HBO's The Last Of Us Gives A Face To The Resistance With A Brand-New Character

In last night's episode of HBO's The Last of Us, Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) continue on their journey but managed to get ambushed and a new character is introduced into the fold. In the first Last of Us game, Joel and Ellie encounter resistance fighters throughout the game that aren't Fireflies or FEDRA, but something that operates independently.

They're nameless, faceless, and are used as obstacles rather than anything involving the overreaching narrative. That changes in Episode 4 of the HBO series.

Last of Us game co-creator Neil Druckmann understood early on that the wanted to give the group a more notable purpose as well as branch out with a character that could personify the group. Enter Melanie Lynskey as Kathleen.

"Here it would be interesting if they were more than a obstacle, but people with a real goal and real motivation, and humanity," Druckmann said during the post-episode breakdown. "So with the character of Kathleen, we see that she's this ruthless leader, and she clearly has the respect of this group that managed to take down this Quarantine Zone."

Lynskey (Yellowjackets, Fargo) talked about playing Kathleen as a "tough woman, but definitely has a dark side" and her role in the grand scheme of things. In Episode 4, she's on the hunt for brothers Henry and Sam, played by Lamar Johnson (Showtime's Your Honor) and newcomer Keivonn Woodard, respectively.

Kathleen is joined by another new character for the series, Perry, played by the original voice of Tommy from the game, Jeffrey Pierce, who called voicing Tommy one of the "best unexpected joy" of his career. Kathleen and Perry won't be the only original characters in the show. Graham Greene (American Gods, Dances with Wolves) and Elaine Miles (Smoke Signals) will guest star as Marlon and Florence, a married couple surviving alone in the wilderness of post-apocalyptic Wyoming.

HBO's The Last of Us airs new episodes Sunday at 9PM EST.