The Last of Us has welcomed all manner of theories over the last ten years but it seems as though fans are not running out of questions anytime soon as a major plot hole was recently questioned.
Set in a post-apocalyptic universe where a cordyceps plague has wiped out most of humanity, The Last of Us’ characters must protect themselves not only from bites from the infected but also from spores that are mostly found in the darkest and most damp areas.
Check out our review of The Last of Us Part II Remastered below!
To prevent coming into contact with the deathly spores, we regularly see Joel, Tess and Ellie don a face covering which takes on the appearance of a modern day gas mask.
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However, one Reddit user over on r/thelastofus has drawn attention to these masks by questioning whether it would make sense to also cover the character’s ears.
After all, airborne diseases can sometimes be transmitted via the ears.
“When characters go into spore infested areas they wear gas masks. But shouldn't they wear EAR COVERING too?” They asked. “Can't spores travel through the ears and into the brain?”
With something as ruthless as the cordyceps, it would make sense that it would enter the body whichever way it could.
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However, this is something that Naughty Dog either missed or decided was just not an issue in The Last of Us universe.
“If it was supposed to be 100% realistic, then they should wear full body CBRN suits and go through a decontamination shower each time they encounter an infested area, since spores can be stuck on clothes and breathed in later,” one comment read.
It is obviously worth taking this with a pinch of salt as video games can only be so realistic. However, it is interesting to see a little plot hole which could be explored in the future of the HBO television adaptation.
Topics: The Last Of Us, The Last Of Us Part 2, Naughty Dog