About The Last of Us Part 2
The Last of Us Part 2 was developed by Naughty Dog and released six years ago. The game follows the story of Ellie as she navigates a post-apocalyptic world filled with danger and moral dilemmas.
Joel's Shocking Death
In the opening hours of The Last of Us Part 2, Joel, the first game's protagonist, is brutally killed by WLF member Abby, who beats him to death with a golf club. This shocking moment sparked intense controversy among both fans and developers at Naughty Dog.
Former Naughty Dog artist Heather Cerlan discussed the internal divide regarding Joel's death, stating, "Oh yeah, most of the studio was like, 'really you're going to...'. I think the studio was pretty split on the outcome of what happens. It was controversial internally, too." This indicates that even within the studio, opinions varied on this pivotal narrative choice.
Community Reaction
The backlash against the decision to kill Joel was significant, leading to a wave of online abuse directed at actress Laura Bailey, who portrayed Abby. Bailey revealed, "Every time I went online, that's all I saw: death threats and threats of violence." This highlights the intense emotional reactions players had to the story and its characters.
Preparing for Controversy
Due to the negative reactions surrounding The Last of Us Part 2, Neil Druckmann prepared actress Tati Gabrielle for her role in Naughty Dog's upcoming title, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. Gabrielle mentioned that Druckmann told her, "Ignore it. No matter what, me and you, we're going to make something beautiful. We're going to make something that we're proud of." This preparation reflects the challenges actors face when dealing with fan backlash.