In a press conference earlier this week that ScreenRant attended, Druckmann announced that Abby's backstory will appear early on in The Last of Us season 2. His decision stems from a key difference between The Last of Us Part II and the television show, as he explained:
There are two reasons why we change certain context or move certain things up in the story. One of which [is that] you start the game and play as Abby, so you immediately form an empathic connection with her because you're surviving as her. You're running through the snow, you're fighting Infected, and we can withhold certain things and make it a mystery that will be revealed later in the story. We couldn't do that in the show because you're not playing as her, so we need other tools. And that context gave us that shortcut.
Something similar happened in season 1, where the game starts with you playing as Sarah, and we didn't have to do a lot of heavy lifting for you to care about Sarah, because you're playing as her, you're experiencing the outbreak as her. In the show, we had to spend quite a bit of time to achieve something similar. So, that was one reason.
Another reason is where that revelation happens in the game. If we were to stick to a very similar timeline, viewers would have to wait a very, very long time to get that context. You would probably get spoiled between seasons, and we didn't want that. So, it felt appropriate for those reasons to move that up and give viewers that context right off the bat.
What This Means For The Last Of Us Season 2
Audiences Will Learn About Abby Early In The Season
In The Last of Us Part II, the player largely plays as Abby during the second half of the game after an initial introduction when it begins. This feature of the game allows someone to literally step foot into Abby's shoes and control her actions, but television shows cannot provide the same effect. Because of this, as Druckmann explained, The Last of Us season 2 will have to show viewers Abby's story early on in the season in order for them to better understand and connect with her.
Abby's backstory will be fleshed out early on in season 2, allowing viewers to form a connection with the character from the start. Without going into spoilers, her backstory ties into the events of the Last of Us season 1 ending, so it could be that an early flashback to the finale will reveal what happened. Abby is an incredibly divisive character among game fans, but her story does give people the opportunity to empathize with her. Season 2 could get ahead of viewers' original distaste by beginning to unravel her background in the very first episode.
Our Take On Revealing Abby's Backstory In The Last Of Us Season 2
It Makes Sense To Introduce Abby's Background Early In The Season
Introducing Abby's background in the first episode of The Last of Us season 2 makes sense for the show. It's a smart decision because it allows audiences to connect with Abby early on and understand her motivations, which will be key considering what she will do. Without a backstory for her character, her actions could immediately put her on the outs with the audience. Abby is a key piece of the story, and it is critical for The Last of Us to do her, and her backstory, justice in season 2.
