Did The Last of Us Just Ignore Tommy’s Grief? Fans Demand an Emotional Fix!

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Tommy.

As one of Joel’s surviving relatives, it’s logical that we might get some understanding about how Tommy is handling his brother’s sudden, violent death. There are hints scattered throughout; Tommy bid farewell to Joel’s body in a poignant manner, saying “tell Sarah I love her,” and now seems to feel a sense of responsibility towards Ellie as an ersatz uncle. However, Tommy doesn’t appear much in the current narrative until the finale. Even then, he’s more of an observer who isn’t given the chance to express his feelings about what happened to Joel.

The Last of Us Has Sorely Underused Tommy in Season 2

In both the initial game “The Last of Us” and its first season, Tommy plays a minor role in the overall narrative. His screen time is limited until Joel and Ellie arrive at Jackson, despite his appearance in the prologue and witnessing the death of his niece. It’s strategic to keep him in the background initially, as it enhances the emotional impact of their eventual reunion later on, considering they grew apart over a span of 20 years.

In The Last of Us Part II, Tommy assumes a more significant role in the narrative since he’s Joel’s last living relative. Despite being absent for most of Seattle, his actions set the plot in motion when he leaves on his own shortly after Joel’s death. This decision highlights Tommy’s determination to seek revenge for Joel and protect Ellie from the solitary life that vengeance might bring. Concurrently, he is also striving to save her from a life of loneliness and violence. In essence, players can see that Tommy is ready to sacrifice his community and wife, Maria, for this cause.

In HBO’s The Last of Us, it’s not entirely obvious how Tommy reacts to his brother’s demise. The series alters certain creative aspects, such as keeping Tommy away during Joel’s torture and death, which was later on. This modification strengthens Ellie’s narrative, as her anger intensifies during her recovery. However, this prolonged absence from the screen seems to soften Tommy’s grief response. When the series resumes with him in “The Path,” he appears relatively at peace and is helping rebuild the community. He backs Ellie’s plan to head to Seattle, but only if the rest of the council agrees. The rare instances when he mentions Joel are when he scolds Ellie for presuming she knew him better than his own brother, and when he confides in Gail that he doesn’t believe Joel was a positive role model for Ellie.

In simpler terms, we can say that Tommy seems to imply to Ellie that Mel and Owen received what they deserved, suggesting his possible agreement with her revenge. However, it’s important to note that this could be an overinterpretation of his words. Given the limited information about Tommy’s initial response to the circumstances surrounding their deaths, it’s uncertain how he truly feels. It’s worth noting that HBO’s version of Tommy is different from the one in the game, as he has a child and plays a more active role in community leadership. This new Tommy needs to be more measured and consider the consequences, but the show doesn’t always show him doing this.

Tommy’s Solo Mission in Seattle Presents a Lost Opportunity

Instead of skipping three months, it would have been intriguing to delve into a subplot during Season 2 where Tommy grapples with his conflicting loyalties towards his brother and the community. This could have provided a compelling exploration of personal desires versus duty. As a former US Army veteran, he faces the temptation to betray his people for vengeance, but ultimately chooses his community. The internal struggle and eventual decision-making process would have added depth to the storyline, something that is currently missing from the show.

In the sequel to The Last of Us, there’s room for greater emphasis on Tommy’s emotional journey. As Jesse saves Ellie and Dina, it becomes clear that he and Tommy had trailed them with the intention of returning them home. However, Tommy is absent because he and Jesse separated to increase their search area. This scenario opens up a chance to explore Tommy’s mental state more thoroughly. While this departure from the game’s storyline could have been avoided, given the numerous changes the show has already implemented, it might as well delve deeper into another transformation.

Unfortunately, Tommy’s journey in Seattle remains largely unexplored. Similar to the game, he makes an appearance following Ellie’s encounter with Mel and Owen. Earlier, there was a disagreement between Ellie and Jesse regarding assisting Tommy during a possible altercation. A WLF radio broadcast suggested that Tommy had been sniping on the boardwalk. However, Tommy’s conversation with Ellie later provides no clear answers about his motives during this time. Was he reconsidering his pursuit of Abby after arriving in Seattle? Did he seek trouble or did it find him? Is Maria eager for him to be there at all?

Could Tommy Have a Larger Role in Season 3?

Another issue arises: The pair, who serve as role models in the apocalypse, have faced loss together and constructed something extraordinary for themselves and others. However, their unity disintegrates in the game when Tommy defies her instructions and departs for Seattle, putting himself in grave danger. Later on, Tommy and Maria part ways, with Tommy persistently pursuing Abby. He navigates a desolate future that Ellie was forewarned about, but still, she persists in following his trajectory.

A new development suggests that the show might be deliberately vague about Maria’s current relationship with Tommy. In the original, Tommy offers a gold necklace as a bribe to Maria, but this doesn’t seem to be the case in the HBO adaptation. However, Tommy and Jesse still managed to sneak away, hinting that perhaps the show’s version of Tommy is astute enough to understand that a bribe wouldn’t work on Maria. It’s challenging to envision Maria breaking up with her child’s father just because Tommy left to assist Ellie and Dina. Even so, it remains a selfless action.

In the third season of The Last of Us, it seems like they might be using Tommy more substantially for a plotline that aligns with the show’s central themes. Given his military background as a Firefly and a Gulf War soldier, he makes an ideal adversary for Abby, who also has a military background as a Firefly. The series is emphasizing their similarities even more than they are in the game. If Season 2 was primarily Ellie’s story, then it appears that Season 3 will focus on Abby’s journey. An intriguing aspect of Abby’s narrative could be her encounter with Tommy, which might cause her to reconsider the impact of her actions. However, since they never meet in Jackson, the show has a challenge to overcome this discrepancy from the game.

It’s a waste not to fully utilize Tommy’s potential. He embodies thought-provoking ideas about maintaining moral order as society rebuilds, and the destructive effects of deviating from that order on a system that took years to create. Moreover, Gabriel Luna delivers an exceptional performance in The Last of Us. His Texas background significantly contributes to Tommy’s portrayal as a compassionate character who prioritizes the well-being of his community. If there are more significant roles for him in store, Season 3 would be the ideal time to showcase them.

You can now stream The Second Season of “The Last of Us” on Max, soon to be known as HBO Max. They’re currently working on a Third Season as well.

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2025-05-31 03:22