The story of The Last of Us follows Joel, a smuggler, who is tasked with escorting Ellie, a teenage girl immune to a deadly fungal infection, across a post-apocalyptic United States ravaged by the Cordyceps fungus outbreak. The infection turns people into zombie-like creatures. Key events include:
- Joel and Ellie travel through dangerous territories, including Pittsburgh, where they face bandits and infected. Ellie saves Joel’s life during a near-drowning incident, deepening their bond. They also meet Henry and Sam, two brothers; tragically, Sam becomes infected, forcing Henry to kill him and then himself
- Joel and Ellie reach Jackson, Wyoming, where Joel’s brother Tommy lives in a survivor community. Tommy believes in the Fireflies, a militia group seeking a cure, but Joel does not. Joel initially tries to leave Ellie with Tommy, causing tension between Joel and Ellie, but they reconcile and continue their journey together
- In Salt Lake City, Joel and Ellie are captured by the Fireflies. Joel learns the Fireflies plan to perform surgery on Ellie to extract the infected brain tissue and develop a vaccine, but the procedure will kill her. Unwilling to lose Ellie, Joel fights his way through the hospital, kills the lead surgeon and Marlene (the Firefly leader), and escapes with Ellie
- On the way back, Joel lies to Ellie, telling her that the Fireflies had found other immune people but failed to develop a cure and have given up, a lie Ellie eventually accepts with some survivor guilt
The story explores themes of survival, trust, and the moral complexities of sacrifice in a devastated world
. Joel becomes a father figure to Ellie, and their journey is as much about their relationship as it is about the external dangers they face. This summary covers the main plot points of the original The Last of Us game and the first season of the HBO adaptation. The story continues in the sequel and the second season of the show, focusing on the consequences of Joel’s choices and Ellie’s quest for revenge
