Several divisive characters are set to appear in The Last of Us Season 3, which adapts Naughty Dog's video game franchise. So far, the HBO TV adaptation has covered the entirety of the first game and half of The Last of Us Part II, leaving Season 3 open to the remainder of Part II. The world of The Last of Us has not been without controversy, particularly surrounding some of its characters. Several of these figures will be featured in HBO's The Last of Us Season 3 when it begins airing in 2027.
The Last of Us Season 1 focused on the harrowing journey of Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) as they traveled across post-apocalyptic America to try and find a cure for the cordyceps virus that has infected the world. Season 2 picked up the story five years later, following Ellie on a revenge quest to Seattle, which is filled with dangerous factions at war.
It's expected that Season 3 of The Last of Us will be the final season, airing on both HBO and streaming on HBO Max. It will likely cover the second half of Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Part II and switch the story to Abby's (Kaitlyn Dever) perspective. Along with a major casting shakeup on The Last of Us Season 3, several polarizing characters are set to make their return in the upcoming season.
The Last of Us Season 3's Most Divisive Characters Confirmed
Abby
While Abby will become the central character in The Last of Us Season 3, that switch doesn't come without its share of controversy.
In The Last of Us Part II, Abby turned out to be the most divisive character in the game, coming into the story to unexpectedly and brutally murder Joel in the first act, before the game switched its perspective midway through, forcing the player to now control Abby and see her side of the story.
HBO's The Last of Us Season 2 softened Abby somewhat, providing viewers with the motive behind her murder of Joel, but nevertheless, the fact that she is responsible for the death of such a beloved character will still hang over Abby as viewers follow her into Season 3 of the show.
In addition to Abby's role in the story, some fans of The Last of Us Part II have been upset by the changes the show made to her live-action adaptation, particularly the decision to alter her physique. The Last of Us co-creator Neil Druckmann said this shift was due to "different priorities" between the show and the game, but some fans still haven't gotten on board with the show's version of Abby.
Ellie
Throughout Season 1, Ellie became the heart of The Last of Us, using her humor and resilience to survive the dangerous apocalypse and forge a familial bond with Joel. In Season 2 and in The Last of Us Part 2, that shifted as Ellie was changed by the loss of Joel and twisted by the dark path of revenge.
While on this path, many of Ellie's decisions are controversial, particularly the number of people she murders on her quest to reach Abby. Later in the second game, some of Ellie's decisions are even harder to get behind, particularly the late-game decision to abandon Dina and her baby and the life they've built together after returning from Seattle.
Even before some of these moments have been adapted for the screen, Ellie has become a divisive character in HBO's The Last of Us, particularly due to changes made to her in Season 2. Many perceive Ramsey's version of Ellie in the show to be far less competent than her character in the games, which could cause further problems heading into Season 3 as audiences follow the culmination of her revenge arc.
Tommy
Tommy is Joel's loyal and steadfast brother in The Last of Us, an ex-Firefly who invites Joel and Ellie into their community in Jackson. When fans are reunited with Tommy in The Last of Us, they learn he's abandoned his violent ways and settled down in Jackson with his wife, Maria. But in The Last of Us Part 2, Tommy's dark side is revealed after Joel's death, and he's the one who goes after Abby in Seattle first, prompting Ellie and Dina to follow.
In The Last of Us Part 2, Tommy's family-first values are ruined by his commitment to revenge, and even after surviving Seattle and returning to Jackson, he can't let Abby go free. This obsession is all-encompassing for Tommy and even causes Maria to leave him, but he still insists that Ellie continue her revenge quest in his stead, leading her to make a radical and controversial decision near the end of the game.
HBO's The Last of Us has made some changes to Tommy (played by Gabriel Luna) that could alter how his character arc plays out in the show, but if it sticks to the script, it would lead to Tommy being an instigator in one of The Last of Us Part 2's most polarizing decisions.
Owen
Owen is one of the core characters in Abby's half of The Last of Us Part 2, but he has his share of divisive moments. Like Abby, Owen is an ex-Firefly who joins the Washington Liberation Front (WLF) in Seattle after the Fireflies fall at Salt Lake City Hospital. He and Abby were in a relationship in the past, but now it's revealed that he's moved on with Mel, and she is pregnant with their child.
Owen is initially supportive of Abby's mission to kill Joel, but after they achieve their goal in Jackson, it's clear his priorities have changed. Owen begins seeking out the Fireflies again and even runs away from the WLF to do so. When Abby eventually catches up to him, Owen makes the controversial decision to fall back into bed with her, cheating on his pregnant girlfriend.
While Owen is typically a charming and likable character, these decisions damage his reputation, adding him to the long lineup of divisive characters in The Last of Us. Owen is ultimately shot and killed as seen in The Last of Us Season 2, but Season 3 will show more of his side of the story in leading up to his death.
BONUS: Mel
While Mel doesn't fall into the same bucket as some other The Last of Us characters in terms of controversial decision-making, she has emerged as a divisive figure, largely due to her personality.
In The Last of Us Part 2, Mel is another former Firefly in Abby's group and a skilled medic. She is a pacifist and doesn't condone a lot of the violent actions that her friends take, particularly Abby's murder of Joel. Throughout the game, most interactions between Abby and Mel portray her as standoffish and sour, and, as Owen's new girlfriend, Abby harbors an inherent dislike for Mel.
While Mel is typically justified in most of her decisions, her personality and manner often come off as annoying or self-righteous, making her something of an unlikable character despite her good intentions.
Fans will get to see more of Ariela Barer's portrayal of Mel in Season 3 of The Last of Us, which will determine whether her character shares these same personality traits with her counterpart in the game.
BONUS: Lev
Lev is a new character who fans will meet in Season 3 of The Last of Us. In the second game, Lev plays a pivotal part in Abby's story. He is a Seraphite, the rivals of the WLF, who runs away from his community due to their strict religious views that condemn him as a transgender boy. Lev becomes one of Abby's closest allies in The Last of Us Part 2.
While Lev does not partake in any significant divisive decisions in the story, his inclusion in the game has been perceived as controversial to some simply due to his transgender nature.
The casting of Skeleton Crew star Kyriana Kratter as Lev in The Last of Us Season 3 already caused division among fans, as the show opted not to cast a trans actor in the role, although it remains to be seen how the HBO series plans to adapt Lev's story on screen.
