Top 10 Brutal Deaths in The Last of Us Games

“The Last of Us: Left Behind” (2014)

We don’t even learn about Riley until the end of the first game in which Ellie confesses to Joel she wasn’t alone when she was bitten. During the events of the Left Behind DLC, we get to know Riley as she and Ellie explore the abandoned mall and just enjoy being kids for a while. This time together culminates in the two realizing their feelings for one another, but this touching moment is short lived as the two fend off an unexpected infected attack and both are bitten. What makes this even more heartbreaking is neither were aware of Ellie’s immunity as the two decide to lose their minds together and Ellie helplessly watched as her first love turned right before her eyes.

“The Last of Us Part I” (2022)

Bill is not an easy man to deal with and during Joel and Ellie’s brief tour through his town, he seemingly can’t wait for them to leave. We’re given early hints that there was once someone Bill cared about, especially in his monologue explaining to Joel that having someone you care about in this world eventually ends in death. Upon discovering Bill’s former partner stole their much-needed car battery, the group finds Frank had hung himself in a nearby house, having been bitten numerous times during his escape. While this would have been upsetting enough, in his final moments, Frank left Bill a note expressing his hate for Bill and his ways. Bill brushes this off but is also clearly devastated.

“The Last of Us Part II” (2020)

In her pursuit of Abby, Ellie is led to the aquarium where she instead finds Mel and Owen arguing about Abby. Ellie attempts a tactic she learned from Joel to coerce them into giving up Abby’s location but when Owen resists, Ellie shoots him, and Mel then attacks her attempting to save Owen. Players are given control of Ellie resisting against Mel and eventually overpowering her, turning the knife back on her. With Mel dead, Ellie turns her focus back to a bleeding Owen who breathlessly tells Ellie Mel was pregnant. This revelation sends Ellie into a spiral and it’s only Tommy and Jesse’s arrival that pulls her out at the last second, leading her away but adding even further trauma to Ellie’s psyche.

“The Last of Us Part I” (2022)

When we’re first introduced to Tess, she endears herself to players as Joel’s well connected and no-nonsense smuggling partner and possibly more than that. The pair have clearly been working together for some time and are familiar with the outside world and how to navigate it. However, their luck had to run out sometime. While transporting Ellie outside the quarantine zone, the group is beset upon by a group of infected and Clickers and after seemingly escaping unharmed, Tess reveals she’s been infected. As FEDRA soldiers roll up outside, she pleads with Joel to save Ellie and not let her immunity go to waste before sacrificing herself to buy them some time to escape and leaving a profound impact on the remainder of their journey.

“The Last of Us Part II” (2020)

Jesse was a new character introduced to players but was already a long time friend to Ellie and Dina. After Ellie and Dina leave Jackson to find Tommy, Jesse eventually follows and learns that Dina is pregnant with their child. After the group decides to head back to Jackson, Ellie and Jesse investigate a loud noise in the theater and upon opening the doors, Jesse is instantly killed after being shot in the head by Abby coming to avenge Ellie’s attacks on her friends. Jesse’s death is especially shocking with its suddenness of a new beloved character further illustrating the savageness of the world of The Last of Us and leaving players devastated Jesse never got to meet his son.

“The Last of Us Part II” (2020)

Another name on Ellie’s list in her quest for revenge, Nora is cornered by Ellie in a hospital being dismantled by the WLF. Nora shows no remorse for her actions in Jackson which enrages Ellie, giving chase through the hospital corridors as other members of the WLF attempt to stop her. She eventually finds Nora in one of the lower levels of the hospital overrun by spores and slowly succumbing to the infection. Ellie demands she tell her Abby’s whereabouts and offers her a quick death, but Nora defiantly stands her ground. The player is then forced to participate as Ellie tortures Nora with a broken pipe until she talks. The event leaves not only Ellie traumatized by her actions but the player as well.

“The Last of Us Part I” (2022)

In the apocalyptic world, it’s hard to know who to trust, so for Joel and Ellie to cross paths with Henry and Sam was a refreshing departure from the numerous roving gangs trying to kill them. Although contentious at first, the group bonds during their escape from Pittsburg and eventually finds some respite on the outskirts of the city having narrowly escaped not only the Hunters but the infected as well. Sadly however, Sam was bitten during their escape and turned overnight, attacking Ellie and putting them all at risk. Henry is forced to kill his younger brother and, in his grief, ends his own life right in front of Joel and Ellie.

“The Last of Us Part I” (2022)

First time players of The Last of Us would be forgiven for being a little surprised to be given control of Joel’s young daughter during the opening moments of the game and witnessing the beginning of Outbreak Day through her perspective. As she, Joel and Tommy attempt to escape the chaos, they are chased by the ever-growing numbers of infected before narrowly escaping to the edge of the city. Unfortunately, Joel and Sarah are attacked by the same guard who had just saved them as the military attempted to quell the number of escaping infected. During the attack, Sarah is struck by one of the bullets and dies in Joel’s arms. The brutality of this world is fully encapsulated in a young girl’s final breaths.

“The Last of Us Part I” (2022)

Although players had experienced all manner of horrific events up to this point, there was something truly unsettling about David and his group of Hunters. Starved over the years, David’s group had turned to cannibalism and Ellie was the next on the menu until she narrowly escaped at the last second. With Joel incapacitated, Ellie navigates the blizzard all while David and his gang relentlessly hunt her down before David corners her in a restaurant. The tension of David stalking Ellie and his endless taunting is nerve racking and Ellie eventually gaining the upper hand is as satisfying as it is savage. In the world of The Last of Us, David is probably one of the only characters deserving of his brutal end.

“The Last of Us Part II” (2020)

Players had traveled with Joel and Ellie halfway across the country together by the end of the first game and had grown along with the two of them. Many assumed we would continue that journey in Part II but Abby‘s vengeance had other plans. After Joel and Tommy are captured and with death imminent, Joel remains defiant only for Abby to proclaim that he doesn’t get to rush this. Unfortunately, this declaration was true and after Ellie attempts a rescue, she and the player are forced to helplessly watch Abby barbarically beat Joel to death, unable to do anything to stop it. Even despite everything Joel had done to protect Ellie, this felt like an especially cruel end to a character who had grown so much during their journey.