The Queer Storylines We’re Most Excited For In Season Two of ‘The Last of Us’
Originally published in 'Not Safe for Queers' and proudly sponsored by Pride Foundation Australia.
It’s been five years since The Last of Us Part II was released on PlayStation 4, and I still haven’t shut up about it.
In that time, I’ve played through the game six times—clocking well over 100 hours—eventually collecting the platinum trophy for unlocking every achievement (yes, including with both ‘grounded’ and ‘permadeath’ modes switched on…at the same time). I’m quite literally placed in the top 1.6% of players across the world. Am I okay mentally? Next question.
With one of my favourite games now being adapted into the second season of the hit HBO series of the same name, to say I’m excited would be an understatement. I’m moments away from frothing at the mouth and twitching with joy…but don’t worry, I’m not infected 😉
Despite what the majority of gamers may want you to think (more on that later), TLOU isn’t ‘just a game’; it’s a masterclass in storytelling, and a genuinely history-making moment for LGBTQIA+ representation in gaming.
I personally love it for its emotionally rich and layered characters, and how it avoids relying on tired and boring tropes we’ve seen in a million movies. And while it isn’t exactly ‘fun’—because it can get very heavy-hearted and hit vocal cord-shredding levels of scary—it’s cute, it’s genuinely shocking, and I still cry every time.
So, if you’re unfamiliar with the second game, you’ve forgotten the details (it’s been a while, I get it) or you’re simply eager to understand just how queerer TLOU gets in season two, here’s a quick rundown.
We kick off four years after the events of the first game. Ellie (Bella Ramsey), now nineteen, lives with Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Tommy (Gabriel Luna) in a small town in Wyoming. Honestly? They’re kind of thriving. The Jackson community (led by Tommy and Maria (Rutina Wesley)) has electricity, kids running around, restaurants. You almost forget they’re living in a post-apocalyptic world. But don’t worry, babes, that doesn’t last long.
One of the central relationships in TLOU Part II that we’re dying to witness this season is between Ellie and Dina (played by Gen Z icon Isabela Merced). We did see hints at Ellie’s sexuality in the first season, but it wasn’t until we met Riley (Storm Reid) that we realised that Ellie was one of us (*holds up limp wrist*). I’m trying to make light of it now because if I remember what happened to Riley, and how quickly their cute arcade date turned into Riley getting infected and then Ellie choosing to mercy kill her before she fully turned…I’ll probably start crying, and we don’t want that.
With Ellie now all grown up, what I admire about her relationship with Dina is its authenticity. We really haven’t thanked the gorgeous minds over at Naughty Dog enough for giving us such a heartwarming (and at times, heartbreaking), messy portrayal of love, loyalty and sacrifice in what is ostensibly a zombie game.
In addition to a sapphic storyline, however, we might also be getting get a trans storyline this season (heavy on the might). In TLOU Part II, we meet Lev who, unfortunately, has his entire community reject him, forcing him to go on the run with his older sister.
In the game, Lev is a trans thirteen-year-old born into a highly religious cult known as the ‘Seraphites’. After being forced into marriage as a ‘child bride’, Lev shaves his head in retaliation. Shortly after, the Seraphites discover his plans to present as a boy, branding him an ‘apostate’ and planning to use a deadly punishment.
With his own mother also refusing to acknowledge his true identity, Lev’s story is one of the most powerful queer narratives I’ve ever seen in a game.
When we interact with him, he never has to ‘come out’. He simply exists. His identity is respected without question by Abby, another main character we eventually play as, portrayed by Kaitlyn Dever in the upcoming season.
In one of the most authentic trans moments in gaming history, there’s a scene where someone calls Lev by his dead name. Later, he quietly asks Abby, “Did you hear what they called me?” She says, “Yeah.” He pauses, “Do you want to ask me about it?” Abby responds, “Do you want me to ask you about it?” Another pause. “…No.”
“Okay.”
That’s it. No speech or trauma dump. No grand coming out moment. Abby respects him and doesn’t require an explanation, allowing him to decide what he feels comfortable sharing rather than putting him on the spot and asking him point blank. Take notes, people!! I think we’ve all had someone say, “Can I ask you something, but you don’t have to answer”. BYE!
When Part II was released, the internet went wild. Internet trolls came out in full force, and people complained that the franchise had ‘gone woke’. The game was even review-bombed. Some ‘fans’ couldn’t handle only getting to play as two strong female characters, watching a queer couple AND hearing about trans storylines all at once. It was categorically Not Safe For Queers.
Won’t anyone think about the straight men who just want to shoot zombies? Critical thinking? I hardly know her. They don’t want to be subjected to a commentary about the cycle of violence and faced with the consequences of their character’s actions.
But here’s the thing, TLOU has never been just about zombies. It’s about survival, grief, love, identity, and, most importantly, how everyone is loved by someone. There are no NPCs in life; everyone is a protagonist or antagonist, and the answer changes depending on who you ask.
The Last of Us season 2 streams on Max from April 14.