'The Last of Us' Season 2 Images Reveal Abby's Group and New Plot Details

The Last of Us Season 2 is officially set to arrive on HBO later this year, but details have already begun to trickle out of the upcoming video game adaptation. Based on the award-winning, controversial title The Last of Us Part II, HBO has a tall task ahead of them, including the highly-anticipated introduction of Abby, arguably the anti-hero of the story. First-look stills from the second season have unveiled the exciting new cast additions to The Last of Us, as well as revealing a major divergence from the source material.

Entertainment Weekly revealed a group of new images from the highly-anticipated second outing of HBO’s flagship video game adaptation. The Last of Us Season 2 will see the introduction of Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, who is joined by a group of friends and fellow W.L.F. soldiers, including Manny (Danny Ramirez), Nora (Tati Gabrielle), Mel (Ariela Barer), and Owen (Spencer Lord). A departure from the game, Abby is noticeably less buff than her digital counterpart (and yes, that’s on purpose). Meanwhile, Ellie (Bella Ramsey) can be seen riding on a horse alongside Dina (Isabel Merced), presumably during the opening act of the season. Those familiar with the video game will instantly recognize select locations, including where Ellie is seen holding a shotgun in an abandoned store with a giant hole in the roof.

The Last of Us showrunner Craig Mazin knows that the series was a massive hit for HBO, and understands how dark the video game is, but it won’t make things any easier for audiences in Season 2. The series will continue to ask thought-provoking questions, as well as deliver on the promise of an exciting new chapter in the post-apocalyptic storyline that takes place five years after the events of the first season. Mazin’s words:

“Tens of millions of people liked it week after week after week, and that’s a number that’s hard to get our minds around. We are accountable to them and we think our job is to continue to do what we did, which is to challenge people and to delight them, surprise them, and make them feel and provoke thought within them.”

Why Abby Isn’t as Muscular in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2

The Last of Us Season 2 will be a faithful adaptation of the video game series, but it still features some distinct changes from the source material. One of which includes Abby, who, as Neil Druckmann warns, won’t be as muscular or physically foreboding as she is in the original game. Although some unreasonable “fans” of the franchise lamented the fact a woman was so muscle-bound in the game, most thought her physical abilities made for a compelling and entertaining gameplay experience. HBO’s The Last of Us will feature a less physically intimidating Abby, but not for the reason online trolls may expect. Druckmann explained:

“We would’ve struggled to find someone as good as Kaitlyn to play this role. In the game, you have to play both characters [Ellie and Abby] and we need them to play differently. We needed Ellie to feel smaller and kind of maneuver around, and Abby was meant to play more like Joel in that she’s almost like a brute in the way she can physically manhandle certain things. That doesn’t play as big of a role in this version of the story because there’s not as much violent action moment to moment. It’s more about the drama. I’m not saying there’s no action here. It’s just, again, different priorities and how you approach it.”

‘The Last of Us’ Star Kaitlyn Dever Is Playing a Different Kind of Villain in Netflix’s New True Crime Series

Kaitlyn Dever will play a fictionalized version of an influencer who conned the world into thinking she cured her own brain cancer.

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Some fans may be disappointed to hear about this news, especially those who are diehard fans of the character. However, it’s quite clear that those behind the HBO show and Kaitlyn Dever herself understand the true essence of Abby. She is officially described as “a skilled soldier whose black-and-white view of the world is challenged as she seeks vengeance for those she loved.” Without spoiling it, it’s clear that Abby will remain a major driving force of The Last of Us Season 2, and the most important aspects of the character remain in tact.