Kathleen is a perfect harkening of what’s to come in ‘The Last of Us’

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Each fresh episode of The Last of Us is a game-changer, as HBO continues to bleed fresh significance into an already-stellar story. 

Every change made by the television series — excepting that thoroughly unnecessary slow-mo — has added a fresh, delightful element to the video game’s original story, and some won’t pay off for years. 

Take Kathleen. The character is entirely created for HBO’s series, and has no basis in Naughty Dog’s games, but her presence is a clear signal of what is to come. The showrunners laid her out as a storytelling method for Henry, sure, but also as an indicator of the tonal shift viewers will experience in season two and beyond. 

Warning: This article contains rampant spoilers for future storylines in The Last of Us on HBO, as well as The Last of Us Part II.

Kathleen may not have stood out to every viewer, due to her presence as a short-lived antagonist, but her character is absolutely vital. She is a window into Ellie’s future in more ways than one, and her presence is almost certainly intended as a warning of the tragic turn Ellie’s story will eventually take. 

Over the course of two episodes, Melanie Lynskey’s Kathleen establishes herself as the ruthless leader of Kansas City’s resistance group. She’s dedicated her all to overthrowing F.E.D.R.A. and, in particular, tracking down the man she blames for her brother’s death. Henry didn’t actually kill her brother, but he did turn him into F.E.D.R.A. in exchange for vital medication, and sealed his fate in the process. 

Kathleen is utterly blinded by anguish and a thirst for revenge by the time audiences are introduced to her, leaving the character completely unconcerned with the consequences of her actions. And consequences there are. 

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