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The Last of Us series on HBO doesn't shy away from adapting major events that occur in the game of the same name. Most recently, in an unfortunate turn of events in episode 2 of the show's second season, Joel, one of the show's primary protagonists, was killed by Abby.
Again, in episode 4 of the same season, it was announced that Dina was pregnant with Jesse's child, a plot that is explored in the games as well.
Disclaimer: This article reflects the opinions of the writer. Reader discretion is advised.
However, despite the strong narrative similarities between The Last of Us series and the game, something always feels off. I have watched Bella Ramsey in Game of Thrones and loved their portrayal of the fearless Lyanna Mormont. Yet, something about their portrayal of Ellie in The Last of Us does not resonate with me.
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It starts to make even less sense when I compare their portrayal with Ellie's character in the games. Even if I ignore Ellie's physical attributes, which are very different in the show and the game, in the latter, her character appears intimidating, a quality I feel Bella Ramsey's portrayal of the character heavily lacks. While Ellie on the show relies more on words and actions, Ellie in the game embodies both, along with an unmatched aura.
Bella Ramsey's portrayal of Ellie in HBO's The Last of Us has so much more potential
As previously mentioned, as a viewer of The Last of Us show and as someone who has played the game, I am heavily opinionated towards Bella Ramsey's portrayal of Ellie in the HBO series.
Despite several crucial events taking place in the show throughout its two seasons, performance-wise, I have not seen anything heavily impactful from Ramsey. I say this with the utmost respect for the actor, as having seen their past performances, I am aware of their capability. Therefore, I believe that they have not been used or put to use so far in the series.
Having said that, following Joel's passing in the second season of the show, Ellie's character is being given more scope to develop. In this context, I must admit that I noticed an improvement in Bella Ramsey's portrayal of Ellie in the recently released episodes. This gives me hope that, by the time the show comes to an end, it will do justice to the character from the game, even if it does not align perfectly with it.
Bella Ramsey's Ellie in The Last of Us is going through a development phase
Ellie from The Last of Us, who wants to fight enemies and protect herself and her loved ones from the Infected, is very different from the Ellie who wants to avenge her father figure, Joel, who was killed by Abby and the WLF. With Joel's passing, Ellie is more determined than ever to get what she wants. Because this time she is guided more by hate than love, which some would agree is a much stronger emotion.
That being said, she also has people to ground her to her reality in case she gets too carried away. Dina has been a support system since Joel passed away, and she recently revealed her pregnancy to Ellie. She was very happy to learn about the same and wished to be a part of the child's life. She also has friends like Jesse and Tommy to rely on.
The next episode of The Last of Us releases on Max on May 18, 2025.
