The Last of Us Fixed a 5-Year-Old Mistake From the Games That Made Zero Sense

Most fans of The Last of Us video games can agree that HBO's The Last of Us (2023-Present) is a relatively faithful adaptation of the games. That said, Naughty Dog isn't afraid to alter certain aspects or add things that help flesh out the world-building or serve the story better than the game did. The show has made it clear that they're willing to make changes, as long as the changes are better than what was already presented in the game.

Season 2 has already made several major changes from The Last of Us Part II (2020). For example, the Infected attack on Jackson never happened in the game. Season 2 also emphasized a deeper connection between Dina and Joel, which actually helps make her motivation to go after Abby more realistic than it was in the game. However, one of the most important changes happens in Season 2, Episode 3 - "The Path," and it involves Tommy's reaction to Joel's death.

Tommy Seeks Revenge for Joel’s Death in the Game

& It Costs Him a Heavy Price

In The Last of Us Part II, Tommy is the one who goes out on patrol with Joel, not Dina. The game makes it pretty clear that Joel and Tommy heavily favor going on patrol together, and when Ellie was old enough, they started taking her along too. When Joel saves Abby's life, Tommy is there, not Dina. Abby and her crew knock Tommy out, so Abby can execute Joel without the other man's interference. This entire role is filled by Dina in the HBO series. Tommy remains in Jackson during the blizzard, so he's there to lead the front in defending Jackson from the Infected horde. He even has an epic one-on-one battle with a Bloater.

After Joel's death, Tommy goes off the deep end. He wants to chase after Abby and kill her just as badly as Ellie does. On the surface, this anger makes sense. Tommy and Joel are close. Tommy loves his brother. Waking up in the aftermath of Joel's death and realizing he was there and couldn't do anything to stop it, messed him up. It's an understandable reaction for a grieving brother who feels guilty about his brother's death to react poorly. Naturally, Tommy would want justice for the torture and brutal murder of his older brother. Tommy doesn't stop at justice, though. He wants full-blown revenge, and he'll go to extreme lengths to get it.

The strange thing about this is that Tommy isn't revenge-seeking or violent by nature. This is a point of contention for Tommy throughout his backstory. Joel and Tommy survive the outbreak together, but Joel's daughter, Sarah, is killed by a soldier. Joel goes into full survival mode. He'll do anything to protect himself and Tommy, no matter how violent, gruesome, or morally wrong it is. Joel's behavior slowly drives a wedge between the brothers because Tommy can't stomach Joel's way of life. The things they did together just to survive still haunt Tommy, even now. Eventually, the brothers went their separate ways because Tommy couldn't keep following in Joel's footsteps.

After leaving Joel, Tommy ended up with the Fireflies. Initially, he believed in Marlene's cause to put an end to the military control over the quarantine zones and return the US to its former democracy. However, as the Fireflies' tactics became more extreme, often resulting in terrorist attacks on quarantine zones, Tommy left, unable to validate these violent methods. He eventually ended up in Jackson, where he became part of a community, and he used his skills to build homes for people and protect survivors from Infected and raiders. This gave Tommy a sense of purpose, but also a sense of peace, and a place to call home. He even fell in love with one of the settlement's founders, Maria.

While it does make sense that Tommy would want to avenge his brother's death, it also doesn't. Tommy isn't a violent person. The people he's been forced to kill after the outbreak haunt him. He left Joel and the Fireflies behind because what they were doing was too unsettling for him. Tommy chasing after Abby in a blind fit of rage just doesn't feel like it makes sense for Tommy's character. His first response shouldn't have been revenge-fueled murder based on everything we know about his character.

What's worse than Tommy charging off after Abby is that he goes without Ellie. Ellie, Joel's adopted daughter, the 19-year-old who was held down and forced to watch as Abby murdered Joel. Ellie, the person who would absolutely track Abby down to kill her after the trauma she endured from watching him die. Ellie, the person who feels guilty because her relationship with Joel declined for ages, because she refused to talk to and forgive him. Tommy leaving without Ellie feels like a betrayal of trust.

Tommy's confrontation with Abby and her friends leaves him permanently disabled. He loses an eye, and he develops a serious limp that will likely never go away. After his recovery, he and Maria even "take some time apart" because their relationship suffers due to Tommy's obsession. Instead of letting go of his hatred for Abby, he continues hunting for information about her. When he finds a lead, he goes to Ellie and guilt-trips her into going back out to finish the job.

HBO Tackled the Aftermath of Joel’s Death Much Better

Both Ellie & Tommy Feel More Authentic

Season 2, Episode 3 - "The Path" does a three-month skip after Joel's death. Joel has been buried. Jackson civilians who died during the Infected attack are also buried. Ellie spends three months in the hospital, recovering from her injuries. Jesse becomes a member of Jackson's council. Jackson is in the process of rebuilding and repairing the damage done during the invasion. Once Ellie is out of the hospital, Dina comes to visit her to relay information about Abby and her group. Together, they make a plan to go after Abby, but they need support from the town.

Naturally, they go to Tommy. Ellie, fueled by her desire for revenge, tries to guilt-trip Tommy by saying Joel would already be on his way to Seattle if they'd killed Tommy. Unlike the game, Tommy is much more rational about what happened. Yes, he wants justice for Joel, but he also understands the risks associated with sending people after Joel. He also confides in the town's therapist that he's worried Ellie is following in Joel's violent footsteps, indicating that while he loved Joel, he understood his brother's faults, and worries Ellie is turning out to be the same.

Instead of Tommy charging off after Abby alone, or Ellie running off with Dina immediately, the HBO series actually emphasizes making the decision a community-based one. Maria and the rest of Jackson's council call a town meeting, so members of the settlement can give their opinions on sending a team of 16 people after Abby. Most of the people the audience sees speak are against the idea, but Seth, the man who scolded Ellie and Dina for kissing at the New Year's Eve dance, actually speaks out in support of going. Ellie is the final person to speak and, although she wants revenge for Joel's death, she makes a compelling and heartfelt argument about community and having one another's backs.

"I normally don't write things down, because I normally don't think before I talk, which has gotten me in trouble before, a lot, and it cost me in ways that sometimes couldn't be undone. But I can't afford that right now, because I know what I'm asking is a lot. I'm asking us to risk more people and resources, and at the worst possible time. And I want everyone to know, it's not because I want revenge. It's not. It's not about revenge. What I want is what you used to give people. I want justice. Because it's either that, or we do nothing. That's what everyone else out there is going to do for us. Nothing. A whole world of people who won't lift a finger if something bad happens to me or you. We have a word for these people. They're called strangers. Well, I don't think that we're strangers to each other. And I want to know that I can count on you. And I swear, if someone hurts any of you or the people you love, you can count on me. That's what holds all this together. Not potluck dinners or New Year's Eve dances. Definitely not a wall, because that thing got busted through. But Jackson is still here. I'll accept whatever the council decides. But I am asking you, please, do what it takes to see that justice is done. Not for me. Not even for Joel. I am asking you, please, do it for us."

- Ellie addresses Jackson's council

Unfortunately, even Ellie's heartfelt speech doesn't sway the council. The majority votes "no" on Ellie's proposal, and the scene doesn't make it entirely clear who voted "yes" and who voted "no." To nobody's surprise, Ellie doesn't accept the council's decision, she just decides to pack up and go on her own. Thankfully, Dina intercepts her. Dina has an actual plan to help them pack light, but still travel smart. She even recruits Seth to help them sneak out between patrols, proving that some members of the community are sympathetic to Ellie's cause.

Tommy does not help Ellie and Dina sneak out. He doesn't even leave Jackson with them to seek revenge. It seems like Tommy does want to go. He even gives Ellie an encouraging nod during her speech, but Tommy recognizes there's more to worry about than just Abby. Jackson is rebuilding. He has a wife and a young son to worry about. He can't just go against Maria's wishes and the wishes of all of Jackson to chase down and kill Abby.

The HBO series does a fantastic job of correcting Tommy's erratic and honestly out-of-character behavior from the game. At the same time, the show also gives Ellie even more reason to forgo what Jackson says. She bares her heart and soul to the community and explains in rational terms why it's unacceptable to let this injustice slide. If Abby were to come back and kill someone else, would they still do nothing? How is anyone supposed to feel safe or like a valued part of the community if their murders are completely glossed over? Ellie feels like the town is turning its back on her when she needs them most. If they don't have her back, Ellie shouldn't care about anything they have to say. At least, that's how Ellie must be feeling at that moment.

Season 2, Episode 3 - "The Path" manages to correct the game's follies with both Tommy and Ellie. Neither of them is completely irrational. Both attempt to go through the proper channels based on Jackson's laws and beliefs. Both make decisions based on not just their desire to avenge Joel's death, but how the community responds to the incident. Both courses of action taken by these characters make sense without destroying the characters' integrity. Whether Tommy will leave Jackson to follow Ellie has yet to be seen, but this narrative decision was a much-needed improvement from the game.