Who is Abby Anderson, and what is her role in The Last of Us Part 2?

Abby Anderson is one of the two playable protagonists in The Last of Us Part 2, the other being Ellie Williams. Joel's rampage at the Firefly Hospital in Salt Lake City in TLOU Part I destroyed her life's goal of finding a cure for the Cordyceps virus. It also left Abby and her crew displaced. The game shifts to her perspective sometimes and shows her side of the story.

At a young age, Abby saw her fair share of blood and loss, which turned her into the hardened survivor she is today. Director Neil Druckmann had plans for this character to serve as a mirror to Ellie's journey. The story is a glorified revenge quest, and Joel's rampage at the Firefly Hospital sets her on a dark path.

While other players view her as a villain to Ellie, Abby's role is technically that of a protagonist in this story.

Note: Aspects of this article are subjective and reflect the writer's opinions. Major spoilers will be discussed beyond this point.

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Abby Anderson is a victim of circumstances in The Last of Us Part 2

Abby Anderson lost all of her innocence at a young age (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

In The Last of Us Part 2, Abby Anderson is only a few years older than Ellie (19). Her father, Jerry Anderson, is the last living surgeon and was head of the Salt Lake City outpost for the Fireflies, a revolutionary militia group. She was trained to help all living creatures and to track wounded animals.

While Abby was fortunate to have four walls and a roof with the Fireflies, her life fell in shambles after Joel killed her father, who was also the only person capable of making a vaccine to save Ellie.

After leaving Salt Lake City, Anderson and her crew join the Washington Liberation Front in Seattle to fight under Isaac's army against the Seraphites, also known as Scars. She spends five years with the WLF training in mixed martial arts, bulking up, and ascending the ladder as one of Isaac's top Scar killers. She uses her experience to find Joel and exact her revenge.

In 2038, Abby hears rumors about Tommy's whereabouts and figures Joel must be with him. She leaves with her crew and goes to Wyoming, where she is rescued from a horde of infected by Joel and Tommy. Anderson corners Joel and bashes his skull with a golf club but decides to let Tommy live. Ellie, who made her way to the group, is also spared.

Abby lost her father after Joel killed him in cold blood. Despite the hand life dealt her, she found a new purpose by joining the WLF and using their resources to transform her body into a living weapon to take revenge against Joel.

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Abby's campaign is action packed

Abby and Ellie have gone through a lot in The Last of Us games (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

The game takes a turn after the player is sent back in time to walk in Abby's shoes for three days, leading up to a confrontation at a theater. Abby's campaign is much more exciting, and the combat scenarios highlight her aggressive fighting style.

Anderson's military training made her a formidable threat against the Infected and Scars. Her first day involves a handful of Scars ambushing her crew and a lengthy section of exploring Chinatown deep behind enemy lines alone.

She overcomes her fear of heights with Lev’s help as they fight Scars and access their "sky bridges." Later the same day, Abby defeats the Rat King, an amalgamation of Infected variants that has evolved in the past two decades.

She encounters Tommy on Day 2 in an exciting sniping section akin to the first game. On Scar Island, she fights through Scar soldiers and betrays the WLF to save Lev.

After Ellie kills Abby's friends on Day 3, the latter and Lev fight Ellie but end up sparing her. Then, they go to Santa Barbara and search for clues about the Fireflies' whereabouts. The pair eventually finds a house with a radio and contacts the militia group, but the Rattlers intercept them and bring them to their hideout.

After a failed escape attempt, Abby and Lev are hung on the pillars by the beachside as punishment, making the former lose all her muscle and strength.

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Conclusion

Abby Anderson and Ellie Williams are two young, unfortunate survivors (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Abby Anderson was a risk Naughty Dog wanted to take for The Last of Us Part 2. It is difficult to introduce a new character to go head-to-head with established and beloved characters like Joel and Ellie, but she did irreparable damage to the story by killing Joel. Eventually, the gaming community understood her pain and was able to relate to her, while others still disliked her for what she did.

Some fans understood the reason behind her actions. She is not a villain, especially from her perspective. This character is proof that everyone is capable of doing bad things even if their intentions are pure.

Nevertheless, Druckmann kept her alive in the end, and this could mean there are more stories to tell about this character. While Abby Anderson isn't everyone's favorite video game protagonist, her campaign was much more thrilling, and it was meant to showcase her strength. Hate or love her, Abby is a force to be reckoned with in The Last of Us Part 2.

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

• The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered PC Review: The definitive experience with a few bumps
• The Last of Us 2 Remastered PC optimization guide: Best settings for optimal performance
• How old is Ellie in The Last of Us Part 2?