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Joel and Ellie's dystopian journey in The Last of Us is filled with moments of joy, heartbreak, childlike humor, and a found family bond like never before. Based on the video game, the show expands the storylines of the ensemble cast as they navigate a reality overridden by the Cordyceps fungus and the infected.
Showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann provide plenty in the story for fans to obsess over, whether it's a quiet, teasing moment between Joel and Ellie or a heartwrenching dialogue from kids like Sammy, who are struggling with the horrors of living life on the brink of death.
Here are some of the best quotes from The Last of Us.
Disclaimer: All opinions in this article belong solely to the writer. The list is in no particular order. Spoilers ahead.
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Most memorable quotes from seasons 1 and 2 of The Last of Us
1) "If you turn into a monster, is it still you inside?"- Sam (Season 1, episode 5)
Midway through season 1 of The Last of Us, Joel and Ellie run into Henry and his deaf brother Sam in Kansas, Missouri. They agree to travel with the siblings to safeguard them from being hunted by Kathleen, a bandit leader. Sam and Ellie's bond deepens as the episode progresses, with Sam communicating with her through pen and paper or sign language.
"If you turn into a monster, is it still you inside?"- Sam
Sam reveals that he has been bitten by an infected, and asks this, which resonates with fans and encapsulates the theme of The Last of Us. What happens to humanity once they're infected by the Cordyceps fungus? Do they remain human inside, or do you consider them gone forever? Knowing Sam won't survive, despite Ellie's attempts to transfuse her blood, makes this quote heartbreaking.
2) "You laughed, motherf**ker!"- Ellie (Season 1, episode 4)
Joel and Ellie's relationship is the central axis of The Last of Us. The show navigates Joel's trauma of losing his daughter by juxtaposing it with his mission: Taking Ellie (Bella Ramsey) to the Fireflies' secret lab, where her immunity to the Cordyceps fungus will be used to find a cure.
In the beginning, he's sullen and withdrawn, treating Ellie as nothing but cargo. But she wears him down and wins him over with her tenacity, wit, and puns. After a long, intense day of running from trouble, Ellie cracks a joke about diarrhea being hereditary because it runs in the "jeans" (pun for genes). Joel can't help but laugh.
"You laughed, motherf**ker!"- Ellie
Ellie is delighted to crack his angry persona with a joke that starts their bonding for the rest of The Last of Us, making it one of the funniest moments on the show.
3) "I was never afraid before you showed up."- Bill (Season 1, episode 3)
One of the most heartwarming secondary storylines in The Last of Us is the tender romance between survivalist Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett), a man who stumbles onto his property looking for safety. Their relationship blossoms throughout the episode, and a steely Bill ends up softening in Frank's embrace.
"I was never afraid before you showed up."- Bill
The quote is meaningful and heartwarming because Bill had nothing to lose before Frank. He lived his life alone and away from anything that could hurt him. Letting Frank into his life is a key moment of tenderness.
4) "What the f*ck is wrong with Seattle?"- Dina (Season 2, episode 4)
Guts, blood, and gore welcome Dina and Ellie to Seattle after the rise of the WLF. Their ruthless onslaught against the Seraphites leaves bodies as far as the eye can see, and the two girls are rightfully horrified on their quest for revenge against Abby for murdering Joel. So when Dina cries,
"What the f*ck is wrong with Seattle?"
Fans are caught between horror and a laugh, because nothing else can properly encapsulate the situation the duo is facing in season 2 of The Last of Us.
5) "It's okay, baby girl. I got you."- Joel (Season 1, episode 8)
Joel's measured and guarded personality makes his emotional quotes some of the best moments in The Last of Us. After being separated in the episode, with Joel out with an infected wound and Ellie getting caught in the cannibalistic preacher David's lair, the duo makes their way back to each other with an intense fight for survival, where they both kill people to escape.
A dazed Ellie stumbles into Joel's arms when he reassures her with,
"It's okay, baby girl. I got you."
Joel uses the term of endearment he calls his daughter in episode 1, cementing the duo's father-daughter relationship and Joel's attachment to the little girl. The quote says so much about his mental space without being long or drawn out.
6) "We can be all poetic and just lose our minds together."- Riley (Season 1, episode 7)
Ellie's back story introduced her best friend and potential romantic interest, Riley. The pair barely had one special night together before they were bitten by the infected. In a moment that is a poignant mix of despair and acceptance, Riley suggests,
"We can be all poetic and just lose our minds together."- Riley
The moment is more heartbreaking in hindsight because Ellie is immune to the bite and has to kill Riley after she turns. They couldn't be together in life or in the madness of losing themselves to the bite. The quote is tragic and memorable in its ability to capture Ellie's fate.
7) “Tell them that Ellie is the little girl who broke your f*cking finger.”- Ellie (Season 1, episode 8)
Ellie's outward appearance does not immediately betray her grit and survival skills. That's what makes this episode and her outrage even more iconic. After being caught in David's cage, she must claw her way out no matter the cost. So when Daid puts his fingers in the cage to touch her, she breaks it in a fit of rage.
“Tell them that Ellie is the little girl who broke your f*cking finger.”- Ellie
Until then, she hadn't revealed her name to David, making the statement even more fitting. They cannot underestimate her or keep her trapped inside. The dialogue comes to life straight from the game, making it memorable.
8) "You'd just come after her."- Joel (Season 1, episode 9)
In a quest to protect Ellie, Joel unleashes his repressed rage on a hospital full of Fireflies after learning they might kill her to find a cure. He showcases a chilling ruthlessness, not caring about the moral implications of his actions, even as he has his gun pointed at Marlene, the leader of the Fireflies, and once his friend.
"You'd just come after her."- Joel
Joel hesitates before killing Marlene, but ultimately, his trauma decides for him in The Last of Us finale. He knows Marlene would come after Ellie and put her in danger again. So he kills her as she begs for her life. The quote perfectly captures the misplaced anger, love, and fear Joel feels for his situation and his bond with Ellie.
9) "It can't be for nothing."- Ellie (Season 1, episode 9)
Just before the duo reaches the Firefly camp, Joel suggests they abandon their mission and find safety in Tommy's settlement. But Ellie's strong principles and thirst for resolution shine through when she says,
"After all we've been through, everything I've done... it can't be for nothing."
The dialogue perfectly sums up the horrors Joel and Ellie went through in The Last of Us, whether it's murdering people or watching friends die. To give up at that point would mean that their experiences would amount to nothing. She reminds Joel that she would follow him anywhere he went, but after fulfilling her mission.
This makes the events of the finale more heartbreaking when Ellie realizes what Joel had done to save her.
10) "Because I love you."- Joel (Season 2, episode 6)
In one of the most emotional moments in The Last of Us season 2, Joel finally admits to Ellie that he killed everyone in the lab and snuffed the chances of finding a cure just to protect Ellie. A distraught Ellie tells him he robbed her of her purpose, even if that meant she would die to save the rest of humanity.
Joel remorsefully claims that he would do it all over again if he had the chance. Ellie yells in reply, "Because you're selfish!". But with a break in his voice, Joel admits,
"Because I love you."
The dialogue is simple, and the emotion was understood way back in season 1 when Joel decided to save Ellie over the rest of humanity. But for him to say it out loud after everything he'd been through lands like a punch in the gut. He goes on to quote his father, telling her he hopes she does better when she has kids of her own.
Stream all episodes of The Last of Us on HBO.
