would this provide players with what they may have wanted in The Last of Us Part 2, but it would also be pleasing to experience Joel's journey before both of the games and further flesh out the character to lengths many may not have seen.
3 Prequel
While this is the least likely occurrence for a third title as Naughty Dog would more than likely wish to complete a trilogy rather than make a Last of Us prequel, it may be a successful choice. There are many plot points, storylines, and characters that were present before the first time skip in Part 1, and there are plenty of opportunities to explore Joel's relationship with his brother Tommy.
Considering the likelihood of the third title being a prequel with nothing else regarding the present day in the story is low, this is a route for Naughty Dog to take and include as a section of a third game, especially if the main focus is on Ellie and her continuous mourning.
2 Mental Presence
Much like Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, Cyberpunk 2077, or Resident Evil Village's DLC Shadows of Rose, a sequel to The Last of Us Part 2 could very much take the path of making Joel a ghost-like figure. Given the showcase of Ellie's PTSD and recollection of Joel's death, this would be a perfect way to implement Joel in a third game and would be pleasing to see in a bittersweet manner.
It would open the door to more interactions between the two even though it would not be literal, and may even offer up an opportunity for her closure. Not only would this be a great opportunity for Ellie to recuperate and forgive herself and Joel completely, but it would also please many fans who feel that The Last of Us franchise would not be the same without the presence of Joel.
1 Dream Sequences
Akin to the idea of keeping Joel in a third game without it being literal, dream sequences would more than likely be the most suitable method. Whilst a ghost-like figure would be a great idea to open a new dynamic within the story with Ellie confronting her issues, it would be more realistic and grounded if this happened within dreams instead.
Despite this potentially being a more favorable option for Naughty Dog to go for, both a mental presence during moments of gameplay and Joel appearing in Ellie's dreams would be the perfect combination. As The Last of Us Part 2's ending focuses on forgiveness and letting go, this would be a catalyst for both Ellie's journey and her story coming to a close.
The Last of Us Part 3 is rumored to be in development.