The Last Of Us Part 3 New Lead Character Isn’t What Gamers Want

With Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann recently dropping hints about the potential existence of The Last of Us Part III, fans are feeling the hype. After all, since it began back in 2013, The Last of Us franchise has become one of the most beloved and successful in gaming history, going on to inspire a sequel, many remasters, and even a live-action adaptation courtesy of HBO. However, with a third installment having not been officially confirmed at the time of writing, the future of the post-apocalyptic series remains unknown.

Will The Last Of Us Part 3 Introduce A New Lead?

The Last of Us Part I follows the story of smuggler Joel, who is tasked with escorting a young girl known as Ellie across a post-apocalyptic United States. In The Last of Us Part II, the story is passed on to Ellie, alongside the arrival of brand-new protagonist Abby, with the two acting as two sides of the same coin in a story of loss and revenge. If this format is to continue, does that mean that Abby will be the main protagonist of The Last of Us Part III, and is potentially joined by a new face? Put simply, we do not know, but when it comes to the protagonist that fans would like to see return, there is one overarching answer.

In Reddit threads that have taken place since the arrival of The Last of Us Part II, players have been debating who should take the helm for The Last of Us Part III, with some suggesting a grown-up JJ, whilst others hope to see Tommy’s story continue. However, you need only look at the comments for a few seconds to realize that it is Ellie that most fans want to see return, with many believing that, thanks to The Last of Us Part II‘s ambiguous ending, her story is far from over.

“I want the story to follow Ellie, if at all possible,” one user shared. “I think she’s always been the heart of this series.” Another agreed, adding, “The Last of Us is Ellie’s story at its center. It highlights characters like Joel and Abby with gameplay and story, but the overarching plot is Ellie’s. I can see JJ coming back as part of the ensemble along with Tommy, Maria, Dina, Abby, and Lev, but the protagonist of TLOU 3 should be Ellie.”

Is Ellie’s Story Really Finished?

At the end of The Last of Us Part II, we see Ellie walk off into the sunset, leaving behind her guitar and two of her fingers. With her journey for revenge complete after finding solace in the memory of Joel, she embarks on a journey that we are not a part of, leaving what she does next a mystery. Does she return to Jackson and her life there? Does she go to find Dina and JJ? Or does she go somewhere completely different to start anew? Whilst many hope for answers, I also think that leaving Ellie’s story open to interpretation is a fine way to end the series, and that is coming from a big TLOU fan. With The Last of Us being such a dark franchise, Ellie’s ending could have gone a lot worse, and I like the idea that she is free to walk her own path for the first time. However, I also trust in Naughty Dog’s ability to pull out all the stops once again if The Last of Us Part III was ever to come to fruition.