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After a season full of heartbreak, survival, and ethical dilemmas, HBO's The Last of Us's season one finale finally answered one of its most enigmatic and significant questions: how Ellie Williams is immune to the killer cordyceps infection.
The moment had been awaited for a long time by both the fans of the series and the original video game. The episode began with a flashback sequence that provided the missing puzzle piece. It offered both an emotional and scientific reason behind Ellie's resistance to the fungal plague that decimated the world.
In a dramatic opening sequence, the episode introduces viewers to Ellie's mother, Anna, portrayed by The Last of Us video game voice actress Ashley Johnson. Pregnant and in flight from an infected person, Anna delivers Ellie shortly after being bitten.
The brief time between the infection entering her body and Ellie's birth seems to be the key to the immunity. This discovery reconfigures how viewers comprehend Ellie's presence in the post-apocalyptic world. She is not seen merely as a figure of hope but as an active scientific oddity defined by trauma, happenstance, and biology.
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The fabled immune girl in The Last of Us is Ellie Williams. She is a teenager uniquely resistant to the cordyceps infection due to being exposed to the fungus at birth.
Who is the immune girl in The Last of Us?
Ellie Williams, played by Bella Ramsey, is a teenage girl who finds herself at the center of the last hope of the world for a cure. In a world devastated by the cordyceps fungus, which infects humans and turns them violent, zombie-like beings, Ellie is the sole known individual to have become infected without turning.
When she is bitten, during an innocent encounter with her friend Riley in a desolate mall, Ellie lives, but Riley does not. This results in Ellie being picked up by the Fireflies, a resistance that is trying to create a vaccine.
Throughout the first season, she is escorted by the United States across the country under the guard of Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal). He is charged with bringing her to a coalition of scientists who can examine her immunity.
How is she immune in The Last of Us?
The finale provides the most explicit explanation to date. In experiments conducted at the Firefly hospital, Marlene, the leader of the Fireflies, informs Joel:
"Our doctor believes that the cordyceps in Ellie has developed with her from birth. It creates a type of chemical messenger. It causes regular cordyceps to believe she's cordyceps. It's what makes her resistant."
In other words, Ellie's body seems to be carrying a mutated form of the fungus, one that does not infect her but rather hides her from other strains. Her biology, forever changed at birth by Anna's bite during childbirth, may have developed a defense early on, before her immune system matured.
While the video game alluded to her affliction, it never fully confirmed its explanation. This flashback to the series fills out rich narrative support for the long-standing fan theory that Ellie's immunity started at birth because her mother was infected. This theory has been floating around fans for years.
What is The Last of Us about?
Adapted from the critically acclaimed 2013 video game by Naughty Dog, The Last of Us is a post-apocalyptic drama. The television series is developed by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann. Set two decades into a worldwide pandemic caused by a mutated fungus that takes over human brains, the show tracks Joel and Ellie as they travel throughout a fractured America.
Their quest is more than just survival. Ellie could be the key to curing the infection. Season one is centered on the developing friendship between the two as they experience loss, betrayal, and impossible decision-making in their pursuit of shelter and truth.
With its blend of character-driven drama and terrifying world-building, the HBO show has garnered universal acclaim. It expands on the source material by introducing new stories and perspectives while remaining true to the emotional essence of the game. One notable addition is the backstory for Ellie, which further develops her character and paves the way for the next season.
As season two progresses, it remains to be seen whether more scientific exploration around Ellie’s immunity will be revealed. However, the finale's emotionally charged flashback and newly introduced biological explanation have provided fans with long-awaited answers. This added yet another layer to one of Ellie's character, deepening the narrative of the series.
Interested viewers can watch The Last of Us season 2 on HBO Max.
