Summary
- Bella Ramsey's portrayal of Ellie's innocence in The Last of Us contrasts with a darker, grizzled performance in a different TV drama, showing their versatility.
- The Last of Us season 2 must capture Ellie's darker turns effectively to convey the futility of revenge, just like the game did.
- Ramsey's performance in BBC's Time proves they can handle dark material, making them a great fit for Ellie's journey in season 2 of The Last of Us.
Bella Ramsey nailed Ellie’s innocence in The Last of Us season 1, but their darker, more grizzled performance in a different TV drama proves they can also handle Ellie’s darker turns from The Last of Us Part II in season 2. Whereas the naive, bright-eyed Ellie of the first Last of Us game represents hope for the future of humanity, the cold-blooded Ellie of The Last of Us Part II represents the futility of revenge. Ramsey did a great job of conveying the former in season 1, and they’ll undoubtedly do a great job with the latter in season 2.
The Last of Us season 2 is currently in production, and based on the filming locations revealed so far, it seems to be sticking pretty closely to the game. The Last of Us Part II sends Ellie down a dark, violent path that leaves her in need of the same redemption that Joel needed in the first game. To truly succeed as an adaptation, season 2 needs to capture Ellie’s dark turns as effectively as the game, and an earlier Ramsey performance suggests they’ll handle those dark turns with aplomb.
Bella Ramsey's Performance In BBC's Time Proves They Can Handle Ellie's Last Of Us 2 Arc
In 2023, Ramsey starred alongside Jodie Whittaker and Tamara Lawrance in the second season of the BBC’s anthology crime drama series Time. After the first season took place in a men’s prison, the second season pivoted to a women’s prison. Ramsey plays Kelsey Morgan, a heroin addict who learns during a routine medical check upon arrival at the prison that she’s pregnant. The season follows Kels’ desperate attempts to avoid gang violence and keep her baby safe while behind bars.
This powerful performance as a character who’s used to navigating dangerous situations proves that Ramsey will be just as adept at handling Ellie’s darker turns in The Last of Us season 2 as they were at handling the (relatively) lighter material in season 1. Kels isn’t a mass murderer like the Ellie of The Last of Us Part II, but she is suffering from PTSD and she needs to keep her wits about her in a deadly environment. It’ll be interesting to see what Ramsey does with the next stage of Ellie’s journey.
Why The Last Of Us Season 2 Must Capture Ellie's Darkness
The message of The Last of Us Part II is that eye-for-an-eye punishment isn’t a healthy way to process loss. But that message only lands if Ellie’s quest for revenge takes a massive toll on her. The Last of Us season 2 needs to capture Ellie’s dark turns with the same uncompromising brutality as the source material. Ashley Johnson played this journey with heartbreaking authenticity in the game, and after their turn in Time, there’s no doubt that Ramsey will bring the same emotional impact to the TV show.
