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Spoilers for the entire game, including the Santa Barbara finale and farm epilogue. Ellie finds Abby and Lev captive in Santa Barbara, frees them, and then forces Abby into a final fight. When Ellie has the chance to kill her, she lets her go. Abby leaves by boat with Lev; the game does not confirm where they go. Back at the farm, Ellie finds Dina and JJ gone, tries to play Joel’s guitar, and walks away from it. The ending offers a moment of release, not a clear answer about what Ellie or Abby does next.
What happens at the end of The Last of Us Part II?
After returning to the farm with Dina and JJ, Ellie learns from Tommy that Abby may be in Santa Barbara. She leaves to pursue her again, despite the cost that pursuit has already taken.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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The Last of Us Part II (Remastered) (Nordic) | $41.75 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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The Last of Us Part I – PlayStation 5 | $37.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Last of Us Part II Collector's Edition for PS4 PS5 | Buy on Amazon |
Abby and Lev have also reached Santa Barbara while following a lead about the Fireflies. The Rattlers capture and brutalize them. Ellie finds the pair restrained, cuts them down, and initially demands that Abby fight. On the beach, Ellie and Abby struggle in the water. Ellie gains the advantage, but stops before killing Abby. Abby carries the weakened Lev to a boat, and they leave together.
The game then returns to the farm. Dina and JJ are no longer there. Ellie picks up Joel’s guitar, but she cannot play it as she once could: she lost two fingers in the fight with Abby. She leaves the guitar in the empty house and walks away.
#1 Best Overall
Why does Ellie let Abby go?
The game does not give one definitive explanation for Ellie’s decision. As she is close to drowning Abby, Ellie remembers a final conversation with Joel. Ellie had told him she could not forgive him, but wanted to try. The memory brings back the complicated grief surrounding Joel, including the fact that their relationship had begun to move toward repair before his death.
One reading is that Ellie recognizes killing Abby will not restore Joel. Another is that the memory helps her see Joel as more than the person she lost, and that she chooses to stop before revenge consumes what remains of her life. She may also be exhausted by the violence and loss her pursuit has required. These are interpretations, not motives stated by Ellie as a definitive answer.
Neil Druckmann, Naughty Dog’s Head of Studio and Head of Creative, described the story in his PlayStation Blog launch statement as a story of “obsession,” “trauma, redemption, and empathy,” asking when it is time to let go and when to hold on. That framing supports a layered reading of Ellie’s choice, but does not settle its precise cause.
Rank #2
- Enhanced visuals: Completely rebuilt from the ground up using Naughty Dog’s latest PS5 engine technology to improve every visual detail, The Last of Us experience has been faithfully enhanced with more realistic lighting and atmosphere, more intricate environments and creative reimaginings of familiar spaces.
- Fast loading: Initial loading times are near instant, and seamless after the first instance thanks to the PS5 console’s SSD – so you can pick up where you left off in the story and load specific encounters and chapters more quickly.
- Haptic feedback: DualSense wireless controller haptic feedback support for every weapon elevates combat encounters, and environments are brought to life through DualSense wireless controller haptic sensations of subtle falling rain, the crunch of stepping on snow and more.
- Adaptive triggers: All The Last of Us iconic weapons, including Joel’s revolver and Ellie’s bow, now deliver dynamic DualSense wireless controller trigger resistance and kickback on firing for deeper combat immersion.
- 3D Audio: Designed to make use of the PS5 console’s Tempest 3D AudioTech, Naughty Dog’s newly upgraded audio engine delivers richer soundscapes, bigger explosive moments and more visceral gameplay through compatible stereo headphones (analogue or USB) or TV speakers.
There is also a parallel in Abby’s earlier decision to spare Ellie. Druckmann discusses that choice and its consequences in the official The Last of Us Part II podcast: if Abby had killed Ellie, Abby and Lev would not have been in a position to be spared in Santa Barbara. The parallel shows how choices shape later events; it does not make the two characters’ choices or losses equivalent.
What does Ellie leaving Joel’s guitar mean?
Joel gave Ellie the guitar and taught her to play it; the instrument also appears in memories of their relationship. At the farm, Ellie’s missing fingers prevent her from playing as before. She leaves the guitar behind and walks out of the house.
The scene can be read as Ellie accepting that she cannot restore the past and beginning to loosen her attachment to the specific bond the guitar represents. It does not mean she has forgotten Joel, recovered from trauma, or decided what will happen with Dina. The image is meaningful, but its symbolism does not supply a literal itinerary for Ellie’s future.
Rank #3
- Game: The Last of Us Part II, SteelBook, 48-Page Art Book, Ellie Statue, Ellie’s bracelet, Four stickers, 6 Pins, Digital Art Book, Digital Soundtrack
Does Abby die at the end?
No. Ellie releases Abby, and Abby leaves the beach alive with Lev. The game does not show what happens to them after they depart.
What happens to Abby and Lev after they leave?
Abby and Lev had been following a lead about the Fireflies, but the ending does not show them reaching a Firefly base or confirm that they reunite with the group. Any claim about their eventual destination goes beyond what the game establishes.
Does Ellie return to Dina?
The game does not say where Ellie goes after leaving the farm, or whether she and Dina reconcile. Dina and JJ are gone when Ellie returns, and no later reunion is shown. The ending leaves both Ellie’s next destination and her relationship with Dina unresolved.
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