While she plays an essential role in the game’s opening act, the veteran survivalist Tess from The Last of Us deserved a much bigger role in the story. The first entry in the post-apocalyptic saga revolves around Joel and Ellie’s journey across the ruins of America, but many other colorful characters also appear to help or hinder them along the way. Tess is the one who actually kicks off the duo’s cross-country quest, but sadly little is actually learned about her or her past.
Following the infamous opening scene of The Last of Us and the planet’s decimation by a fungal infection, players are reintroduced to Joel twenty years later as a hardened apocalyptic survivor. Despite his cold exterior, Joel is suggested to have some personal history with his partner and fellow survivor Tess. The two embark on a brief mission to recover stolen guns, which leads to their introduction to Ellie and her immunity to the virus. Delivering Ellie to the outskirts of Boston results in Tess being infected, so she sacrifices her life to save Joel and Ellie with the promise that Joel will deliver Ellie to the Fireflies to help find a cure.
Tess Plays An Essential Role In The Last Of Us
While she only accompanies players through the first few hours of the game, Tess is one of the most complex characters in The Last of Us thanks to her cold exterior. The skilled survivalist seems just as calloused and jaded as Joel, notably shooting Robert in cold blood once the duo catches him and learns that he sold their guns to the Fireflies. She shows no hesitation to kill enemies that stand in her way and often shoots first, arguably making her even more ruthless than Joel himself. However, Tess quickly demonstrates greater depth and optimism once she and Joel meet up with Ellie and learn of her immunity.
Once Tess learns that a cure to the cordyceps infection is actually possible, her outlook on life appears to change dramatically. Tess proves herself to be a true believer in the Fireflies and their cause, pushing Joel to make the selfless trip to deliver Ellie to the group. This leads to one of the TLOU deaths that still hurts years later, with Tess becoming infected and hopelessly facing off with a group of armed enemies to help Joel and Ellie escape. This sacrifice is what pushes Joel to actually take on the momentous task of trekking across the ruins of America, making Tess responsible for the whole series’ events.
The Last Of Us Should’ve Expanded Tess’ Role
Despite her enormous effect on The Last of Us and its story, players actually learn very little about Tess during her brief appearance in the game. Voiced by Annie Wersching, Tess is a long-time smuggling partner of Joel with the two operating out of the Boston quarantine zone at the start of the game’s epic events. She’s also a close acquaintance of Bill, having done work for him in the past, and her flirtatious attitude with Joel suggests some romantic history between them. A new detail in The Last of Us remake reveals her full name to be Tess Servopoulos, but little else is actually said about her backstory.
Given her massive importance to the game’s events, Tess should’ve been given a much bigger role in The Last of Us. Exploring more of Joel’s life immediately following the apocalypse could’ve delved more into his relationship with Tess, perhaps showing how they met or building on their implied romantic history. Learning Tess’ origins would make her sacrifice more meaningful, toom with the survivalist perhaps losing loved ones to the infection just as Joel’s daughter was killed on Outbreak Day. This loss could explain Tess’ ruthless attitude at the start of the game, while also setting up her desire for a cure and establishing what Ellie represents to her.
Tess Was Originally The Villain Of The Last Of Us
As reported by IGN back in 2013, Tess actually originally served as the villain of The Last of Us before extensive rewrites changed her role. The game’s original plot would’ve seen Joel betray Tess, leading to the determined survivor pursuing he and Ellie across the entire country on a quest for vengeance. Tess even would’ve essentially functioned as the game’s final boss, with Tess capturing and torturing Joel only for Ellie to kill her in a triumphant moment of growth. This plot was ultimately decided against, however, with Tess journeying across the ruins of America for revenge being considered too unrealistic and part of her role being given to David instead.
While Tess’ role as the villain of The Last of Us was thankfully abandoned by Naughty Dog, this original storyline could’ve fleshed out this important character a bit more. Perhaps The Last of Us 3’s outlined story could revisit Tess and Joel via flashback, now that both survivors are dead in the franchise’s current timeline. Part of Tess’ original antagonistic storyline could even be reused, with Joel betraying Tess to demonstrate his cold survival instinct following the death of Sarah. Tess and Joel could come to blows over this betrayal, only for the two to eventually bond over their shared experiences and grow close as partners.
Despite her massive impact on the story of The Last of Us, Tess is sadly underutilized in the grand scheme of the game’s plot. The post-apocalyptic adventure gives precious few hints about her backstory before Outbreak Day, and she sadly dies in the first act before Joel and Ellie’s cross-country adventure truly kicks off. Tess was originally a true villain in The Last of Us, and this abandoned plot would’ve actually given her much more to do than in the final game. Tess’ sacrifice and relationship with Joel is central to the plot of The Last of Us, but the hopeful survivor herself is sadly left behind.
