The Last of Us Season 2 will introduce Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) into the story, but the series will majorly change her character from the game.
Naughty Dog's game The Last of Us Part 2 forms the basis of the narrative of the second season of HBO's hit series adaptation. Season 2 sees things pick up five years later with Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) who are living in Jackson following their harrowing journey across post-apocalyptic America.
Season 2 of HBO's The Last of Us is set to introduce multiple new characters from the second game, but similar to the first season of the HBO series, it will also make some changes in the adaptation process.
Abby Will Look Different In The Last of Us Season 2
Following Kaitlyn Dever's casting as Abby, there was a question of whether the actress would bulk up to match the muscular physique of her character in The Last of Us Part 2. However, it appears this was not necessary for Dever as Abby's character will not be as physically imposing in the series as she was in the game.
Naughty Dog studio head and The Last of Us executive producer Neil Druckmann confirmed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that Abby's physique has changed due to "different priorities" in the series.
Abby's muscular build was vital to her gameplay in The Last of Us Part 2 but is no longer as relevant in the TV adaptation of the story. According to Druckmann, The Last of Us Season 2 is "more about the drama" and less about the "violent action moment to moment:"
"There's not as much violent action moment to moment. It's more about the drama. I'm not saying there's no action here. It's just, again, different priorities and how you approach it."
Druckmann added that Dever has the "spirit of the game in her" and that it was important for the series to find an actress who audiences could "connect to in the way we connect to Bella:"
"Kaitlyn has the spirit of the game in her. What I always loved about the idea was that you are going to continually be challenged as you were in season 1. When you try to pick a hero, it's tough because we're human beings, we're not heroes. For every heroic act, there's someone who suffers on the other side who may see you reasonably as a villain.
When you look at Kaitlyn, there's just something in her eyes where, even no matter what she's experiencing, you connect. It was important that we found somebody that we could connect to the way we connect to Bella."
The Last of Us co-showrunner Craig Mazin also added that changing Abby's physique offered them an opportunity to explore a character "physically more vulnerable" than their game counterpart and allowed them to question, "Where does her formidable nature come from?":
"I personally think that there is an amazing opportunity here to delve into someone who is perhaps physically more vulnerable than the Abby in the game, but whose spirit is stronger. And then the question is, ‘Where does her formidable nature come from and how does it manifest?’ That's something that will be explored now and later."
The Last of Us Fans Are Divided Over Abby
Despite these justifications for the changes to Abby's character, the decision has left The Last of Us fans divided.
For context, Abby's muscular physique in the story is a result of years of training, which she dedicated herself to so she could become strong enough to enact her revenge upon Joel. This also had added justification in the game as it served to differentiate her gameplay style from that of Ellie's.
Some fans have embraced the change to Abby's physique, noting that it brings her more in line with Ellie as a character. One fan on X noted that Abby and Ellie having similar builds shows how "tragedy and trauma have affected them in a different way:"
"[I'm] cool with that because I think showing that Abby has the same build as Ellie is an interesting parallel. [It] show[s] they may look the same but tragedy and trauma have affected them in a different way."
Others on X shared their confidence in Dever pulling off Abby's character without reliance on her physical status:
"I personally don't mind, Kaitlyn is a great actress which is good enough for me."
On the other hand, there are fans of Naughty Dog's game who are disappointed with this change to Abby, claiming that her physique is a "big part of her identity" and is what made her imposing.
One fan on X also pointed out how this change to Abby may have ramifications down the line, particularly in the third act. Without going into spoilers, at a late stage in the game, Abby's physical figure is completely worn down due to her situation, which serves a purpose in the final fight sequence:
"So the finale won't be the same then. [Because] the impact of seeing what happened to her at the end of the game hits different."
HBO's The Last of Us made several changes to the game in Season 1, such as setting the story 10 years earlier and expanding on minor character's narratives, like Bill and Frank.
Abby's physicality is another instance of things changing in the adaptation process of The Last of Us. In this case, it seems the showrunners are focusing on the performance quality and narrative potential of Abby over her physical appearance, which may open up new avenues for her character in this version of the story.
