HBO’s The Last of Us series could continue into its third season and beyond if it casts a new lead character. But fans won’t like the most practical choice. WARNING! Spoilers coming for The Last of Us Part II!

If HBO’s adaptation of The Last of Us follows closely in Season 2, it should end. Or it needs to shift its focus to a new protagonist. However, fans will not like who.

The Last of Us series draws heavily from the video game, which currently has only one sequel; season 2 of The Last of Us will adapt the events of the second game, but it’s possible it will continue beyond that.

The series could go beyond three seasons. But it would have to change its approach to the story. This is especially true if the HBO series stays true to Joel and Ellie’s character arc from the source material. The ending of their game is not suitable for more episodes. Thus, the series would need a new protagonist for further episodes.

Season 2 of The Last of Us introduces Joel’s killer Abby

Season 3 of The Last of Us will have to focus on new characters partly because Joel will likely die in Season 2. Pascal’s character is killed in the games for what he did during the hospital massacre. Joel’s killer is none other than Abby, the daughter of firefly doctor Jerry Anderson. Joel kills Jerry in the games. He makes the same decision in the season one finale of The Last of Us. Abby tracks him down and kills him in revenge. This sends Ellie on her own revenge-fueled mission in The Last of Us II.

It is possible that The Last of Us season 2 will rearrange the timeline of the games, giving Pascal more screen time and saving his death for the finale.

If Season 2 goes this route, then HBO’s series could extend the events of The Last of Us II into Season 3. However, a third episode would likely end with Ellie’s in-game ending, in which she returns home and starts a family with her girlfriend. Since she never actually uses her blood to find a cure, The Last of Us III is still a possibility. However, Ellie’s story seems to have come to an end. It would be a shame to cut off the happy ending for the sake of more episodes.

Abby is one of the most hated characters in The Last of Us games. This is not surprising, considering she kills one of the beloved protagonists. Still, Abby’s character arc pretty much mirrors Ellie’s. In the games, she is portrayed as a sort of secondary protagonist. With that in mind, Abby could easily be the main character of season 3 of the series. In fact, season 2 will probably feature scenes from her point of view, which sets the stage perfectly for the main character change.

With Cordyceps still on the loose, Abby will undoubtedly face obstacles in the sequel beyond her fight with Ellie.

With rumours of The Last of Us III, it is highly likely that the game franchise will continue to explore Abby’s character. Abby’s story is far from over in Part II, which ends with her on a boat with Lev. She vows to kill Ellie if she ever sees her again. But reviving this feud would make for a boring sequel. Instead, ending the game opens the door to show another side of Abby. If the series stays true to itself, it will likely do the same.

Abby would make a controversial protagonist for season three

Although there is room for a deeper exploration of Abby in The Last of Us, she would be the controversial protagonist of the next game and HBO series. Rightfully or not, her actions in the second game make her an unpopular character. Thus, most fans are not interested in how her redemption unfolds. That being said, Ellie is also quite obnoxious in the game, but in the end, she is given the opportunity to make better choices and move forward. There are parallels in the arcs of the two characters. It makes sense that Abby would get a similar chance to start over.

If HBO’s adaptation can find a way to make Abby a more layered, interesting character, it will allow the network to continue the franchise beyond the events of the games.

Given how popular the series has become, it’s likely that the company will want to keep the franchise alive for more than two or three seasons. Even if it means taking on a controversial character.

Source: Wikipedia