Ellie’s Sacrifice in TLOU Part 3: Was It Really Worth It?

by

In The Last of Us, the Fireflies have often felt like a futile pursuit, or at best, a flickering and disappointing spark when they were portrayed as a symbol of hope. It’s debatable whether the Fireflies could have truly created a cure after Ellie underwent surgery, and this ambiguity might be sufficient reason for Joel to take such drastic actions. He ended up killing Dr. Jerry Anderson, the head surgeon, along with all the armed personnel who refused to let him escape with Ellie, and denied him even one last glimpse before taking her life. Essentially, by eliminating Jerry, Joel may have eliminated any remaining hope for a cure.

As a dedicated fan, I can’t help but ponder the mystery surrounding those enigmatic Fireflies in Santa Barbara. Maybe they’re pioneering research for a cure, or perhaps they never sought one and we’re just along for the harrowing journey depicted in Part 3 of The Last of Us. Regardless, if Ellie makes a comeback in another installment of this epic series, her moral compass could have been realigned by the events of Part 2, or maybe her ideologies have undergone a shift. If given another chance to discover a cure due to her immunity, it would be intriguing to see how Ellie’s views on self-sacrifice might clash with Joel’s unwavering convictions.

Ellie’s Trust in Joel is Fractured by a Life-Changing and Life-Saving Lie

In “The Last of Us Part 1,” Joel’s deception towards Ellie is extremely harmful because it took away her power to make her own decision. When Ellie learned about the possibility that she could have been used for creating a cure, she was visibly upset. Yet, she showed no fear or worry about her life being at risk, indicating her strong desire for autonomy and control over her fate.

It’s possible that the main motivation for her willingness to make this sacrifice at a young age is due to Ellie feeling guilty for surviving, which she refers to as survivor’s guilt, because of Riley. Ellie openly acknowledges that she feels like she’s living on borrowed time since she was bitten and had to wait her turn while she and Riley decided to embrace their shared fate and potentially go mad together.

Moreover, it’s evident that she yearns for her life, as well as the lives of those who have perished, to serve a meaningful purpose. This is something Joel challenges by not only rescuing her but also compelling her to conceal her immunity. While his act of secrecy can be understood given the assumption that anyone aware of her condition might believe she’s infected, just like Joel, Tess, and two FEDRA soldiers did, Ellie has every right to feel resentful and regretful about Joel telling her that the Firefly doctors had lost hope.

Ellie’s Rampage May Put Her at Odds with Preconceived Beliefs

Ellie’s determination to follow Abby might help her overcome the anger she held against Joel. It’s intriguing to consider if, as she cares so much for Joel despite his huge lie, she may render his actions insignificant by sacrificing herself for a cure, even if this understanding of Joel’s abilities comes later on.

In essence, the pain that unfolds at the start of Part 2 is undeniably a result of Joel’s actions in killing Abby’s father, while later heartaches can be traced back to Ellie’s relentless pursuit of revenge. Ellie’s self-sacrificing act may bring her peace from her survivor’s guilt and provide a fitting conclusion to her story, but it also implies that Joel’s death, along with all the lives lost due to his, Ellie’s, and Abby’s actions throughout their interconnected adventures, might have been in vain.

Read More

2025-04-18 05:04