The Last of Us season 2 begins with the weight of a lie and the fire of a vendetta. Joel swears to Ellie that everything he said about the Fireflies is true, but she doesn’t believe him. They return to Jackson, Wyoming, where their bond grows colder over the years. Meanwhile, in Salt Lake City, the surviving Fireflies bury their dead. Among them is Abby, who vows to find Joel and make him pay. But who is Abby, and why does she want to kill Joel?
Five years later, Ellie is a hardened fighter, Joel is haunted by guilt, and danger is closing in. As infected creep into Jackson through broken defenses, Abby and her group arrive nearby. She’s not just looking for Joel, she’s here to enact her revenge in the most gruesome fashion for what Joel did.
Why Does Abby Want Revenge?
To understand Abby’s rage, we have to rewind to The Last of Us season 1 finale. Joel learns that the Fireflies plan to kill Ellie in order to develop a cure using her blood. A sacrifice that will save humanity from extinction. Having already lost a daughter years ago, he refuses to let that happen again. What follows is one of the most brutal moments in the series. Joel massacres an entire hospital filled with Firefly doctors, soldiers, and staff to save Ellie. It’s a turning point that redefines him forever. He chooses the life of Ellie over a cure for humanity.
Season 2 reveals the other side of that event. Abby is one of the few survivors of Joel’s massacre, the daughter of the doctor who was supposed to operate on Ellie. In the opening episode titled “Future Days”, she and four companions stand among makeshift graves, mourning the dead. These weren’t just fellow Fireflies, they were friends, lovers, and family. Abby hangs a dog tag on one of the crosses, a silent confirmation that someone close to her died that day. This isn’t blind vengeance. It’s grief turned into purpose. For Abby, finding and killing Joel isn’t just about revenge; it’s about retribution she believes is rightfully hers.
Who’s in Abby’s Crew?
Abby’s not hunting Joel alone. She’s with a group of survivors, each carrying their own scars from the Firefly massacre. Her closest ally, Owen (played by Spencer Lord), urges caution. He suggests heading to Seattle to connect with Isaac, a leader with resources who might help them regroup. But Abby isn’t interested in politics or delay. Her sights are locked on Joel, and she’s determined to make him pay.
She knows exactly who she’s looking for: a middle-aged smuggler with a scarred temple and a greying beard. “Handsome,” she quips, bitterly. But beneath her sharp words is a storm of grief and rage. She’s not seeking justice. She’s after retribution.
The final scene of Episode 1 finds Abby and Owen overlooking Jackson, the walled settlement where Joel now lives. It’s taken five years of tracking, surviving, and seething to get here. Now, Abby’s ready to finish what she believes Joel started.
She’s not a villain—she’s the consequence of Joel’s actions. A mirror reflecting the costs of his choices. Her arrival marks the beginning of a season that will dive deep into vengeance, grief, and the blurred lines of morality.
