What happened to Abby and Lev at the end of The Last of Us Part 2?

Abby and Lev were fortunate to move on in The Last of Us Part 2. Naughty Dog's controversial sequel takes a much darker turn after Abby kills Joel, which eventually becomes the cause of her descent. After tearing through the various warring factions in Seattle, Ellie eventually catches up to Abby, but the outcome was far from desirable.

These characters have been through much. While not everyone is fond of Abby as a character, there is no denying she serves a vital role in Lev's life. Perhaps the ending could indicate they can move on from their past and find a new lease on life.

Disclaimer: Some aspects of this article are subjective and reflect the writer's opinion. Major story spoilers will be discussed beyond this point.

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There are more stories to tell with Lev and Abby beyond The Last of Us Part 2

The future is looking bright for Abby and Lev (Image via PlayStation Publishing LLC)

Abby can be conceived as a villain in The Last of Us Part 2, but it is all a matter of perspective. In her eyes, she exacted revenge by killing the person who killed her father, and things began to get much more complicated. Abby and Joel have a lot more in common than many might think; both characters experienced tremendous loss and did things out of love.

After leaving their past in Seattle, Abby and Lev set out on Owen's sailboat to find the remaining Fireflies in Santa Barbara. The duo encountered their fair share of dead ends until they found a radio and made contact. Unfortunately, they were captured by the Rattlers.

It remains unclear how long Abby and Lev were held captive, but judging by her muscle loss, it can be around a few months until Ellie catches up. Ellie had to travel from the outskirts of Wyoming to Santa Barbara, presumably on foot, and that is not a short distance.

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Why did Ellie spare Abby?

After a final confrontation at the Rattler's beach resort, Ellie had the upper hand but ultimately decided to spare Abby at the last second. Ellie's sudden change of heart can be interpreted in a few ways, such as she sees Joel's pain in Abby's actions and realizes the cycle will not end. Every character in the franchise has gone through a similar arc that eventually leads them to a darker path.

Ellie essentially saved Abby and Lev by freeing them from the pillars. Perhaps the duo will pay it forward in a future sequel where they cross paths again. Abby and Lev are walking the same path Joel and Ellie walked in the original game, and she knows the right choice is the hard one to make. Despite her hate for Abby, Ellie broke the cycle of violence and revenge.

While the game never explicitly showed it, Abby and Lev made it out okay and might have joined the Fireflies. The main menu suggests that the pair arrived at the location marked by the Fireflies, and it is much sunnier and brighter, a major contrast to the dark and grim main menu when you first start the game.

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Could Abby and Lev come back?

If a character doesn't die on screen, chances of them coming back are high (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

While Neil Druckmann has played coy about the possibilities of another sequel, the game had an open ending. Naughty Dog is currently working on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, but there could still be hope for The Last of Us Part 3.

Abby and Lev are going through a similar journey Joel and Ellie did in Part I. If Ellie took Abby away from Lev, she would create another monster that would continue the cycle.

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The Last of Us Part 2 is now available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC. For more related articles, check these out:

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