The Last Of Us Won't Recast Ellie For Season 2

@Akriel_Boulve:

"You do you, and I'll do me."

That's the undeniable truth about life... But, I don't like to see you waste your effort, so I will reply to your statement.

"so maybe stop telling me I don't understand things"

Sorry... it was a kind way of saying you are wrong. I really thought you didn't played the game. But... moving on...

1. You are simplifying the effects of Joel's lie. Not only in Ellie, but also in the world. (let this be clear, I´m completely on Joel side in his killing spree in order to save Ellie).

You are purposely exaggerating Ellie reaction, but you are forgetting two major points, she still remains in Jackson and while not in good terms she still has a relationship with Joel. I can tell you thousands of relationships between father sand sons who ended in a way more divisive way. What you have is a very damaged person, who still believes that her life has no meaning besides " sacrifice". And yet, even if not in the linear order, you can see Ellie reaching to Joel, embracing his love and trying to move on... sadly things didn't go in the right way...

"Maybe you've never had someone whom you've had to care for so completely..."

If one thing I know is that any bond, no matter how powerful can be destroyed, that's why we need to care about things happening around us...

2. The lie is the presentation of the information, purposely trying to undermine the narrative, discarding important events that happened just minutes before.

Yes, they identify themselves to that group, but... once they are there, and Abby knowing their names, lying would have the reverse effect. You may not like to hear it, but from a narrative perspective it gives a totally different context.

Tommy gives away their names in a very specific situation. The moment they reach the group it's a totally different situation, but they already have been exposed. They did not choose to go into Abby´s group lair, it was a life or dead situation, and all they did is to play with the cards at hand.

And considering the information presented since the beginning of the game, and how Jackson works, hardly they keep always their name to themselves...

3. You can fan fiction a 1000 scenarios with Joel trying to mitigate Tommy information about their names. But you again are not paying attention to the situation at hand. They are not taking a coffee in a bar, they are facing a large group of infected, all action and emotions are at the top. Ahh right, they are survivors so they should think about everything, expect everything and know everything. Sorry to inform you, but in this world everyone are survivors, one more harsh than others, but everyone has a bit of survival in their hearts. And, as proven in the first game, not even Joel is shield from mistakes and malcalculations. He is just a man, just like Tommy.

Also, you should forget the Joel you encounter in the beginning of TLOU1, that Joel is dead... and you not need TLOU part 2 to see it...

Funny thing is you keep using the word "dumb them down", while I see "humanize them"... I guess you prefer the older Joel, I prefer this one.

4. Let me take a look at your words before: "Maybe you've never had someone whom you've had to care for so completely..."

Try to rationalize when someone you love may be in danger. She knows that something is wrong and Joel and Tommy are missed. She acts in a rush, as almost anyone would react. She is overthrown by a group of people who also is battle capable. But this is a very pity debate, this is a narrative choice to purposely set events in march. Abby also is a powerhouse, but a group of slavers are able to restrain her... its a story defining specific events... it happens in all, and I mean all stories...

5. A problem? LOL... Its the most important theme of the game, evolution into a better human beings. When everything is at its worse we embrace the darkness or try to find the light. Owen is Abby´s light even before her father death, more after it... and when he is gone Lev took his place. Both help Abby to find her humanity, the so called light in the darkness...

I have a sense that for you all that matters is survivalism... but if you are only fighting for being alive you are not living... Owen decided to change his course into a better existence, as the game shows you he is a good person, her goal was never to kill other people or to dominate certain zones, his core reason is Abby. You should pay a bit more attention to Joel´s dead sequence from Abby group perspective. Its a totally different dialogue sequence.

6. The only difference is that you see every action as if there can be no mistakes or wrong doings, I see humans for what they are, humans. Do you believe that any of that group would think for a minute that anyone would attack (or be able to attack) the WLF? But hey, if that is enough for you to stop enjoying the game, thats fair, to me it was an irrelevant thing, same would go for an accent or other minor clue...

7. First thing first, I already told you that Mel in the battlefront is the only grip I have with the narrative. It makes little to no sense for her to go on that voyage. Being part of the group or not, being jealousy about Owen and Abby or not, she should have been left behind in their home. Its not a narrative game breaking, but is clearly a stupid choice. But damn... one problem so far... you can choose any game and I can find ten times more mistakes...

When Mel is facing Ellie she could have used her pregnancy as an advantage, but at the same time she was already prepared to solve the problem providing what Ellie wanted... Abby. The one who was not in the mood for that was Owen, he is the one who tries to stop Ellie and the one who sets in motion a sequence of events that leads to Mel death. After Ellie shot Owen, all Mel actions are based on raw emotion, not rational thinking. But lets face it... you already know that. You are now playing a game of "this happened" so "why did not they did this or that"... Again, tell me any game, any game you like ( and If I played that game I will use the same logic you are using right now... lets see how it goes)...

8. Well... if that is what you think she deserves what can I say? Personal tastes are just that... The games show us Abby suffering the same ritual we saw other people suffering while playing as Ellie. It just makes sense, obviously they could do many things differently, but again, you can use that same logic to any game, story, or narrative decision. Why go left and not right, why jump and not crawl...

9. They were there to kill Joel, that was the goal of their trip. Owen knows what Joel is to Abby, the obsession behind it. Abby is not how it is for "reasons"... she becomes a monster in order to kill another monster. Her only goal in life is Joel... and Owen knows it, better than anyone else.

Owen tries to stop Abby before the trip (hope you didnt miss that bit), and it was a lost attempt. Joel destiny was set in stone, but he was able to save Ellie and Tommy. Now is up to you... you may choose to focus on Joel and everything else becomes irrelevant, or you see the bigger picture and realize that he saved the only ones he would ever be able to save. There is nothing that Joel could do to change Abby mind. At least not at that moment in time. In the same line that no one would save Abby from Ellie in Ellie's first journey. Abby only reaches a turning point after Joel's death, Ellie reaches the turning point in the space time between the farm scene and the last fight.

Oh... And Abby is not David, she is not the "villain", that is your biggest mistake so far, if you want to compare Abby to someone the person who fits better is... yes, you know it... Joel...

10. LOL...Do you know why I´m not "defeating my own point"? Because as explained before, the most important thing is not the face off, its the moment in time. I told you before, if the Ellie who encounters Abby in the pole is the Ellie after Joel's death (her first journey) Abby would die in that pole. But is not the same Ellie. I can only speculate how Abby would act if she faced Joel in the end of the game with Lev at her side, but it could have been different. Who knows right?

"They have her spin on a dime mentally so many times it's just not realistic."

Actually no... Ellie has two journeys, two very different journeys. The first is about revenge, she is filled with hate, anger, pain, desire for blood and "justice"... In her second journey, you have the shield of revenge again, but it has nothing to do with revenge. This time Ellie is filled with pain, sorrow, guilt, fear and despair... she doesn't wants Abby, she wants to be able to live again, and in her mind only killing Abby would solve her problem... obviously, that's not the case, and she faces reality before killing Abby for real.

"The first game had complex characters who were thoughtful and had clear motivations."

Yes... The first game is way more linear in the storytelling, and the characters while complex, way more simple to understand.

"This game has characters that make eminently ridiculous decisions..."

Besides Mel in the battlefront, all makes perfect sense.

"There is very little character depth..."

On the contrary, the character depth is the essence of this game. The only difference is that you need to see beyond the darkness of the soul of both main characters. The humanity behind every minor word or stare... The problem is... this time humanity is not one side exclusivity...

"Ellie could have still killed Abby and saved Lev, there was nothing precluding this fact, so that point is moot at best."

You mean like what Abby did when killing Joel and allowing Ellie to live? Do you sense the irony in here?

"If Ellie was at the point of forgiving Abby..."

This is open to interpretation, but personally I believe that Ellie never forgave Abby...

"That is far different than what Joel did to Abby's father, and is much worse in my estimation."

I get you, losing Joel was sad and painful... but you are wrong, to Abby it was far worse what Joel did to her father... and you know why? Because it was her father. What you think is irrelevant, her actions are based on her trauma, and thats the only way to judge her actions. Abby was a monster created by Joel, and no matter what I or you believe about Joel actions changes that fact.

So... Again, besides Mel in the battlefront I can justify from a narrative perspective all narrative decisions. The biggest difference between our perspective is interpretation, my interpretation of events leads me into a road that perfectly achieves its end with Ellie last decision. Your interpretation leads you in a different path that make all evens that happens next not logical to you...

That's why I feel so comfortable defending this game, because as you, I "have thought long and hard on this game", and every bit hits the target.