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39

	 Gender	roles	in	post-apocalyptic	literature	often	represent	both	progress	and	a	
return	to	traditional	stereotypes.	James	Berger’s	After the End	states	that	“the	study	of	post-
apocalypse	is	a	study	of	what	disappears	and	what	remains,	and	of	how	the	remainder	has	
been	transformed”	(7).	After	the	destruction	of	an	apocalypse,	traditional	patriarchal	systems	
that	were	present	before	the	disaster	routinely	dominate	the	rebuilding	process.	Often	in	
post-apocalyptic	stories,	gender	roles	are	a	reflection	of	the	society	that	remains.	While	The 
Last of Us,	a	2013	video	game,	does	follow	this	formula	to	a	certain	extent,	I	will	argue	that	
it	ultimately	takes	steps	towards	transforming	what	remains	by	imagining	different	gender	
roles	in	the	post-apocalypse.	While	the	majority	of	other	post-apocalyptic	narratives	do	not	
portray	progress	in	gender	roles,	this	game	opens	up	a	comparatively	large	space	for	gender	
equality.	It	exposes	the	consequences	of	a	stereotypical	view	of	masculinity	while	providing	
an	opportunity	to	consider	what	a	strong	female	character	looks	like	in	the	post-apocalypse.	
If	the	Greek	word	that	apocalypse	comes	from	means	a	“lifting	of	the	veil,”	this	game	
uncovers	gender	stereotypes.	It	portrays	a	future	where	the	present	does	not	have	to	repeat	
itself,	where	breaking	down	gender	norms	is	beneficial,	and	where	there	is	opportunity	for	
change.
 The Last of Us is	set	in	the	aftermath	of	a	virus	that	turns	people	into	zombies,	or	“the	
infected.”	Individuals	play	as	the	protagonist,	Joel,	whose	daughter	has	been	killed—not	by	
the	infected	but	by	the	soldiers	trying	to	keep	order	in	the	initial	chaos.	However,	the	main	

storyline	doesn’t	start	until	Joel	accepts	a	job	to	smuggle	a	girl,	Ellie,	out	of	the	quarantine

This paper explores the portrayal of gender in the post-apocalypse by looking at the post-

apocalyptic video game The	Last	of	Us. The paper uses scholarship on apocalypse, video 

games, and gender to show that while the game adheres to some gender stereotypes it ultimately 

represents progress in its representation of gender roles. The paper uses examples of the game’s 

portrayal of its characters and its depiction of the consequences of violent masculinity in a 

zombie apocalypse to illustrate how a post-apocalyptic video game can take steps towards 

imagining new gender roles in the post-apocalypse.

by Bethany Benkert, Ball State University

Hope for Change in the 
Post-Apocalypse: Gender Roles in The 

Last of Us



40

zone	to	the	capitol	building	for	undefined	reasons.	As	the	game	progresses,	their	

relationship	begins	to	change	towards	something	more	familial,	and	the	reason	for	their	

journey	is	revealed:	Ellie	is	immune	to	the	virus	and	may	hold	the	key	to	developing	a	

vaccine	against	it.	For	this	purpose,	Joel	ends	up	taking	her	all	the	way	across	the	country,	a	

journey	in	which	they	must	fight	and	kill	not	only	infected	but	healthy	humans	as	well.

Before	I	begin	analyzing	The Last of Us,	I	am	going	to	examine	what	other	critics	have	said	

about	the	gender	dynamics	in	the	game.	In	contrast	to	many	other	games	in	the	post-

apocalyptic	video	game	industry,	The Last of Us	has	received	positive	reviews.	The Guardian 

calls	it	daring	and	brave,	IGN	compliments	Ellie’s	personality	and	sense	of	wonder,	and	The 

New York Times	praises	the	game’s	indirect	characterization	and	moral	ambiguity.	However,	

the	game	is	not	wholly	without	criticism.	The New York Times and The Guardian,	apart	from	

bestowing	compliments,	also	raise	concerns	over	gender	roles.	The Guardian	argues	that	

while	the	story	presents	itself	as	developing	equal	representation	of	both	genders,	having	

the	majority	of	the	gameplay	from	Joel’s	perspective	ensures	that	it	is	Joel’s	story	told—

not	Ellie’s.	Keith	Stuart	of	The Guardian	says	that	Ellie	and	other	characters	like	her	are	

“effectively	the	Manic	Pixie	Dream	Girls	of	dystopian	gaming;	they	exist	as	testing	boards	

for	their	male	counterparts—strong	yet	vulnerable,	belligerent	yet	loyal—they’re	there	to	

provide	the	beats	in	the	hero’s	journey	from	sociopath	to	rounded	adult	male”	(Stuart).	Chris	

Suellentrop	of	The New York Times	criticizes	the	lack	of	opportunity	to	play	as	Ellie,	saying	

the	game	casts	her	“in	a	secondary,	subordinate	role”	(Suellentrop).		There	is	some	validity	to	

their	claims,	as	The Last of Us	does	indeed	follow	many	of	the	same	old	tropes	and	ideas	seen	

in	other	post-apocalyptic	video	games.

	 However,	I	argue	that	this	post-apocalyptic	game	ultimately	represents	progress	in	

its	portrayal	of	gender	roles	because	of	Ellie’s	overall	role	in	the	game	and	because	of	its	

depiction	of	the	consequences	of	violent	masculinity	in	a	zombie	apocalypse.	I	will	do	this	

by	providing	an	overview	of	gender	roles	in	post-apocalyptic	media	and	video	games.	Then	

I	will	analyze	the	game	itself.	To	illustrate	the	show’s	more	progressive	gender	dynamics,	I	

will	examine	Ellie’s	role	in	the	cover	art	of	the	game,	the	conceptualization	of	the	story,	and	

the	portrayal	of	the	consequences	of	Joel’s	violent	actions.

	 Post-apocalyptic	stories	often	portray	gender	roles	as	a	return	to	traditional	norms	

disguised	as	progress.	By	examining	the	characters	of	The Last of Us,	it	is	evident	how	

the	post-apocalypse	serves	to	reinforce	traditional	gender	roles;	however,	this	game	also	

provides	an	opportunity	for	recognizing	the	consequences	of	such	a	portrayal.	Additionally,	

there	is	hope	for	the	portrayal	of	gender	in	video	games,	in	general,	because	people	have	a

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chance	to	play	and	understand	different	gender	roles.	This	representation	of	gender	

allows	people	to	better	identify	with	characters.	It	allows	different	stories	to	be	told	and	

experienced.	Ellie	and	Joel’s	story	is	not	just	one	of	survival	in	the	post-apocalypse,	but	it	is	

also	a	story	of	loss,	comfort,	family,	and	wonder.	It	is	a	story	of	a	fierce,	optimistic	girl	and	

a	man	learning	to	embrace	hope	in	the	face	of	the	post-apocalypse.	Their	story	makes	the	

players	themselves	question	gameplay	in	terms	of	gender	roles,	which	could	lead	them	to	

question	their	own	views	on	gender.	The	post-apocalyptic	setting	opens	up	an	awareness	

of	possibilities	of	what	could	be:	if	something	could	change	in	the	post-apocalypse,	it	could	

change	in	reality	as	well.

	 Often,	post-apocalyptic	fiction	portrays	gender	roles	as	traditional.	Keith	Booker,	

who	studies	the	history	of	dystopias	written	by	women,	finds	that	even	in	works	written	by	

feminists,	there	was	mostly	a	return	to	traditional	gender	roles.	The	“major	works	of	the	

genre	have	done	relatively	little	to	challenge	conventional	notions	of	gender	roles.	Despite	

giving	frequent	lip	service	to	equality	of	the	genders,	literary	dystopias	(and	utopias,	for	that	

matter)	have	typically	been	places	where	men	are	men	and	women	are	women,	and	in	

relatively	conventional	ways”	(Booker	337).	The	authors	that	Booker	studies	find	it	difficult	

to	imagine	an	equal	society,	and	their	utopian	communities	fall	back	into	patriarchal	

structures.	One	would	expect	that	everything	should	be	equal	in	a	society	where	everyone	is	

just	trying	to	survive;	the	apocalypse	should	level	the	playing	field.	However,	power	

structures	quickly	arise	again	as	conventional	gender	roles	reassert	their	authority.

	 Fiction	offers	a	way	to	explore	our	hopes	and	fears	as	a	society.	As	scholar	James	

Berger	says	in	his	book	After the End,	“The	post-apocalypse	in	fiction	provides	an	occasion	

to	go	‘back	to	basics’	and	to	reveal	what	the	writer	considers	to	be	truly	of	value”	(8).	

Consequently,	fiction	created	by	society	reflects	the	ideals	and	values	that	the	society	

itself	holds.	This	holds	true	in	both	literature	and	video	games.	It	especially	holds	true	in	

post-apocalyptic	stories	that	promise	the	audience	an	eventual	simplification	out	of	the	

chaos	of	both	the	apocalypse	and	of	current	life.	Because	the	superfluous	is	destroyed,	only	

what	is	supposedly	necessary	remains.

	 In	some	post-apocalyptic	stories,	the	men	who	write	them	value	a	complete	

destruction	of	female	empowerment:	“there	is	an	important	strand	of	apocalyptic	imagining	

that	seeks	to	destroy	the	world	expressly	in	order	to	eliminate	female	sexuality.	In	the	post-

apocalypse,	desire	and	fear	find	their	true	objects;	we	see	what	we	most	want	and	most	

abhor.	And	these	objects	frequently	are	the	same	object—some	instrument	of	universal	

annihilation”	(Berger	11).	Females	with	agency	and	authority	are	deemed	superfluous	in	this

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model.	Men	both	desire	women	sexually	and	fear	a	world	where	women	would	have	any	sort	

of	power.	Gender	norms	such	as	this	one,	combined	with	the	apocalypse,	cause	views	of	

females	as	being	other	and	lesser	in	the	post-apocalypse.	Lina	Rahm	describes	a	study	she	

conducted	on	members	of	an	online	forum	who	compared	women	in	an	apocalyptic	

situation	to	either	threatening	“mama	bears”	or	victims	who	should	be	helped	in	exchange	

for	sex.	These	members	of	the	forum	felt	a	moral	obligation	most	of	the	time	to	help	women	

but	were	full	of	a	condescending	patriarchal	attitude.	Rahm	concludes	that	the	way	these	

forum	members	view	women	in	the	imagined	apocalypse	is	a	reflection	of	how	they	view	

women	in	real	life	(78).	Just	as	post-apocalyptic	literature	can	reveal	what	people	value,	even	

an	imagined	apocalypse	can	reveal	people’s	true	ideals	and	opinions.	As	such,	a	game	where	

one	of	the	main	characters	is	a	strong	female	lead	challenges	the	forum	members’	view	of	

individuals’	roles	in	the	post-apocalypse.	However,	their	view	is	not	the	only	one	that	people	

hold.

	 The	members	of	the	forum’s	ideas	about	gender	roles	were	fairly	outspoken.	Others	

may	not	be	as	apparent	in	their	distrust	of	female	power	but	may	view	the	apocalypse	as	a	

way	to	return	to	the	“good	old	days.”	Katherine	Sugg	compares	the	post-apocalypse	with	the	

traditionally	male-dominated	frontier	myth	or	Western.	The	return	of	the	frontier	myth	is	

reflected	in	many	aspects	of	culture,	for	as	mainstream	culture	progresses,	men	can	

sometimes	feel	lost.	Jackson	Katz,	the	author	and	presenter	of	Tough Guise 2: Violence, 

Manhood, and American Culture,	says,	“Again	and	again,	at	key	moments	in	American	history,	

you	see	men	reacting	to	change	in	just	this	way—by	retreating	into	a	hyper-masculine	

fantasy	world”	(00:43:55-00:44:05).		As	society	changes	and	threatens	traditional	male	

control,	men	hold	onto	the	past	even	tighter.

	 Sugg	also	suggests	that	the	post-apocalyptic	frontier	myth	has	roots	in	the	recession	

and	its	impact	on	men	and	masculinity	(797).	While	The Last of Us	was	released	in	2013,	it	

was	developed	for	several	years	earlier,	and	a	lasting	consciousness	of	masculinity	in	the	

face	of	the	economic	recession	could	have	certainly	influenced	the	game.	The	apocalypse	

restores	individual	agency,	as	there	is	no	government	or	larger	society;	all	people	have	to	

care	about	are	the	effects	of	their	individual	choices.	As	men	feel	lack	of	control	in	real	life,	

apocalyptic	fiction	gives	them	power.	Katz	says,	“We’re	witnessing	a	culture	in	retreat—a	

narrative	that	tells	men	that	the	best	way	to	respond	to	change	is	not	to	adapt,	but	to	reclaim	

traditional	masculine	control	and	dominance	from	the	forces	of	feminization”	(00:40:47-

00:40:53).	Men	are	facing	what	they	deem	to	be	an	apocalyptic	situation.	However,	the	men	

who	are	embroiled	with	a	fight	for	masculinity	do	not	see	after	the	end,	where	society	has

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been	transformed.	They	simply	see	the	destruction	of	masculine	control	and	attempt	to	hold	

on	to	their	control	no	matter	what	it	takes.

	 In	some	ways	this	attempt	to	reclaim	masculine	control	takes	the	form	of	destroying	

femininity	completely.	Other	times,	this	desperate	grasp	for	the	past	takes	the	form	of	

violence,	as	some	men	feel	that	this	is	the	only	control	they	have	left.	Post-apocalyptic	

media	enables	violent	scenarios	to	be	more	removed	from	the	present	day,	thus	facilitating	

the	development	of	unchecked	violent	masculinity.	Today’s	culture	teaches	men	that	

masculinity	is	linked	to	violence	and	that	they	must	reject	emotions	at	all	costs.	Katz	says,	

speaking	for	men,	

	 We	can’t	show	any	emotion	except	anger.	We	can’t	think	too	much	or	seem	too	

	 intellectual.	We	can’t	back	down	when	someone	disrespects	us.	We	have	to	show			

	 we’re	tough	enough	to	inflict	physical	pain	and	take	it	in	turn.	We’re	supposed	to	be		

	 sexually	aggressive	with	women.	And	then	we’re	taught	that	if	we	step	out	of	this	box,		

	 we	risk	being	seen	as	soft,	weak,	feminine,	or	gay.	(00:14:25-00:14:45)	

Video	games	and	post-apocalyptic	fiction	allow	for	these	norms	to	be	reinforced.	In	many	of	

these	narratives,	life	is	portrayed	as	the	survival	of	the	fittest.	Characters	must	be	the	

toughest	to	survive	the	story	or	game,	and	any	weakness	results	in	failure.

	 Other	norms	perpetuate	the	idea	of	sexual	conquest	through	violence.	Katz	makes	

the	point	that	violence	is	almost	always	perpetrated	by	men,	but	that	gender	and	gender	

norms	are	never	discussed	when	talking	about	the	problem	(00:02:56-00:06:00).	The	post-

apocalypse	is	violent.	It	is	hard	to	look	at	progress	in	gender	when	everything	is	wrapped	

up	in	bloodshed.	Video	games	also	have	a	reputation	of	being	violent.	However,	violence	

has	consequences,	even	if	some	narratives	portray	otherwise.	George	Gerbner,	a	scholar	

who	studies	fear,	talks	about	the	routine	of	violence	or	“happy”	violence—violence	that	

is	portrayed	without	consequences.	Violence	is	often	a	fundamental	facet	of	storytelling;	

however,	in	current	media,	it	is	frequently	portrayed	not	as	a	vehicle	with	emotions	and	grief	

attached	but	instead	as	a	mode	of	release	with	no	consequences	for	the	perpetrator	or	for	

the	victim	(Gerbner	00:08:30-00:10:20).	This	happens	often	in	video	games,	where	violence	

is	usually	just	a	game	mechanism	and	a	way	to	progress	the	storyline	without	any	focus	on	

what	the	consequences	would	be—emotional	or	otherwise—for	the	characters.	In	video	

games,	happy	violence	is	especially	potent	because	the	interaction	is	entrusted	more	to	the	

intended	audience.	Instead	of	just	watching	the	action	passively,	the	player	actively	controls	

the	characters	and	feels	the	consequences,	or	lack	thereof,	of	violence	more	intimately.	

	 Video	games	do	not	just	deal	with	violence,	however.	As	stated	previously,	in	post-

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apocalyptic	fiction	there	is	often	a	return	to	traditional	gender	roles,	and	video	games	also	

often	address	these	traditional	gender	roles:	gender	roles	within	video	games	and	within	the	

video	game	community	are	often	critiqued	as	exclusionary	and	sexist.	Looking	at	the	video	

game	industry	overall	shows	how	The Last of Us	changes	the	conversation	about	gender,	not	

only	in	the	post-apocalypse,	but	also	in	video	games	and	in	post-apocalyptic	video	games.	

The Last of Us	shows	how	video	games	can	portray	gender	roles	as	something	complicated	

and	nuanced	without	relying	solely	on	stereotypes.	This	game	opens	up	different	roles,	not	

just	for	gender	in	the	apocalypse	but	for	gender	in	video	games	as	well.

	 In	an	analysis	of	video	game	studies,	Benjamin	Paaßen	et	al.	claim	that	while	men	

and	women	play	video	games	in	almost	equal	numbers,	the	stereotype	of	the	male	gamer	still	

exists	(426).	If	women	are	acknowledged	as	players,	they	are	scorned	as	being	less	legitimate	

or	successful.	Because	of	this	stereotype,	the	video	game	industry	is	geared	towards	men.		

Therefore,	many	games	involve	heroic	male	protagonists	and	hyper-sexualized	damsels	in	

distress.	The	men	who	play	these	games	also	buy	into	the	stereotype	that	games	are	just	for	

men	and	therefore	see	any	female	presence	as	an	invasion.	The	consequences	of	this	system	

include:	harsher	environments	for	females,	lack	of	good	representation	of	female	

characters,	and	some	games	specified	as	“girl	games”	only	(Benjamin	Paaßen	et	al.	429).	

With	these	constraints	there	are	few	popular	girl	gamers:	despite	the	number	of	girls	

playing,	most	of	the	celebrities	of	the	gaming	world	are	male.	This	only	serves	to	perpetuate	

the	stereotype	of	a	male-dominated	industry	and	removes	motivation	for	change.

	 Now	that	I	have	examined	gender	norms	in	post-apocalyptic	media	and	in	video	

games,	I	will	move	on	to	analyze	the	gender	politics	of	The Last of Us.	I	will	discuss	why,	

despite	some	retreading	of	clichés,	this	game	represents	progress.	I	will	look	at	how	Ellie’s	

portrayal	in	the	cover	art	and	within	the	story	allows	people	to	experience	gender	roles	they	

might	not	otherwise	understand.	I	will	also	look	at	how	Joel’s	interaction	with	others	and	

how	his	choices	point	to	the	consequences	of	violent	masculinity.

 The Last of Us	does	fall	into	some	of	the	same	gender	tropes	as	stories	with	

stereotypical	masculine	leads.	In	The Last of Us,	there	is	a	complex	system	of	military,	

smugglers,	rebels	called	Fireflies,	and	those	living	outside	the	walls	of	the	quarantine	zones.	

These	structures	take	on	a	patriarchal	role	in	Joel	and	Ellie’s	life	while	the	characters	are	in	

the	quarantine	zone,	but	even	in	communities	outside	the	walls	that	Joel	and	Ellie	find,	the	

gender	roles	fall	right	back	into	patriarchy.	They	almost	always	encounter	male	enemies,	

while	women	and	children—for	the	most	part—are	presented	as	background	characters	or	

not	mentioned	at	all.	There	also	is	a	definite	sense	of	the	Western	and	frontier	myth	in	The

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Last of Us,	as	Ellie	and	Joel	journey	across	the	land,	fighting	against	the	wilderness	and	

others	to	survive.	They	even	ride	a	horse.	Additionally,	Joel	definitely	hits	all	of	the	hyper-

masculine	qualities	in	the	face	of	the	apocalypse.	Joel	uses	the	terminology	of	surviving.	The	

player	does	not	know	much	about	the	twenty-year	gap	between	his	daughter’s	death	and	

the	plot	starting	with	Ellie,	but	a	conversation	with	Joel’s	brother	Tommy	shows	they	did	

everything	that	they	could	to	survive:

	 JOEL:	For	all	those	goddamn	years	I	took	care	of	us.

	 TOMMY:	Took	care?	That’s	what	you	call	it?	I	got	nothing	but	nightmares	from

	 those	years.

	 JOEL:	You	survived	because	of	me.

	 TOMMY:	It	wasn’t	worth	it.	(The Last of Us,	“Tommy’s	Dam”)

Joel	has	used	whatever	violent	means	available	to	him	to	survive	in	the	post-apocalypse	but	

has	somehow	become	less	of	what	he	was	before.	Joel	has	survived	something	horrible	that	

is	hard	for	anyone	else	to	comprehend,	which	reflects	Berger’s	claims	that	“the	survivor	has	

seen,	and	knows,	what	no	one	else	could	see	and	know”	(48).		To	deal	with	his	knowledge	

and	pain,	and	because	of	his	loss,	Joel	has	retreated	into	a	hyper-masculine	shell	that	

rejects	any	sort	of	emotion.	The	apocalypse	has	left	him	without	control,	and	he	attempts	to	

compensate.	He	follows	the	cultural	narrative	that	emotions	are	a	weakness.	This	sentiment	

is	also	reinforced	by	others	in	the	game.	Joel	is	told	that	caring	is	a	detriment	and	that	it’s	

better	just	to	survive	on	his	own.	Bill,	a	slightly	paranoid,	antagonistic	man	they	borrow	a	

car	from	tells	Joel	to	send	Ellie	“packing,	let	her	find	her	own	way.	Let	me	tell	you	a	story.	

Once	upon	a	time	I	had	someone	I	cared	about.	It	was	a	partner.	Somebody	I	had	to	look	

after.	And	in	this	world	that	sort	of	shit	is	good	for	one	thing:	Gettin’	ya	killed.	So,	you	know	

what	I	did?	I	wisened	the	fuck	up.	And	I	realized	it’s	gotta	be	just	me”	(The Last of Us,	“Bill’s	

Town”).		However,	Joel	doesn’t	listen.	He	has	already	decided	that	he	is	going	to	look	after	

Ellie	and	protect	her.	He	rejects	Bill’s	advice,	as	he	struggles	not	to	lose	his	protective	

masculine	guise,	a	struggle	that	occurs	because	he	has	begun	to	care	for	Ellie.

	 Ellie,	however,	is	not	so	sure	that	she	wants	protection.	She	is	grateful	for	Joel’s	

company	but	does	not	like	the	way	that	he	sometimes	dismisses	her	or	his	initial	refusal	

to	let	her	take	an	active	part	in	their	mutual	protection.	The	post-apocalypse	provides	the	

perfect	stage	for	a	hyper-masculine	hero	to	come	in	and	constantly	save	the	day.	In	any	other	

game,	the	hero	would	have	followed	violent	archetypes	and	come	to	restore	everything	to

how	it	was	before.	The	difference	in	this	game,	however,	is	Ellie.	

	 First	I	am	going	to	look	at	Ellie’s	portrayal	on	the	cover	of	the	game.	Melinda	Burgess

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et	al.	did	a	study	examining	over	two	hundred	video	game	covers	to	analyze	the	trends	of	

gender	representation,	and	they	conclude	that	video	game	covers	show	prevailing	patterns	

in	the	portrayal	of	gender	in	video	games,	most	of	them	negative.	The	cover	includes	the	

characters	the	developers	deem	relevant	to	the	game	and	establish	a	player’s	first	impression	

of	the	game	(Burgess	et	al.	421).	For	The Last of Us,	it	is	a	little	complicated	because	there	are	

two	covers:	one	cover	is	for	the	PlayStation	3	version	of	the	game,	and	the	other	is	for	the	

remastered	PlayStation	4	version.	Normally	on	video	game	covers,	males	are	portrayed	as	

violent,	while	females	are	sexualized	or	nonexistent.	While	Joel	is	ready	for	action	with	a	

gun	in	his	hand	on	both	covers,	Ellie	is	actively	holding	a	gun	on	the	second	cover.	Neither	

of	the	covers	show	Ellie	in	a	sexualized	manner.	She	is	not	objectified	or	idealized	but	

portrayed	as	an	important	character	in	her	own	right.	Males	are	normally	more	prominent	

on	covers,	but	Ellie	is	more	the	focus	on	the	first	cover.	On	the	second	cover,	she	is	as	

important	as	Joel.	While	only	the	cover,	it	shows	how	the	developers	decided	to	market	and	

present	the	game.	It	shows	what	they	believe	about	the	game,	which	is	that	Ellie	is	a	strong	

character,	equal	or	even	more	primary	than	Joel.

	 However,	the	covers	are	not	the	only	place	where	there	is	a	difference	in	gender	

portrayal.	To	demonstrate	this,	I	will	also	look	at	Ellie’s	portrayal	within	the	actual	story.	

In	The Last of Us	there	are	cut	scenes,	which	show	emotion	and	character	development,	and	

gameplay,	which	involves	both	fighting	enemies	and	secondary	dialogue.	In	both	the	cut	

scenes	and	the	gameplay,	Ellie	is	portrayed	as	a	strong,	complex	character.	She	has	never	

been	outside	the	quarantine	walls	before	and	is	extremely	curious	about	the	world	around	

her.	She	admits	fears	of	being	left	alone.	She	cracks	jokes	and	teases	Joel.	She	is	portrayed	

as	having	her	own	thoughts,	feelings,	and	motivations.	She	is	her	own	individual	character	

who	people	really	enjoy.	This	is	not	common	in	video	games,	as	Burgess	et	al.	also	found	

that	only	21.4%	of	characters	in	their	game	sample	were	female	(424).	Ellie	opens	up	new	

opportunities	for	gender	roles,	proving	that	a	game	with	a	strong	female	leading	character	

can	be	successful.

	 Within	the	story	Ellie	is	also	portrayed	as	important.	However,	there	is	criticism	from	

both	The New York Times and The Guardian	about	the	lack	of	time	with	her	as	a	playable	

character.	Sullentrop	in	The New York Times	claims	that	the	game	handles	the	female	

characters	with	“depressing	sameness”	(Sullentrop).		Stuart	in	The Guardian	says	that	“in	

terms	of	identification	and	raw	experience,	we’re	with	Joel	all	the	way”	(Stuart).	I	think	that	

it	is	important	to	address	this	criticism.	Alessandro	Gabbiadini	et	al.,	in	a	study	about	

empathy,	masculinity,	and	video	games,	found	that	in	a	story-based	game	such	as	The Last of

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Us	“the	assigned	role	fosters	a	sense	of	‘vicarious	self-perception’”	(11).	Identifying	

vicariously	through	a	character	allows	the	player	to	more	easily	adopt	their	point	of	view.	

This	means	that	play	time	is	important.	There	is	some	validity	to	the	criticism	that	The New 

York Times and The Guardian	offer;	however,	there	is	more	to	the	story.

	 Video	games	are	also	different	than	other	forms	of	media	because	they	are	

interactive.	When	someone	takes	control	of	a	character,	do	they	describe	themselves	as	

enacting	the	actions,	or	do	they	talk	about	the	characters	doing	the	action?	In	my	

experience,	at	least	during	the	actual	gameplay,	people	are	more	likely	to	say	things	such	

as	“I	just	shot	that	guy”	or	“Oh	no,	I	have	to	hide”	than	to	describe	the	actions	from	a	third	

person	perspective.	Because	they	view	the	game	from	the	character’s	point	of	view,	the	

player	begins	to	share	the	character’s	feelings	and	goals.	This	means	even	the	short	time	

individuals	get	to	play	as	Ellie	allows	them	glimpses	and	insight	into	an	experience	of	

gender	that	they	may	not	have	had	the	opportunity	to	empathize	with	before.

	 At	one	point	in	the	game,	Ellie	is	almost	a	victim	of	sexual	violence	while	looking	for	

medicine	for	Joel,	which	will	be	discussed	later	in	this	paper.	Gabbiadnini	et	al.	claim	that	

playing	some	video	games	“increases	masculine	beliefs	and	decreases	empathy	for	female	

violence	victims,	especially	for	boys	and	young	men	who	highly	identified	with	the	male	

game	character”	(10).	Joel	is	the	main	playable	character	for	the	majority	of	the	game	and	is	

highly	identifiable	with	masculine	self-identity.	Gabbiadnini	et	al.	also	refer	to	sexual	

violence	in	video	games,	writing,	“because	they	are	forced	to	adopt	the	visual	perspective	of	

the	perpetrator,	it	is	difficult	for	players	to	put	themselves	in	the	shoes	of	the	victim”	(10).	In	

contrast,	when	the	sexual	violence	is	shown	in	this	game,	players	do	not	play	from	the	

perspective	of	the	perpetrator,	but	from	that	of	the	victim.	

	 A	fire	traps	Ellie	with	a	man,	David,	who	is	threatening	sexual	violence.	The	fire	adds	

to	the	atmosphere	of	terror	and	may	symbolize	the	power	that	David	has	over	Ellie	in	that	

moment.	However,	Ellie	is	fairly	collected	as	she	determinedly	tries	to	get	the	keys	to	the	

door	for	her	escape	from	David.	It	is	not	until	she	is	able	to	kill	David	as	he	tries	to	force	

himself	on	her	that	the	player	is	really	able	feel	the	desperation	of	the	scene.	The	player	has	

no	choice	but	to	acknowledge	the	horror	of	what	happened	and	what	almost	happened.	They	

empathize	with	Ellie	and	feel	the	injustice	of	the	situation.	This	perspective,	combined	with	

Ellie’s	previous	character	development	and	her	resolve	to	save	Joel	by	finding	medicine	

despite	danger,	open	up	new	opportunities	for	gender	role	exploration.	Many	of	the	men	

who	play	these	games	would	not	have	had	the	opportunity	to	identify	with	a	female	

character	in	this	way	before,	and	the	game	sends	a	powerful	message	with	that



48

identification.	It	forces	them	to	look	at	themselves	and	their	own	attitudes	and	actions,	

which	may	otherwise	have	gone	unchecked.

	 I	will	also	discuss	Ellie	as	a	contrast	to	Joel.	One	could	argue	that	violent	masculinity	

is	necessary	in	a	post-apocalyptic	world.	Joel	definitely	agrees	that	violence	is	the	only	way	

to	survive.	He	has	built	up	reasoning	and	excuses	for	his	violent	actions	in	his	head	as	a	

defense	mechanism	to	justify	what	he	has	actually	done.	In	the	game,	the	player	sees	him	

kill	indiscriminately,	torture	others	for	information,	and	smuggle	things	on	a	strictly	need-

to-know	basis.	He	defends	himself	from	his	smuggling	partner	Tess	as	she	says,	“Really?	

Guess	what,	we’re	shitty	people,	Joel.	It’s	been	that	way	for	a	long	time”	by	replying,	“No,	

we	are	survivors!”	(The Last of Us,	“The	Outskirts”).	Joel	justifies	his	violence	as	a	means	to	

survive	and	to	protect	others	around	him.

	 Violence	may	or	may	not	be	necessary	in	a	post-apocalyptic	situation,	but	Ellie	serves	

as	a	reminder	of	the	consequences	when	violence	is	highly	tied	to	gender	roles.	Near	the	end	

of	the	game,	Joel	is	injured,	and	the	player	gets	to	control	Ellie.	Throughout	the	game,	Joel	

becomes	a	father	figure	for	Ellie,	but	in	this	instance,	she	is	his	caretaker.	Mark	Pajor	

comments	on	the	rise	of	fatherhood	in	popular	video	games	and	notes	that	the	fathers	are	

often	made	to	prove	their	love	for	their	child	(or	child	surrogate)	through	violence.	This	

is	what	he	describes	as	parental	masculinity,	a	type	of	masculinity	that	frames	violence	

as	existing	for	the	sake	of	protection	(Pajor	129).	Joel’s	entire	storyline	is	defined	by	his	

desire	to	protect	Ellie.	He	begins	by	behaving	antagonistically	towards	her,	or,	at	least	

indifferent,	but	comes	to	care	about	her.	With	that	care	comes	his	increasing	desire	to	

protect	her	however	necessary.	While	the	formation	of	this	parental	relationship	makes	for	

an	interesting	story	told	by	the	cut	scenes	and	dialogue,	it	does	take	away	some	of	Ellie’s	

agency	and	leaves	her	as	somewhat	of	a	plot	device,	at	least	in	the	combat	gameplay.	She	

is	sometimes	left	to	the	side	as	Joel	fights	as	the	controllable	character.	Other	times	she	

does	fight	back,	but	it	leads	into	a	cut	scene	which	has	less	impact	on	a	player’s	identifying	

vicariously	with	the	character	than	gameplay	does.	

	 However,	Pajor	also	looks	at	Ellie	as	a	parental	figure.	While	Joel	is	hurt,	Ellie	takes	

on	the	role	of	protector.	She	hunts	for	food	and	bargains	for	medicine	with	dangerous	men,	

one	of	whom,	David,	seems	reluctant	to	kill	her.	When	the	men	ultimately	chase	her,	she	

leads	them	purposefully	away	from	Joel	in	an	attempt	to	protect	him.	All	of	these	things	

work	to	reduce	the	stereotype	of	Ellie	as	the	damsel	in	distress.	When	Ellie	is	eventually	

captured	by	these	men,	she	finds	out	that	they	have	resorted	to	cannibalism	and	is	almost

raped	by	David.	Pajor	points	out	that	the	player	alternates	control	between	Joel	and	Ellie

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at	this	point	as	Ellie	temporarily	escapes	her	trap	by	tricking	David	and	as	Joel	struggles	

through	the	snow	(140).	This	builds	up	the	false	expectation	that	Joel	will	arrive	in	the	vital	

moment	to	save	Ellie.	It	also	builds	a	comparison	of	both	Joel	and	Ellie.	The	game	portrays	

them	both	as	competent.	Joel	is	able	to	struggle	through	the	snow	and	search	through	the	

town,	but	Ellie	also	has	the	aptitude	to	escape	repeatedly.	Ellie	turns	a	stereotype	on	its	head	

by	showing	she	does	not	need	rescuing,	and	the	game	helps	show	this	by	portraying	her	as	

equal to Joel.

	 As	this	game	compares	Ellie	and	Joel,	it	also	contrasts	Joel	and	David.	Both	David	

and	Joel	believe	that	violence	is	inevitable	in	the	post-apocalypse,	illustrated	in	a	

conversation	Ellie	has	with	David	while	she	is	his	prisoner:

	 DAVID:	Oh	.	.	.	you’re	awfully	quick	to	judgment.	Considering	you	and	your	friend		

	 killed	how	many	men?

	 ELLIE:	They	didn’t	give	us	a	choice.

	 DAVID:	And	you	think	we	have	a	choice?	Is	that	it?	You	kill	to	survive	.	.	.	and	so	do	

	 we.	We	have	to	take	care	of	our	own.	By	any	means	necessary.	(The Last of Us,	

	 “Lakeside	Resort”)

	 Both	men	fit	the	mentality	of	what	Sugg	calls	“savage	war”	(804).	In	the	post-

apocalypse,	leadership	is	tied	with	ruthlessness.	Brutality	proves	someone	is	fit	for	

leadership.	Even	Ellie	is	only	recognized	as	able	to	hold	her	own	after	she	kills	a	man	

attacking	Joel;	she	does	not	initially	kill	within	the	storyline.	It	is	only	after	her	kill	that	

Joel	trusts	her	with	a	gun	because	her	brutality	has	proven	that	she	is	capable	of	new	

responsibility	and	leadership.		Joel	and	David	are	brutal	and	violent	almost	as	a	default,	but	

Ellie	has	to	prove	herself.	While	Ellie’s	violence	may	be	tied	to	protection	and	responsibility,	

David	and	Joel’s	is	also	tied	to	masculinity.	Joel’s	blame	is	not	absolved.	Indeed,	he	only	

sighs	when	Ellie	asks	if	he	has	killed	a	lot	of	innocent	people.	However,	as	the	game	shows	

Joel	killing	more	and	more	people	to	rescue	Ellie,	David	takes	a	different	idea	of	any	means	

necessary.	A	man	calls	Ellie	David’s	“newest	pet”	(The Last of Us,	“Lakeside	Resort”).	David’s	

masculinity	and	leadership	are	tied	to	sexual	conquest	and	to	violence	against	Ellie.	Both	

men	are	just	trying	to	survive	the	apocalypse,	but	both	have	different	ideas	of	what	it	means	

to	just	survive.	Ellie	fights	back	against	David	and	against	the	idea	that	she	is	just	an	object	

to	be	used	or	a	trophy	to	be	won	to	prove	someone’s	leadership	or	manhood.

	 If	The Last of Us	were	playing	into	traditional	gender	tropes,	Joel	would	heroically	get

there	just	in	time	to	save	Ellie.	However,	he	gets	there	just	as	Ellie	saves	herself	by	killing	

David.	Ellie	is	almost	a	victim	of	sexual	violence	perpetrated	by	someone	who	believes	he

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could	find	his	masculinity	in	that	act.	Therefore,	this	post-apocalypse	allows	us	to	see	the	

consequences	of	violent	masculinity.

	 In	another	game,	Joel	would	have	been	a	hero,	but	here	he	does	not	get	to	fulfill	this	

traditionally	masculine	role.	Here	he	takes	on	the	more	feminine	role	of	comforter.	He	takes	

on	a	parental	role	that	is	not	violent.	He	stops,	and	he	comforts	Ellie.	He	holds	her	when	she	

cries.	He	does	not	prove	his	masculinity	through	violence,	but	rather	he	proves	his	

fatherhood	through	comfort.

	 In	the	game,	violence	has	consequences.	Michael	Goerger,	in	a	paper	about	ethics	in	

gaming,	argues	that	this	is	what	makes	The Last of Us	as	a	game	different	from	other	violent	

video	games	such	as	the	Grand Theft Auto	series,	in	which	an	individual	plays	as	a	violent	

criminal	(104).	While	in	The Last of Us	there	is	almost	always	someone	getting	stabbed,	shot,	

or	strangled,	individuals	also	see	the	consequences	of	the	actions.	Ellie,	for	instance,	almost	

gets	sick	after	she	has	to	shoot	someone	holding	Joel	underwater.	At	another	point,	she	kills	

someone	and	feels	sick	to	her	stomach.	Joel	has	been	hardened	by	years	of	violence.	He	has	

become	deadened	towards	it	to	survive,	but	it	affects	his	character.	Ellie	mourns	the	death	of	

two	brothers	who	momentarily	join	them	even	when	Joel	does	not	want	to	talk	about	it.	The	

game	even	opens	with	the	despair	Joel	feels	after	losing	his	daughter,	her	dying	in	his	arms.	

In	The Last of Us,	there	is	grief	felt	over	death.	In	Grand Theft Auto,	everything	is	just	treated	

trivially.	

	 Within	the	story	there	are	consequences,	and	then	there	are	consequences	from	the	

perspective	of	the	player.	People	may	not	always	like	the	actions	of	the	character	with	whom	

they	are	identifying.	Some	may	not	like	Joel’s	two	instances	of	torturing	others	for	

information	about	Ellie’s	whereabouts.	Others	may	be	uncomfortable	at	his	callous	

acceptance	of	a	double-crosser’s	death	at	the	very	beginning	of	the	game.	There	are	many	

occasions	where	a	traditional	male,	heroic,	violent	act	that	Joel	performs	is	not	presented	as	

the	right	thing	to	do	but	is	questioned,	in-game	and	by	the	player.

	 In	the	same	way,	the	end	of	the	game	leaves	us	wondering	about	the	consequences	of	

traditional	gender	roles.	Joel	is	the	protector	throughout	the	game,	and	this	can	take	away	

Ellie’s	agency.	However,	at	the	end,	he	takes	away	the	ultimate	choice	from	Ellie—the	choice	

to	live	or	die.	Ellie	is	the	supposed	key	to	finding	a	cure	for	the	virus.	However,	when	they	

finally	reach	the	end	of	their	journey,	Joel	finds	out	that	the	surgery	they	need	to	do	will	end	

up	killing	Ellie.	With	Ellie	already	unconscious,	he	decides	that	he	must	save	her	and	shoots	

his	way	out	of	the	building	while	carrying	her.	Later,	Ellie	asks	about	what	had	happened,	

but	Joel	lies	and	says	that	they	stopped	looking	for	a	cure.	Joel	realizes	that	if	given	a	choice,

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Ellie	probably	would	have	sacrificed	herself.	However,	he	cannot	let	her	make	that	decision.	

In	the	post-apocalypse,	he	reclaims	his	power	as	the	masculine	figure	by	taking	away	Ellie’s	

power.	He	has	come	to	care	for	her,	but	he	also	cannot	give	up	his	role	as	father	and	

guardian.	This	decision	at	the	end	of	the	game	is,	at	least	in	part,	because	of	the	

consequences	of	gender	norms.	Joel	still	sees	himself	as	a	masculine	protector	and	Ellie	as	

needing	protecting,	as	incapable	of	making	the	choice	for	herself.		

	 They	travel	back	to	the	settlement	of	Joel’s	brother	Tommy.	Ellie	confronts	Joel,	

telling	him	about	all	the	people	who	she	has	lost	to	the	virus.	When	she	was	bitten,	she	was	

not	alone	and	had	to	watch	her	friend	turn	into	one	of	the	infected.	As	Joel	tries	to	offer	

platitudes,	Ellie	demands	of	him,	“Swear	to	me.	Swear	to	me	that	everything	you	said	about	

the	Fireflies	is	true.”	There	is	a	short	pause	here,	and	players	can	feel	Joel’s	split	second	

hesitation.	Then	he	lies,	“I	swear.”	The	pause	is	a	lot	longer	now,	and	players	can	see	Ellie’s	

eyes	move,	searching	Joel’s	face.	The	players	know	it	is	a	lie,	Joel	knows	it	is	a	lie,	and	Ellie	

suspects	it	is	a	lie.	Individuals	see	so	many	emotions	playing	out	across	her	face.	She	finally	

says,	“Okay”	(The Last of Us,	“Jackson”).	Then	the	credits	roll.

	 It	is	an	unsettling	ending.	Joel	lies	to	Ellie	because	he	took	away	her	decision.	

However,	the	game	does	not	present	Joel’s	actions	as	heroic.	It	leaves	the	ending	morally	

ambiguous.	As	the	player	identifies	with	Joel,	they	are	uncomfortable	with	Ellie	demanding	

answers	and	are	left	wondering	if	they	did	the	right	thing.	Lindsey	Joyce,	in	an	essay	about	

the	game,	says	that	“responses	to	the	game’s	ending	have	been	mixed,	but	the	ending	has	

surprised	the	majority	of	players	as	it	breaks	convention	by	denying	a	‘happy’	finish.	In	

doing	so,	Naughty	Dog	reveals	how	broken	the	conventions	and	tropes	used	in	the	game	

were	all	along”	(Joyce).		In	another	game	or	another	post-apocalyptic	narrative,	the	male	

hero	would	have	been	presented	as	unquestionably	right	no	matter	what,	always	acting	in	

the	best	interests	of	his	inferior	female	companions.	In	the	post-apocalypse	especially,	

female	lack	of	agency	is	portrayed	as	the	default,	and	gender	roles	fall	along	conventional	

lines.	In	this	game,	however,	gender	roles	are	far	more	open	to	new	imagination	and	

interpretation	because,	here,	Joel’s	motives	and	actions	are	questioned.	Ellie	as	a	female	

character	has	developed	such	an	identity	that	the	players	feel	uncomfortable	not	only	with	

Joel	taking	away	her	agency	but	with	him	lying	to	her	as	well.	Joel	has	shed	his	violent	

masculinity	enough	for	us	to	understand	his	emotions	and	motives	for	his	actions	but	not	

enough	for	him	to	avoid	still	being	morally	ambiguous.	The	game	critiques	toxic	masculinity	

by	showing	the	players	how	Joel’s	actions	affect	someone	he	cares	about—Ellie.

	 The	characters	make	their	decisions	in	a	post-apocalyptic	society	because,	as	Berger

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	states,	“The	end	is	never	the	end”	(5).	For	a	post-apocalyptic	story	to	exist,	there	must	be	

something	remaining	after	the	supposed	apocalypse	or	end	of	the	world.	For	Joel,	the	

original	apocalyptic	event	may	not	have	been	the	viral	outbreak	but	the	death	of	his	

daughter.	Joel	faces	the	decision	between	a	personal	new	beginning	with	Ellie	or	a	new	

beginning	for	society.	He	could	take	Ellie,	go	back	to	Tommy’s	settlement,	and	stick	with	

the	gender	roles	and	norms	that	he	knows.	Or	he	could	give	up	Ellie,	whom	he	has	come	

to	love	and	care	for,	and	face	change.	With	his	identity	tied	so	strongly	to	first	violent	

masculinity	and	then	to	protection,	it	is	easier	for	him	to	choose	to	protect	Ellie	and	in	turn	

protect	his	own	gender	identity.	However,	the	game	does	not	present	that	choice	as	right	or	

wrong	but	simply	as	a	choice.	This	is	how	this	post-apocalyptic	game	opens	up	gender	roles.

 The New York Times	argues	that	Ellie’s	lack	of	playtime	is	problematic	(Suellentrop).	

While	it	may	appear	this	way,	I	believe	that	the	time	we	do	get	to	play	as	her	is	one	of	the	

crucial	reasons	why	this	game	represents	progress	in	gender	roles	in	the	post-apocalypse.	

It	is	here	where	Ellie	refuses	objectification	and	where	Joel	first	does	not	get	to	fulfill	the	

role	of	violent	masculine	hero.	Ellie	fights	back	against	sexual	violence,	and	Joel	does	not	

use	violence	typical	of	a	post-apocalyptic	video	game	to	help;	rather,	he	uses	empathy	and	

comfort.	The Guardian	also	criticizes	Ellie’s	lack	of	play	time	and	says	that	she	is	simply	a	

“Manic	Pixie	Dream	Girl”	(Stuart).	While	Ellie	does	help	further	Joel’s	storyline,	in	doing	so	

she	develops	into	a	full-fledged	character	in	her	own	right.	Part	of	the	reason	why	the	

ending	is	so	unsettling	is	because	the	player	has	come	to	care	about	Ellie	as	a	character.	The	

player	knows	her	motivations	and	realizes	that	the	choice	that	Joel	makes	for	her	is	not	one	

that	she	would	want	for	herself.	This	strength	of	character	makes	the	consequences	of	Joel’s	

choices	even	more	evident.	While	The New York Times and The Guardian	offer	some	valid	

criticism,	the	portrayal	of	Ellie	and	the	game’s	critique	of	Joel’s	violent	masculinity	

ultimately	show	progress	in	imagining	new	roles	in	the	post-apocalypse.

	 The	ambiguous	ending	leaves	players	questioning	their	own	motives	and	choices	in	

relation	to	the	characters.	Showing	the	character	of	Ellie	and	the	consequences	of	Joel’s	

actions	allow	for	new	stories	of	gender	roles	to	develop.

	 The	post-apocalypse	reflects	values	of	our	own	world	and	is	a	reflection	of	the	future.	

Ellie’s	overall	role	in	the	game,	as	well	as	its	portrayal	of	the	consequences	of	violent	

masculinity,	represents	a	step	towards	the	imagining	of	new	gender	roles	in	the	post-

apocalypse	and	in	the	player’s	real	life.	It	allows	the	future	to	be	one	of	hope	for	the	strength	

that	is	found	in	equality.

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53

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