Abby's character has somewhat superseded her own story, which has been a center of controversy following the video game sequel's release. It was always known that, going into this adaptation, the creators were going to have to step carefully with how they chose to bring Abby to life on the screen. It wasn't until January that Kaitlyn Dever's casting was officially announced, tasking her with tackling this complex character head-on in a way she can certainly accomplish. Here's more about who Abby is and what viewers can expect from her in season 2.
Abby's Backstory In The Last Of Us Games
Abby's Story Ties Directly Into Joel and Ellie's
The most important part of Abby's backstory in The Last of Us Part II is that she's the daughter of Jerry Anderson, the head surgeon who was tasked with finding the vaccination cure for the Cordyceps infection. She and her father were both evidently a part of the Fireflies, living in Salt Lake City when her father began to actively work on research for a vaccine to end the infection. Tragically, however, her father was murdered by Joel Miller when he was breaking Ellie out of the hospital, which instantly sent her on a vicious quest for vengeance.
After the Fireflies disband, following the deaths of both Abby's father and Marlene, Abby joins the Washington Liberation Front (WLF) in Seattle. Her rage crafted her into a tough and well-respected soldier of the WLF, eventually earning her a place as a leader amongst their group. She continued to spend those years looking for leads on Joel's whereabouts to follow through on her quest for vengeance. Five years later, she finally got one that she could see through, which kickstarts her story in The Last of Us Part II.
Is Abby A Villain In The Last Of Us Season 2?
She's A Very Complex Character
The question of whether Abby is a villain or not in The Last of Us is a complex one. While Abby is intentionally meant to be seen as a villain in the first half of the story, she takes a transformative journey that changes her in the eyes of the audience. It's as yet unknown whether The Last of Us season 2 will double down on Abby as a villain and save her redemption for another season or if it will spark the beginning of this change for her. Abby ought to function much more as an antagonist in The Last of Us season 2 than a true villain.
Kaitlyn Dever Plays Abby In The Last Of Us TV Show: What Else She's Been In
Dever Is Well-Equipped To Tackle Abby's Character
Kaitlyn Dever's best movies and TV shows prove that she is more than ready to tackle the role of Abby in The Last of Us season 2. Dever has appeared in a wide variety of projects, with her most notable role to date having been Amy in 2019's Booksmart. Before then, on TV, she made her first big appearances in recurring roles in Justified as Loretta McCready and in Last Man Standing as Eve Baxter. Dever was even in the running to portray Ellie in HBO's The Last of Us adaptation, but she was ultimately beat out by Bella Ramsey.
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Kaitlyn Dever's Most Notable Roles |
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|---|---|
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Movie / TV Show Title |
Role |
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Booksmart (2019) |
Amy |
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Last Man Standing (2011-2021) |
Eve Baxter |
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Justified (2011-2015) |
Loretta McCready |
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Unbelievable (2019) |
Marie Adler |
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Short Term 12 (2013) |
Jayden |
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Dopesick (2021) |
Betsy Mallum |
|
Dear Even Hansen (2021) |
Zoe Murphy |
|
Ticket to Paradise (2022) |
Lily Cotton |
How Kaitlyn Dever's Abby Compares To The Game Version
There Isn't Much To Go Off Of Just Yet
Little has been seen of Dever's Abby thus far, but it seems that Dever's interpretation truly embodies the same sense of desperate rage that engulfs her throughout The Last of Us Part II. It can be seen in her eyes with the single look she gives in The Last of Us season 2 trailer, an expression that struggles to hide both the pain and the anger that has consumed her ever since her father's death. Dever's version seems to lack some of Abby's characteristic physical strength, though this is difficult to confirm.
What Happens To Abby In The Last Of Us
Her Journey Isn't An Easy One
Abby takes quite a journey in The Last of Us Part II. Her quest for vengeance ends up being successful, with her finding Joel Miller and killing him in front of Ellie. This, however, doesn't end up satisfying the emptiness within Abby that was left behind in the wake of her father's death. She still has a lot to reckon with, specifically her harsher nature that has developed ever since her father's death. When a pair of siblings save her life from an enemy of the WLF, Abby tasks herself with protecting them.
Just how much of this story will be told in The Last of Us season 2 alone is left to be seen, but it seems as if Abby and her story will continue beyond this season. Her character will undoubtedly become an integral part of the TV show, just as it did in the video game sequel. Her complex character will add a refreshing edge to HBO's The Last of Us, providing a unique parallel to Joel and Ellie even after the former's inevitable fate - and changing everything everyone thinks they know about this story as it currently stands.
Abby Is The Last Of Us' Most Controversial Character
Abby Killed The First Game's Main Hero
When gamers were tasked with controlling Abby in The Last of Us II, many people hated it. They now had to lead a character who killed one of the fan-favorite characters in the game. The game had a strong message. What Joel did was understandable. What Abby did was understandable, considering her history. Ellie wanting to kill Abby was understandable. It was about ending the violence cycle, which Ellie finally did. However, playing as the character who killed Joel was uncomfortable at best.
However, others loved playing as Abby in the game. In a Reddit thread, one Redditor wrote, "After having played Abby’s part, going back and replaying the whole game actually allowed me to enjoy Ellie’s section more because of the context of knowing her portion of the story and how it relates." Abby has a lot of haters in The Last of Us because of Joel's death, but if the Max series explains her story well, she could become a favorite in the streaming series.
