Theme, Narrative, and Adaptational Philosophy in 'The Last of Us'

In the decade since the game’s release, The Last of Us (TLOU)’s ending still captures the imagination of its audience because it asks a very fundamental question– what do we, as individuals, owe to the collective that makes up society? How far are we allowed to go to protect our loved ones and what should we sacrifice along the way? In the game, this question is presented through the lens of empathetic immersion, testing the limits of the game designers’ and writers’ ability to make the player understand Joel’s desires and follow them through, while reminding the player that even though they control his movements, they aren’t truly Joel. However, the immersion central to this presentation is heavily dependent on the video game medium itself. Thus, to ensure the ending doesn’t lose its poignancy, the writers of the game’s 2022 TV adaptation were posed with the challenge of re-establishing the core themes that support it, as well as the empathetic connection between the audience and Joel. They largely accomplish this goal through the full utilization of adaptational expansions to the game’s environmental storytelling to highlight themes of individualism and collectivist sacrifice, foreshadowing Joel’s choice to save Ellie’s life and damn humanity, and heightening its narrative weight. In creating parallels between Joel’s individual narrative arc and those of the individuals and groups he encounters, the writers of the show broadened the scope of the narrative’s commentary on the game’s fundamental premise. Through applying it over, and over again, in a myriad of contexts, the show takes the game’s final thematic question and digs deeper into its nuances. The show’s questioning of the game’s ideological framework is subtle, built upon the audience’s recognition of parallels from the game’s narrative and ending and therefore primarily benefits the prebuilt gamer audience. For the new audience, the show’s narrative presents a much more straightforward argument in favor of Joel’s position within the final dilemma, as it narratively limits the philosophical options made available to them, mirroring the game’s denial of the choice to the player. By studying the adaptational changes and their implications on the story’s major philosophical dilemma through the lens of Individualism vs. Collectivism, this thesis further explores TLOU’s impact on the cyclical relationship between society and media.