The Last of Us’ Abby is so much more than her muscles

HBO’s The Last of Us will soon return for its second season, one that’ll introduce The Last of Us Part II’s Abby - although this iteration of the character will slightly differ from her video game counterpart.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, co-showrunner Neil Druckmann confirmed that Kaitlyn Dever’s TV show Abby won’t be as muscly as the version of the character we’re all familiar with in the game. He explained, “That doesn't play as big of a role in this version of the story ... It's more about the drama,” and I think I might be one of very few people who actually felt relief at this admission. I’ll preface this by saying that Abby is easily my all-time favourite character, and that adoration has never been tied to her physicality. In fact, I’ve always found that Abby’s build has been a hindrance to how she’s understood as a character. From this point on, I will be addressing spoilers for The Last of Us Part II.

In the days since this interview was published, all I’ve seen expressed on social media is backlash - something that, admittedly, leaves me a little irked every time I’m forced to involuntarily read it as Twitter’s abysmal algorithm continues to spew vitriol into everybody’s lives. “What’s the f**king point then? She had motivation to get buff. That’s part of her f**king story. Druckmann, you’re a moron,” read one tweet I stumbled across. The fact that this person believes they know better than the actual creator of the character is quite something. Perhaps more importantly though, this tweet overlooks the mention of “this version” of the story in that Entertainment Weekly interview.

HBO’s take on The Last of Us has never been about the action and in fact, I’d argue that’s why it’s so lauded. It’s something I wrote about during the show’s original airing. You see, a video game needs action. That’s why we play. Yes, The Last of Us Part I and Part II feature some enthralling cutscenes but eventually, a break to gameplay is needed. Different rules apply in a TV show. You don’t need to revert to action every few minutes and so instead, Druckmann and co-showrunner Craig Mazin provided us with that similar level of thrill by upping the emotional ante. You need only look at, say, the exploration of Frank or the larger focus on Joel’s PTSD to see that in action.

ICYMI: Take a look at the latest trailer for season two.

On the whole, The Last of Us Part II is a more action-oriented game than its predecessor, so it’s to be expected that season two may feature more action sequences than season one. That doesn’t mean it’s going to abandon, however, the show’s unspoken rule of ‘drama first’. With that in mind, there’s no real need to see Abby taking down Seraphites twice her size every five minutes - something she’s able to do in the game. I’m far more concerned with following along with the character as she attempts to chart a path to redemption. It’s that which makes Abby so compelling, not her physical feats.

She doesn’t need to be, to quote those in-game, the size of an ox in order to kill Joel. The second he’s in that lodge with his guard down and there’s a shotgun in Abby’s hand, he’s doomed. A show of physical strength simply isn’t a necessity, and I’ve never really followed along with the line of thinking that Abby bulked up to track down Joel. In my eyes, she bulked up simply as a means of survival. In losing her father, Abby lost her only true family. Of course, she has her found-family in the Salt Lake group, but the death of Jerry definitely would’ve unlocked a deeper level of self-preservation in her mind.

Seattle is a brutal city and that’s not simply down to the war between the WLF and Seraphites. The game also hints towards just how ruthless the WLF can be even to those within their own ranks who defy or defect. To me, Abby’s physical prowess simply helped her climb the ranks, landing her in a position of personal safety and perhaps placing her more comfortably in a position where someone as regimented as Isaac might sign off on her request to leave the city to hunt down Joel.

If you eliminate that physicality from the story though, nothing really changes. Even without physical bulk, Abby still likely would have cemented her place in the WLF just like, say, Nora or Leah. She still could’ve taken out Joel having a more slight build as that’s never stopped Ellie from being a rather ferocious individual. Yes, she might not have been able to see off quite as many infected or Scars, but as we’ve already established, the TV show isn’t going to be concerned with needless action. When a physical altercation is featured, it’ll be because it’s pivotal to the story and it’ll certainly be something Abby can handle. Women don’t need to be the “size of an ox” to defend themselves. You can, as I alluded to with Ellie, have a more slight build than video game Abby and still boast a very impressive muscular physique.

Sony Interactive Entertainment

Perhaps the reason I’m slightly resentful of Abby’s physique is because I’ve always felt that people overlook her key strengths because of it. Many players view Abby as an emotionless sort-of terminator because of her physical strength, when that’s a far cry from who she truly is. Abby’s emotions are nuanced, but they’re definitely on display throughout the game - and this is perhaps the biggest reason why I feel a kinship to her. Abby is an extremely guarded person and again, that comes from that earlier idea I mentioned of self-preservation.

She feels fear, joy, anxiety … you name it. Owen makes Abby feel vulnerable. Mel makes her feel insecure. Ellie makes her feel guilty. Lev and Yara instill her with hope. The thing is with Abby, she’s excellent at masking her emotions - something some of us, like myself, will be able to relate to. You see the guard slip when she’s with those she trusts most like Owen and Manny, and certainly with Lev later in the story too. But for the most part, Abby’s able to hide what she feels behind a cool, calm exterior but it’s all a mask and while, yes, I think her muscled physique certainly aids in forming that mask, helping to build a rather militant exterior, it wouldn’t exactly change the core of who Abby is if it was taken away.

Abby is, fair to say, considered to be a polarising character. That being said, I always feel a small pang when people overlook the fact that the genius of Part II is that who’s considered a ‘villain’ is all a matter of perspective. For those that do fail to reach that conclusion, I wonder if they’re blindsided by Abby’s physique. They shouldn’t be, but the immediate impression that she’s a cold, formidable and ruthless individual is perhaps difficult for some to overlook later in the game when her tale becomes more nuanced and open. Perhaps if Abby and Ellie are placed on a more equal physical playing field in HBO’s TV adaptation, it’ll remind viewers that they’re really two sides of the same coin. That aside though, this decision made by Druckmann and Mazin highlights that the TV show is going to focus on who Abby is within and if you ask me, that’s what truly matters.