The heart and soul of HBO‘s The Last of Us are Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey), but a new character, Abby (Kaitlyn Dever), gets a heck of a dramatic introduction in tonight’s Season 2 premiere. Fans of the popular video game The Last of Us II already know exactly the fateful role Abby will play in the lives of Joel, Ellie, and their friends. The good news for those of us who have never played the game is that the TV show wastes no time explaining who Abby is, who her friends are, and why they understandably want to hurt our beloved Joel this season.
The Last of Us Season 1 follows an experienced smuggler named Joel as he shepherds a teenager named Ellie across a post-apocalyptic America from Boston to Salt Lake City. Ellie is immune to a devastating disease that has destroyed most of humanity. A revolutionary group called the Fireflies want to use Ellie’s genetic material to make a cure to save everyone. Joel bonds with Ellie, though, and decides to murder his way through the hospital he’s taken her to in order to save her life.
The Last of Us Season 2 opens with the same scene that ended Season 1: Ellie asking Joel to swear to her that everything he said about what happened to the Fireflies is true. He lies and swears it’s true. She says, “Okay.”
The Last of Us Season 2 then immediately cuts to the same giraffes that dazzled Ellie in Salt Lake City in the finale. As they graze on tall trees, we then see five surviving Fireflies mourning their compatriots at a makeshift graveyard. “Why would he do this?” one wonders. Another mentions a rumor about the kid, but it’s debunked as impossible.
Abby and her friends Manny (Danny Ramirez), Mel (Ariela Barer), Nora (Tati Gabrielle), and Owen (Spencer Lord) have been left devastated by Joel’s actions. Not only did he single-handedly kill most of the Fireflies, thus killing their movement, but Abby lost someone very close to her. (In the game, the unarmed doctor Joel shot during his rampage was Abby’s father, offering a metaphoric inverse to Joel killing to save his adopted daughter.)
The group agrees on a plan. They will go to Seattle, where a man named Isaac (Jeffrey Wright) has his own group, and then they will find Joel and kill him.
Okay, but who exactly are these characters? Where have you seen the actors playing them before? And how much attention should you pay them? Here’s your guide to the new stars in The Last of Us Season 2 cast.
The Last of Us Season 2 New Cast Guide: Meet Abby, Manny, Nora, Mel, and Owen:
Who is Abby in The Last of Us Season 2?: Abby is a former Firefly who is on a path of vengeance. She is obsessed with hunting and killing Joel (slowly) for his actions in Salt Lake City. You’ll note even in the first episode of the new season that her friends defer to her, revealing she is considered a natural leader
Where You’ve Seen Kaitlyn Dever: Kaitlyn Dever is a Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated actress perhaps best known for her work in the hit comedy film Booksmart. She also is known for work on shows like Justified, Unbelievable, Dopesick, and Apple Cider Vinegar.
Who is Manny in The Last of Us Season 2?: Manny is one of Abby’s friends whom we meet in Season 2. Variety reported that he’s considered a “loyal soldier” who hides his “fear that he will fail his friends when they need him most.”
Where You’ve Seen Danny Ramirez: You probably recognize Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres (aka the new Falcon) in the MCU or as “Fanboy” in Top Gun: Maverick. Ramirez has also appeared in shows like On My Block and Black Mirror.
Who is Mel in The Last of Us Season 2?: Mel is yet another one of Abby’s Firefly friends. She’s described by as a “young doctor whose commitment to saving lives is challenged by the realities of war and tribalism.” You’ll see her point out to Abby that the reason Joel got away was they were trying to save their wounded.
Where You’ve Seen Ariela Barer: Ariela Barer has been acting since childhood, but her two splashiest turns have been as Gert Yorkes in Hulu’s Marvel’s Runaways and as Xochitl in the cult hit How to Blow Up a Pipeline.
Who is Nora in The Last of Us Season 2?: Nora is, you guessed it, one of Abby’s former Firefly friends. She’s described as a “military medic.”
Where You’ve Seen Tati Gabrielle: Tati Gabrielle has appeared in binge-able hits like The 100, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, You, and Kaleidoscope. She’s also set to play Jade in Mortal Kombat 2.
Who is Owen in The Last of Us Season 2?: Owen is the last of Abby’s friends and the one who manages to convince her they should go to Seattle. He is described as a “gentle soul trapped in a warrior’s body.”
Where You’ve Seen Spencer Lord: Maybe best known for his work on Canadian TV,Spencer Lord has appeared in Family Law and Heartland. He’s also had bit parts on Riverdale and The Good Doctor.
