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None of the fans of the HBO dystopian series The Last of Us are strangers to sudden character deaths. While some of these deaths are more impactful than the others, all of them are equally important to the show's narrative.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers. Reader discretion is advised.
One such character's death that stands out is Marlene, who first appeared in the inaugural season of The Last of Us. She was the leader of the Fireflies, a group of people keen on restoring government control in the US following FEDRA's rise and assumption of power in the quarantine zones.
Marlene meets her end in The Last of Us
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Marlene was a friend of Anna, Ellie's mother, who entrusted her with taking care of her daughter in her absence. Marlene cared for Ellie as her daughter and ensured all her needs were met. However, when the time came, she decided to prioritize the Fireflies' mission over her promise to her friend.
Since Ellie was immune to the infection, the Fireflies wanted to conduct medical experiments on her to develop a cure against the Cordyceps infection. However, doing so would result in her death.
Despite Marlene having a strong connection to Ellie, she eventually agreed to her being used in the experiment. When Joel went to the Firefly hospital to save Ellie, Marlene tried to reason with him, highlighting how it would help several people. She also mentioned that saving Ellie would only delay her death and possibly lead to a more terrifying outcome.
Enraged after hearing this, Joel, who considers Ellie his daughter, shot Marlene in the stomach. Writhing in pain, she asked Joel to spare her life. However, considering that she would likely come after him and Ellie and create further problems, Joel shot her in the head, resulting in her death.
Who plays Marlene in HBO's The Last of Us?
Marlene in The Last of Us is portrayed by American actress and singer Merle Dandridge. Interestingly enough, she also lent her voice to Marlene's character in both games of The Last of Us by Naughty Dog. Not only that she also provided motion capture for the role.
Merle Dandridge has been working since 1994 and has been a part of films, television shows, video games, and theatre. Some of the few films she has been a part of include Nothing but the Truth (2008), Resurrect (2018), and Block Party (2022). Some of the notable shows she has been included in comprise The Night Shift (2015-2016), The Flight Attendant (2020), and Station 19 (2022-2024).
Merle Dandridge has made significant contributions to video games. She has been a part of popular games such as the Half-Life 2 game franchise (2004-2007), Everybody's Gone to the Rapture (2015), and Hitman 3 (2021). As mentioned, she was also the voice and the basis for Marlene's character in The Last of Us game franchise.
Dandrige's first step into showbiz was through theatre, where she started as early as 1994. Some of the projects she has been a part of in the past include As You Like It (1994), Aida (2001 and 2002), and By the Way, Meet Vera Stark (2012).
The next episode of The Last of Us is scheduled to release on HBO Max on May 18, 2025.
