Why exactly is Kaitlyn Dever being cast in the role of Abby in The Last of Us Season 2 such a big deal? Read on to find out.
The Last of Us crushed, shattered, and stomped on our hearts when it premiered in early 2023 on HBO. But while the show introduced it to a wider audience, the fans of the original game, which was released in 2013, already knew just what we were in for. Of course, that didn’t mean we weren’t emotional after watching the show.
Much like how we all knew how the first season was going to go, fans are also aware of what’s in store for Season 2. So when it was announced that Kaitlyn Dever was cast in the role of Abby for the show’s second season, fans were excited—and a little scared.
Why exactly is Kaitlyn Dever’s casting so important, and who is Abby?
[Hero image: Naughty Dog]
Kaitlyn Dever will play Abby, an important character in The Last of Us Season 2
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Kaitlyn Dever has long been associated with The Last of Us even before a live-action adaptation was greenlit. The American actress, who started acting at a young age, has starred in TV shows like Modern Family and Last Man Standing as well as movies like Booksmart and Ticket to Paradise. Fans of the game took notice of her and dubbed her a great choice for Ellie, while Nikolaj Coster-Waldau was their top choice for Joel.
Evidently, the creators of the show decided to go another way. But soon after the first season’s conclusion, Dever came back to the conversation, this time as Abby, a character from the game’s sequel. The rumour mill kept turning for months and months, but it was only two days ago that it was officially announced that she would be joining the cast.
But who exactly is Abby?
Those who’ve played The Last of Us Part II already know everything about Abby, but for those who just watched the show, it’s hard to talk about her without spoiling what will happen in Season 2. What can be said is that she plays a pivotal role in the upcoming season. If the second season picks up at the same time that the game’s sequel did, then a few years will have passed since we last saw Joel and Ellie. While the duo never met Abby, she shares a connection with them that would be the driving force of why she does what she does.
Clearly, it’s difficult to divulge anything about the character without spoiling Season 2. But if you’re someone who doesn’t care about spoilers, then read on.
Spoiler alert! Why Abby is such an important role in The Last of Us Season 2
Last chance to avoid spoilers for Season 2! You’ve been warned.
Still here? Okay then.
It’s really simple why Abby is important: she kills Joel.
Those who played TLOU 2 will never forget that gut-wrenching scene that happens just less than an hour into the game where Abby brutally kills Joel in front of Ellie. It was harrowing in the game. It’s definitely going to be soul-crushing in the show.
The game garnered criticism because for half of it, players actually had to control Abby. In fact, I was one of the people who didn’t like that creative choice, but it may play differently in the show. The purpose behind it was to show the never-ending cycle of violence. Abby kills Joel because Joel mercilessly killed her dad, who was the doctor Joel shot when he saved Ellie from the Fireflies. The second game followed Ellie’s quest for revenge, and it’s the second season beyond (showrunner Craig Mazin has said the entirety of the second game won’t fit into the second season) will probably do the same.
But the reason why the players are put in Abby’s shoes is to show that she’s not just some killer. Players’ hatred for her was visceral and it’s probably why we hated playing her. But the developers wanted to show she also had a life, family, and friends, and in her point of view, Joel and Ellie were the killers. Perhaps in a different medium, it will be better received.
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The second season is set to premiere in 2025. For now, fans of the show have been applauding the casting and also calling for others to respect Kaitlyn Dever due to the reaction to Abby back when the second game was released. It got so bad that Laura Bailey, Abby’s mo-cap and voice actress, received threats.
Much like the first season, we’re ready to be emotionally crushed once again. Thank goodness we’ve got a year to prep.
This article first appeared on Lifestyle Asia Bangkok
