The Last Of Us: The Most Emotional Moments In The Game

The Last of Us is filled with emotional moments throughout the campaign. It’s one of the reasons the PlayStation game was so acclaimed when it was released back in 2013, and why it remained on players’ favorite games lists for so long. The intimate storytelling focusing on survivors Ellie and Joel, who share a daughter-father relationship amidst a desolate and cruel world, is still one of the most renowned in the gaming industry, a decade later.

The game developed by Naughty Dog relies heavily on its narrative efforts and, as such, The Last Of Us’ most emotional moments are usually connected to deep conversations or devastating deaths of characters that are quickly endearing. Aside from the writing itself, a big part of the responsibility for conveying the emotions is with The Last of Us’ voice actors and their acting talents.

Sarah’s Death Is An Early Game Heartbreak

Before the zombie apocalypse, Joel had a daughter named Sarah. Her death, despite occurring at the start of the game wasn’t due to infection, however, but because of a shot fired by a military soldier sent to contain the disease from spreading. Players are forced to confront this and watch it unfold very early on in the game, meaning that within moments they already face one of The Last of Us’ most shocking, and emotional moments.

While Sarah gasps for air on the ground, in pain, Joel begs her to stay strong, only to see her die in his arms. The despair of a dad watching her daughter pass away without being able to stop it is absolutely wrecking. Sarah’s death is a major recurring point of character development later on during the game, which is why it continuously grows int its position as one ofThe Last of Us’ most emotional moments.

Tess’ Sacrifice Hurts During The Long Run

Another of The Last of Us deaths that still hurts is Tess’s. The smuggler and Joel’s closest ally is one of the first people players stumble onto immediately after Sarah’s death scene. Charismatic and strong, she was a true friend and had her heart in the right place. In spite of Ellie’s resistance to being smuggled out of a city, Tess was very warm and protective of her, beyond that of a mercenary protecting goods for a simple gig, which is why her death was one of The Last of Us’ most emotional moments.

She also understood Ellie’s importance and was willing to die for it, so much so that she actually did. Despite knowing her time was limited because she was bitten by an infected, she chose to stay behind and face soldiers alone to allow Joel and Ellie to escape. Tess was one of the women elevated by The Last of Us, and though her death is sad, she makes a significant impact in the short time she’s part of the narrative.

Henry & Sam’s Fates Reflect The World’s Cruelty

Possibly one of the most heart-wrenching moments in the whole series is watching Henry and Sam’s fates in TLOU. Both characters join Joel and Ellie for a brief period and work together on surviving. This is what seems like a moment of respite in the middle of chaos, mainly due to how kind-hearted and engaging the brothers are. Watching the young Sam get infected is among The Last of Us’ most emotional moments because he was responsible for making Ellie feel like the child she was for the first time in a long time. To see this gentle child being distorted by a vicious and life-threatening fungus is difficult.

Worse than that is what follows, one of The Last of Us’ most memorable moments. After Sam is completely overtaken by the infection, Henry struggles with the fact and even threatens Joel because that is, after all, his baby brother. When Joel reaches for a gun, Henry shoots Sam down to protect Ellie. This is devastating to the point that he can’t handle living in a world without his sibling and puts an end to his own life moments later. Both of these lovable characters go down in one single scene, reminding players that, in spite of all the human kindness out there, the game’s world is an inescapably cruel place.

The Ranch Conversation Is Raw Emotion, Unhindered

Aside from deaths, The Last of Us’ excels at creating emotional moments through the dialogue and relationship of Ellie and Joel. One such scene at the ranch stands out as a very honest and heart-driven conversation between Ellie and Joel. This is when Joel tells Ellie she is going away with Tommy in The Last of Us, because he trusts his brother more than himself to protect her, and Ellie confronts him about it. She implicitly points out the fact that he is trying to step away from her because of how she reminds him of Sarah and states that she is not his daughter.

Watching Ellie as she pours her heart out for Joel and seeing him struggle against his own emotions is what makes this scene so notable in The Last of Us. Joel is finally forced to confront his confused and complex feeling toward Ellie and lashes out. He speaks harshly, saying that they are not father and daughter. Nonetheless, he ultimately decides to stick with Ellie after a vicious confrontation on the ranch.

David’s Death Highlights Ellies Downfall

Another of The Last of Us’ most emotional moments revolves around another death. Though David’s death is somewhat cathartic, it also carries a very sad truth. One of The Last of Us’ pivotal story moments is watching Ellie give into her vengeful side, only to be interrupted and comforted by Joel right after that. It shows Ellie’s first foray into vengeance, and the first time she loses all sense, not only killing him but doing so in such a manner that shows her emotions drive her actions, foreshadowing TLOU 2.

Ellie & The Giraffe Represent Hope For A Better Future

The Last of Us’ most emotional moment, however, is the undisputed scene in which Ellie and Joel see and pet a giraffe. Opposite to most scenes of the game, this is a heart-warming one, that reminds players that there is good and peace, even in the worst of moments. This triggers a calm and happy conversation with a beautifully desolate view. Right after that, Joel in The Last of Us seems more talkative than usual, and speaks more openly about his past, while also stating that he will not go anywhere without Ellie.

There are many emotional moments in The Last of Us, that drives the narrative forward and keep the game so compelling nearly 10 years from its release. Seeing Joel say goodbye to his brother Tommy after the ranch incident is one of them, and there are also a few noteworthy interactions with Bill, too. The fact is that The Last of Us thrives on scenes like these, and the same is true for TLOU Part 2.