Characters of The Last of Us Part II

The Last of Us Part II, a 2020 action-adventure game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, focuses on two lead characters: Ellie, who sets out for revenge after suffering a great tragedy, and Abby Anderson, a soldier who becomes involved in a conflict between her militia and a cult. The switch between the playable characters was a major point of the game's development, based on a similar switch in the original game, 2013's The Last of Us.

Part of the game deals with Ellie's relationship with Joel, the first game's protagonist, who lied to her. Ellie is joined by several companions in the game, including her girlfriend Dina, friend Jesse, and Joel's brother Tommy. Abby is a member of the Washington Liberation Front, which also includes her ex-boyfriend Owen and her friend Manny, and is led by Isaac. Throughout her journey, Abby meets and protects Yara and Lev, siblings from the opposing cult known as the Seraphites.

Creative director Neil Druckmann co-wrote the story and developed the characters of Part II with Halley Gross. The performances were recorded using performance capture, which records motion and voice simultaneously. Actors were given considerable license to improvise or suggest ideas while performing. One of the writers' goals was to create multifaceted characters, especially in Ellie, and they wanted to explore the vulnerabilities of Abby to ensure that the player could empathize with her. The characters received a mixed reception, with acclaim for the performances.