The Last of Us creator Neil Druckmann has answered a key fan query behind the primary sport’s memorable finale, and revealed data that has affected some followers’ views of Joel’s massive ethical alternative — and left different saying they’d have prefered not understanding.
Warning! Spoilers for The Last of Us Part 1 observe.
Joel’s resolution to save lots of Ellie, or quite, to homicide a load of docs who have been planning to make use of Ellie’s immunity to create a treatment that might have saved mankind, has all the time been shrouded in a stage of ambiguity.
Inside the unique sport, in addition to The Last of Us’ HBO TV adaptation, it was by no means explicitly confirmed whether or not a treatment might even have been doable, and in that case, whether or not it truly would have labored.
As a result of of this, Joel’s actions will be seen by the lens of him saving somebody he is aware of will die as half of the process — somebody he now thinks of as his daughter, after his precise daughter died — for simply the prospect of a treatment.
Nevertheless, Druckmann has now revealed that the treatment would have truly labored — upending years of fan debate over what Joel ought to have accomplished.
“Might the Fireflies make a treatment?” Druckmann stated, talking as half of the Sacred Symbols podcast. “Our intent was sure they may.
“Now, is our science a bit of shaky that now folks at the moment are questioning it? Positive. Our science is a bit of shaky and other people at the moment are questioning it. I can not say something. I can say our intent was that they might have made a treatment. That makes essentially the most attention-grabbing philosophical query for what Joel does.”
Response to Druckmann’s revelation has been blended, with some followers who already assumed this not seeming bothered by the reveal, whereas others who assumed the alternative all of the sudden having to reconcile their view of Joel’s actions in a brand new mild.
“Maaan Neil actually must cease,” one fan wrote in response by way of discussion board ResetEra. “Seems like he is stripping away what’s left of the nuance with these newest feedback on the story.”
Some followers highlighted the truth that the sport intentionally portrayed the treatment course of as shaky, with the lead physician a veterinarian working in a run-down hospital with no actual means to fabricate a treatment proven on display.
“Loss of life of the creator applies right here, I do not actually care what he has to say if it is not within the unique sport/textual content,” one other fan wrote. “It is clearly imagined to be ambiguous and it is staying that means for me.”
In March, showrunner Craig Mazin and Druckmann answered the query of whether or not or not Joel was proper to save lots of Ellie, providing differing opinions to IGN. “I consider Joel was proper,” Druckmann stated. “If I have been in Joel’s place, I hope I’d have the ability to do what he did to save lots of my daughter.”
“That is so attention-grabbing, as a result of I believe that if I have been in Joel’s place, I most likely would have accomplished what he did,” Mazin stated. “However I would wish to assume that I would not. That is the attention-grabbing push and pull of the morality of it. And that is why the ending of the primary sport is so provocative and so great. It simply would not allow you to off the hook as a participant.”
Within the Sacred Symbols interview, Druckmann reiterated that HBO’s The Last of Us’ TV adaptation at the moment has both one or two seasons left, relying on what’s finest to inform the franchise’s remaining story.
Because it stands, nevertheless, the TV adaptation is not going to proceed the franchise’s story past the occasions of The Last of Us Part 2.
Might there ever be a The Last of Us Part 3 sport? On this, Druckmann largely repeated what he has stated already on the subject — that it’s going to depend on him having a adequate thought.
“It is necessary for me that the whole lot is of top quality. I do not simply need to make loads of it,” Druckmann stated. “I simply need to be very considerate of the whole lot we make.
“If we have been ever to come back again to it, I need to ensure that it is a story worthy of The Last of Us. I like that world, I like these characters. With the correct oppurtunity, with the correct thought, I’d completely bounce in.”
For now, Druckmann is busy engaged on Naughty Canine’s new sci-fi sport Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. The developer additionally has a second undertaking in manufacturing, on which Druckmann is taking a extra hands-off function.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s Information Editor. You possibly can attain Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or discover him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social