The hit HBO apocalyptic dramaThe Last of Ushas captivated fans with its post-apocalyptic world full of terrifying undead and heartbreaking drama. Joel and Ellie’s story has been at the forefront of every discussion of the series, with many of the best lines coming from the duo (and several other supporting characters).
A lot has been said throughout the show. Some of the lines were prophetic, others heartbreaking, some hilarious, and others even inspiring. With a comparably strong Season 2 coming to a close, we figured it was time to check out The Last of Us‘ best quotes—which, so far, have been unforgettable and often perfectly capture the characters’ personalities, relationships, and hardships in the series.
15
“I hope you do a little better than me.”
Joel to Ellie (Season 2, Episode 6): “The Price”
One of the most powerful scenes in the series shows Ellie asking Joel what really happened to the Fireflies. She’s already figured out that he lied, but she needs explicit confirmation. After he admits to what really happened, he tries to tell her that he loves her “in a way you can’t understand. Maybe you never will, but if that day should come, if you should ever have one of your own, well then…I hope you do a little better than me.”
This quote isn’t interesting because Joel is admitting that what he did was wrong. In fact, he even tells her he would kill all those people again if given a second chance. What makes this line so good is how it connects to what Joel’s father told him back in the 80s, regarding how he would beat Joel and Tommy. A flashback at the beginning of this episode showed Joel’s father saying he hopes that Joel will be able to do a little better when he has kids of his own one day. Regardless of whether you think he did much better or much worse, this quote helps us understand him even more than we already did. —J.S. Gornael
14
“I’m gonna kill you!”
Ellie to Abby (Season 2, Episode 2): “Through the Valley”
Ellie is being held down as Joel gets killed by Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) and her gang. She pleads for Joel to get up, and she begs Abby not to kill him. Abby kills him anyway, and Ellie is absolutely devastated. The sadness almost immediately gives way to rage as she says “I’m gonna kill you” in a volume that’s barely audible. Then Ellie screams it, telling all of them that they’re going to die. Bella Ramsey’s delivery is excellent here.
This moment paves the way for Ellie’s transformation throughout the rest of the season. The rage won’t always be apparent on her face, but it will drive her decisions—which culminate into a single goal: kill Abby, as well as the others who helped her. In a way, this is one of the simplest lines to write; there isn’t much else that her character would be expected to say in the wake of Joel’s murder. However, the simplest lines are also sometimes the most important and powerful, and this is an exemplar of that. —J.S. Gornael
13
“What life?”
Abby to Joel (Season 2, Episode 2): “Through the Valley”
In the second episode of Season 2, Abby is lucky enough to stumble upon Joel. He saves her when she’s getting chased by a ton of infected, and she does the opposite of returning the favor. After disclosing that she came here to get revenge on him for what he did in the season one finale, Joel has a decent defense: “I saved your life.” Unfortunately for him, she has a better answer: “What life?”
This is one of those times when a character has committed such a heinous crime that literally saving one of the people he wronged isn’t nearly enough for that person to have any second thoughts about making him suffer. She has been driven by vengeance for five years—mourning the loss of her father, what was left of the Fireflies, and humanity’s last hope for a cure to the Cordyceps. When Abby suggests she doesn’t have a life, we believe her. —J.S. Gornael
12
“I know.”
Abby to Nora (Season 2, Episode 5): “Feel Her Love”
Season 2’s “Feel Her Love” sees Ellie chasing down one of Joel’s killers, specifically the woman who held Ellie down. Now in the basement of a hospital, the two wind up surrounded by Cordyceps spores. Nora (Tati Gabrielle) can barely breathe at this point, let alone run away. Ellie demands to know where Abby is, and Nora tells Ellie that Joel killed all those Fireflies in Salt Lake City—thinking that she ought to be able to understand why Abby and the others did what they did.
Specifically, she tells Ellie that Joel killed all those Fireflies in Salt Lake City, including the only doctor in the country who could have found a cure for the virus. In one of the best plot twists in TLoU, Ellie says “I know” with an expression on her face that reveals she doesn’t care. It’s a dark moment for her character, as we see that her thirst for revenge is even stronger than we thought. She began the season with a damaged relationship with Joel, but this line is an excellent parallel to how cold Joel became when he learned Ellie would be prepped for surgery in the season one finale. —J.S. Gornael
11
“I do.”
Joel to Marlene (Season 1, Episode 9): “Look for the Light”
When Joel wakes up in the hospital in the Season 1 finale, Marlene tells him that the Fireflies have prepped Ellie for a fatal surgery. He demands they take him to her, but gets hit in the gut by one of the other Fireflies. Now on all fours, he begs Marlene to let Ellie go, but no one else has her immunity. Marlene tells him that she doesn’t have a choice, and then we cut to Joel on the floor. He has a cold look in his eyes: “I do.”
Unexpectedly, Joel appears willing to kill people trying to come up with a cure to the Cordyceps virus if that means Ellie will be saved. The intensity of his delivery is even more disturbing when you think about his position here: he’s defenseless, he’s threatening three Fireflies to their faces, and he’s looking up at them all. The audacity to imply that he’ll try to save Ellie no matter what marks just how far his relationship with her has come throughout this first season. This is one of the darkest lines in the show, and easily one of the strongest. —J.S. Gornael
10
“It was either him or me.”
Joel to Ellie (Season 1, Episode 4): “Please Hold My Hand”
This is one of the first times Joel shows affection towards Ellie. She saves him by shooting a young man, and Joel feels the need to finish the man off, but does not want to do it in front of Ellie.
In the end, he tells her to leave the room, interrogates the young man, then kills him point-blank. It’s this moment that reminds Joel that Ellie is just a kid, but is also mature enough to handle a gun. The line also shows Joel’s need to defend his actions to her, so she doesn’t view him as a monster.
9
“You’re right, you’re not my daughter.”
Joel to Ellie (Season 1, Episode 6): “Kin”
It’s just six words, but they hold so much weight and are part of one of the most heartbreaking scenes in The Last of Us. While wanting to ensure that Ellie continues the journey, Joel doesn’t believe he’s the right person to do the job because of his growing anxiety and belief that he is losing himself.
However, when he speaks these words to Ellie, followed by “And I sure as hell ain’t your dad,” the hurt on Ellie’s face is palpable. It’s clear he’s hurting, too, but trying to put on a brave front, which is just as heartbreaking. This was a powerful quote within a powerful scene, which is the beauty of this series.
8
“Arby’s didn’t give free lunches.”
Frank to Bill (Season 1, Episode 3): “Long, Long Time”
In such an emotionally charged episode, this line by Frank helps break the tension and shows a softer side of Bill. Wielding a gun, Bill tells the hungry man that he can’t feed him because if he did, every Tom, Dick, and Harry who showed up would want a meal, too. He then says that he “isn’t an Arby’s.”
Frank’s response shows a light-hearted, funny side to him, which is exactly what Bill needed. This theme continued as Frank helps break Bill out of his shell, making the pair two of the best characters on The Last of Us.
7
“’80s means trouble. Code broken.”
Ellie to Joel (Season 1, Episode 1): “When You’re Lost in the Darkness”
On the surface, this quote doesn’t seem meaningful. But there’s so much behind it. When Ellie comes upon a book of songs sitting beside a radio with a sheet of paper with some code written on it, it doesn’t take much for her to crack it.
It’s one of the first instances that prove that Ellie is one smart, tough cookie. But, it’s also cleverly the first mention of Bill and Frank and their efforts along the way to help Joel and Tess (played by Anna Torv in one of her best roles). A perfect introduction into the world that viewers would soon be thrust into.
6
“Bomb this city and everyone in it.”
Doctor Ratna to a military officer (Season 1, Episode 2): “Infected”
One of the most jarring quotes, Doctor Ratna, a professor and mycologist, is brought into the government office in Jakarta to examine a subject infected with Cordyceps. Her face instantly shifts when she sees the tendrils in the man’s mouth and realizes the virus is alive and well within him.
The officer is hoping Dr. Ratna can suggest a way to combat the virus and slow its spread. Instead, she speaks these words and asks to go home to be with her family. She knows what is going to happen and, with this line, makes it clear that there’s effectively no hope.
