When thinking about this game-turned-TV show, feminism is probably one of the last things people associate The Last of Us with. Yet this post-apocalyptic masterpiece is permeated with powerful, capable female characters who fight as brutally as their male counterparts. Their femininity blends seamlessly with their skills. A woman can kill the Infected (a term used to describe victims of the Cordyceps fungal infection) just as easily as a man. Women are strong, women are survivors, and the women in this game certainly don’t require a man’s help to stay alive. Of course, teamwork is a fundamental part of not being murdered or turned into an Infected, but individuals such as Ellie (the female protagonist) and Tess (an ally of Ellie) can fend for themselves.
In the hit TV show, which has raked up to 4.7 million views for the premiere episode, Tess is introduced as a central, gritty character who smuggles a variety of goods. Working with Joel, the male lead, they threaten, torture, and even murder those who have defied them. Tess is harsh and unforgiving; she does not hesitate to take risks in order to help herself. What is most striking, however, is the fact that her gender does not hinder her; rather, it aids with her potency. When fighting enemies, Tess is swift and skilled, utilising multiple weapons to battle for her survival. All in all, she is an admirable character. Her unfortunate demise is heroic: sacrificing herself for a fellow woman, Ellie, and this sacrifice ensures that Ellie and Joel succeed in their goal (smuggling the immune Ellie to a hospital, in hopes of finding a cure for the fungal infection from Ellie’s immunity to it). It can be debated that the plot uses her as an example of tragedy, an example of a good soul who has perished to save her loved ones, but Tess is more than her ending. She lived a life of power.
Ellie is also a refreshing female character, simply due to her ‘normality’. She is neither hyper-sexualized nor one-dimensional: Ellie is vulnerable yet possesses immense strength. She is so human, refusing to pander to the male gaze and instead reflecting the experiences of many women. She cries, she cares for Joel, she forces herself to kill, but Ellie also enjoys indicting violence upon her enemies. Why not? A male character who slaughters his enemies is worshipped by his fans. People admire those who fight for their freedom, and Ellie does just that. Her imperfect acts challenge the idea of freedom; freedom is not just waiting for a man to save you. Instead, Ellie can save herself.