Fans of The Last of Us have often debated a big question: if the Fireflies made a cure from Ellie, would it have really worked? According to Neil Druckmann,
Obviously in fiction anything can happen, but I think the point is establishing how the world is built.
For example let’s look at The Walking Dead. I thought I recall, but can’t find a source, from the creator stating that one of the rules in that universe is that there will never be a cure. This idea is also explored in the first season of the show. The party shows up at a CDC facility and a scientist makes it clear that there is no cure. From that point on (or at least until I stopped watching the show) the idea of a cure never comes up again. In The Walking Dead universe, there is no cure.
In The Last of Us universe however, “The Cure” is a huge question. It drives the majority of the plot in season 1. It’s still a huge question in season 2. As viewers we’re constantly wondering, what if someone finds out Ellie is immune? If they can’t make a cure from Ellie and Joel was “right”, it’s less impactful. If we know Joel made the “right” decision for Ellie, but the “wrong” decision for society, that’s interesting, that’s impactful, that’s the story I want to see.
While I know Joel never knew the answer, I never doubted that Ellie really was/is the cure. Why? Because that’s the more interesting story. Because when Joel makes his decision, he has to know what he’s sacrificing. Joel didn’t travel across the US because he loved Ellie. He didn’t know Ellie when he met her. He did that to save humanity. But when they travel, when they grow to love and Ellie becomes his daughter. Now it’s different. Joel believed in the cure, but he was willing to sacrifice it for Ellie.
Obviously in fiction anything can happen, but I think the point is establishing how the world is built.
For example let’s look at The Walking Dead. I thought I recall, but can’t find a source, from the creator stating that one of the rules in that universe is that there will never be a cure. This idea is also explored in the first season of the show. The party shows up at a CDC facility and a scientist makes it clear that there is no cure. From that point on (or at least until I stopped watching the show) the idea of a cure never comes up again. In The Walking Dead universe, there is no cure.
In The Last of Us universe however, “The Cure” is a huge question. It drives the majority of the plot in season 1. It’s still a huge question in season 2. As viewers we’re constantly wondering, what if someone finds out Ellie is immune? If they can’t make a cure from Ellie and Joel was “right”, it’s less impactful. If we know Joel made the “right” decision for Ellie, but the “wrong” decision for society, that’s interesting, that’s impactful, that’s the story I want to see.
While I know Joel never knew the answer, I never doubted that Ellie really was/is the cure. Why? Because that’s the more interesting story. Because when Joel makes his decision, he has to know what he’s sacrificing. Joel didn’t travel across the US because he loved Ellie. He didn’t know Ellie when he met her. He did that to save humanity. But when they travel, when they grow to love and Ellie becomes his daughter. Now it’s different. Joel believed in the cure, but he was willing to sacrifice it for Ellie.