The Last of Us: How Sarah Passes the Torch to Ellie

gamerant.com:

Warning — This article delves deep into some of the main plot points of The Last of Us.Thanks to the multiple trailers and promotional materials released by Naughty Dog prior to The Last of Us's initial 2013 launch, people were already expecting Joel and Ellie to be the center of the studios' then newest IP. These two characters, brought together by a string of unlikely events, have to work together to survive a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by the Infected and desperate survivors. Along the way, Joel and Ellie have to make decisions that will put their humanity and relationship with each other to the test.

While the majority of The Last of Us takes place after the apocalypse, the beginning of the first game takes place as said apocalypse is happening. Instead of controlling Joel or Ellie, players are introduced to Joel's daughter Sarah. While she isn't present for most of the game, Sarah has a profound impact on the two protagonists as they grow, change, and perceive each other.

The Last of Us TV Series Casts Joel's Daughter Sarah

Players can deduce a lot about Sarah from The Last of Us's first few scenes. Like most teenagers, Sarah is rebellious. She stays up past her bedtime to greet her father a happy birthday, she loves listening to music Joel hates (as evidenced by her letter to him on his birthday card), and she constantly talks back to Joel. Despite her rebellious nature, Sarah is found to be a caring and loving person, especially toward her immediate family. She is particularly fond of Joel — who raised her as a single parent once he and Sarah's mother parted ways — and Tommy — who spent a lot of time with Joel and Sarah as the latter was growing up.

Likewise, Joel also cares deeply about Sarah. Because she is