5 The Last of Us video game characters we’d bring back from the dead (and 3 we wouldn’t)
The Last of Us characters we’d bring back
5. Would bring back: Tess Servopoulos
Many characters in The Last of Us Part I have short-lived appearances, with Joel and Ellie being the biggest exceptions. However, the game does an amazing job of making you grow fond of the secondary characters as well, even if they don’t have a lot of development or screen time. That was certainly the case with Tess Servopoulos, Joel’s smuggling partner and companion in the post-apocalyptic world.
Tess was an essential part of the game’s first act. Even if we didn’t get to know much of her story, it’s implied she and Joel were allies for a long time after the breakout. Both of them had a lot of experience smuggling many types of cargo that ranged from weapons to a little girl named Ellie. Tess always acted as the brain of the operations while Joel was the muscle, and together they formed a great pair that prevailed through many hardships in the world of The Last Of Us. Nonetheless, as Tess said herself, their luck was set to run out sooner or later.
Tess, Joel, and Ellie ran into a dreadful encounter with clickers and runners in a museum. While the trio managed to make it out alive, it wasn’t without paying a great cost. Tess was bitten before escaping, and after realizing there was no chance of surviving the cordyceps infection, she sacrificed herself to give Joel and Ellie time to leave the capitol building.
If Sarah’s passing in the prologue served to set the game’s tone, then Tess’ death was used to reinforce the idea that nobody is ever safe in The Last of Us. While a happy ending for her was probably never on the table at Naughty Dog, we can’t help but wonder how different Joel and Ellie’s journey would’ve been if she hadn’t been bitten by that runner.
Tess could’ve made it to Jackson County to settle down once and for all. Maybe she could’ve been on board with the idea of Ellie giving her life away in favor of a cure, putting her in opposition to Joel. Or perhaps she would’ve been his savior when Abby attacked, greatly changing the story of The Last of Us Part II. Even if Tess wasn’t a hero or even a truly good person, she was a beloved character who died way too soon for everyone’s liking. If given the opportunity, we would definitely bring her back to life.