The Last of Us is arguably one of the most successful first-party franchises operating under the PlayStation Studios umbrella. The gaming community was seemingly blown away by what the game developers made years ago, delivering a video game that rivals the storytelling qualities of a huge blockbuster, while keeping things relatable and grounded.
The first game’s success pretty much guaranteed a sequel and in 2020, Part 2 was released. Multiple leaks before launch and a few creative choices drove a wedge between fans and the developers, but there is a way to make it all work.
The Last of Us Part 3 Could Still Use the Dual Protagonist Approach
Major spoilers for the controversial sequel will be discussed beyond this point.
The opening of The Last of Us Part 2 was slow and was used as a refresher for everything that transpired in the first game. Then, after a few combat encounters, Joel Miller dies at the hands of Abby Anderson.
This is where everything went south for the sequel, introducing a new character that will be equally as important as the established protagonists and introducing overlapping storylines. While most players have come around to Abby after a few years, some fans could not move on and chose to call out the developers for this creative decision they felt ruined the pacing.
The campaign of Part 2 was a simple revenge quest following Ellie, Dina, Tommy, and Jesse with a few detours and a separate 3-day campaign featuring Abby and her crew from their perspective. Things escalated quickly during Seattle Day 3 after Ellie murdered Owen and Mel, which many consider to be the worst scene in the entire game.
While most players expected a fight between the two main characters, Naughty Dog pulled them back in time to fill in Abby’s shoes and understand her side, which was not a fan-favorite choice. Abby was given a much more exciting campaign showcasing her advanced skills and military training which resembles Joel’s combat and physique from the first game and treated her as a substitute.
Director Neil Druckmann treated Abby as a protagonist and fans viewed her as an antagonist. Every character in the story has their vendetta making them relatable to a certain degree. While the idea of dual protagonists is poorly executed, perhaps the developers can make the most of it in the sequel with a worthwhile character.
It Is Time for the Gaming Community to Witness the Past of Joel and Tommy Miller
After a few vague comments made in Part 1 regarding their past, some fans have been interested in a prequel project featuring the Miller brothers. Joel and Tommy did not survive this long without getting their hands dirty and this is a story worth exploring.
Perhaps the next game could serve as a sequel to Ellie’s story following the events of Part 2 and a prequel to Joel and Tommy with a similar storyline. The first game is about learning to love in a world devoid of it and the sequel was about revenge. The third game could be about Ellie’s redemption after her bloody rampage in Seattle and fans could see her doing something good for a change.
The gaming community was intrigued to learn more about Joel’s past after he figured out he and Ellie were walking into a trap he once used to lure innocent tourists, while working with the Hunters. It would be a missed opportunity not to show Joel’s descent and how he was losing more of his humanity little by little to survive.
Joel is capable of great violence as seen in the original game. Despite his age, he is a force to be reckoned with and it would be interesting to see his journey from a broken man to a hunter that lost all of his humanity. Naughty Dog can avoid repeating the same mistake and have these two storylines overlap for a much smoother and more consistent pacing.
Every Character in The Last of Us Franchise Deserves to Be Happy and to Live in Peace
Director Neil Druckmann subtly hinted at the possibility of another sequel while celebrating the fourth anniversary of The Last of Us Part 2 and it is a no-brainer for Sony Interactive Entertainment and PlayStation to make another game. The franchise grew with the sequel and deviated from the storyline of pursuing a cure to restore order and this could be revisited in Part 3.
There is a strong possibility that Druckmann will end the story as a trilogy like many other great franchises. Perhaps the themes of love and forgiveness will be brought back and players will see Ellie finishing what she and Joel started. She might even form an uneasy alliance with Abby to save the world and give JJ, Dina, and Jesse’s son, a chance to live and grow.
Joel and Tommy can still be involved in Part 3, but from a different time, although, it is worth noting that Tommy became bitter after the events of Part 2 and could potentially be an antagonist of sorts who will not let bygones be bygones.
Perhaps the Miller storyline will end with the brothers parting ways and fans will see how Joel ends up in Boston with Tess, leading to the events of the first game and Tommy leaving the Fireflies to join Maria at Jackson.
Hopefully, when the dust clears, every surviving character will move on from their past and leave each other alone in peace. Some things are easier to forget but never easy which is what The Last of Us is all about, making the tough decisions.
Would you want to see another dual protagonist set up featuring Joel’s past and Ellie in the present day in The Last of Us Part 3? Let us know in the comments section below!
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
