I’m not part of the group of critics of Bella Ramsey in The Last of Us because I’ve always found the foul-mouthed, eternally teenage Ellie a bit annoying, even before the game came to the TV screen.

Ellie Williams has always had a complex personality, marked by a mix of strength, vulnerability, and a sharp sense of humor. In the game, she is a teenager who, despite having grown up in a post-apocalyptic world, still holds a certain innocence and curiosity about what the world was like before the collapse. As the narrative progresses, however, she transforms into a resilient and independent character, without losing her human essence. Her ability to face adversities, such as the infected and the loss of loved ones, is one of her strongest traits. Over time, Ellie becomes more determined, willing to protect those she loves and fight for survival in an extremely brutal environment.

In the first game, Ellie is a girl who depends on Joel, but soon reveals herself as a strong partner, capable of facing challenges with courage. In The Last of Us Part II, we see a more mature Ellie, who, marked by deep losses, becomes consumed by the quest for revenge and, eventually, a process of self-discovery. Still, Ellie is adored by the game’s fans, who had high expectations to see her on screen.

Since HBO MAX announced Bella Ramsey for the role, skeptics spoke up. There are notable differences between the two versions, especially in how the character is portrayed. The eventual docility of Ellie, who uses jokes as a way to cope with the pain and chaos around her, hasn’t been fully translated on screen. Bella, who is working with a strong American accent, lacks a comedic edge and brings a more introspective and sensitive Ellie. Although she still has some irreverent moments, Ellie’s sarcasm isn’t as prominent as in the game. Bella plays a version of Ellie with more emotional vulnerability, which reflects the dramatic and realistic tone of the series, which delves deeper into the trauma she carries. But this will make even more of a difference later on.

So far, Bella has had some important shields, especially that of the charismatic Pedro Pascal, who played Joel. His death, expected by those familiar with the game, was “anticipated” at the start of the season to 1) handle the inevitable spoiler and 2) provide the entrance (and temporary exit) of Abby Anderson (Kaitlyn Dever).

Abby is more than just the antagonist of The Last of Us, and even though fans also complained about Dever in the role — the character in the game is muscular and more aggressive — she brings empathy to the game-changing turn that will come in the third season, when she becomes the protagonist and turns the narrative around, allowing us to revisit everything we witnessed in the second season with fresh eyes.

The series kept the game’s twist: Abby is introduced as the antagonist who seeks revenge and cruelly kills Joel, but as the story unfolds, players begin to understand the motivation behind her actions, leading them to question her morality.

I rewatched all of Abby’s parts, and I swear: Kaitlyn Dever will change the game. SPOILERS! The season ends just when Abby’s life is about to change. She’s at peace for having killed Joel, but the rest of the group isn’t. They all considered him a monster, but the brutality of his death was divisive among her friends, and Abby faces the consequences of that.

We see that she and Owen are separated, but in the flashbacks, we’ll follow Abby’s journey in reverse compared to Ellie’s. Abby had a father and a purpose, but loses everything when Joel kills him. Her youth was focused on preparing to fight and kill. On a personal mission to locate Owen, who is disillusioned with everything and wants to go to California, she runs into the Seraphites and is saved by Lev and his sister, in a gesture of generosity that disarms Abby and changes her life.

Lev was kicked out of his home because his mother didn’t accept him as trans, and Abby becomes empathetic, developing a bond of friendship and protection that will likely be a key point in the series as well. Lev represents Abby’s redemption, humanizing her and offering a form of healing for her pain.

The third season is expected to end with the same scene from the second season, but with a different perspective. It will be in the fourth and final season that the inevitable confrontation between the two characters will take place. Here, the crucial point is that Ellie, in her relentless pursuit of retribution, could end up becoming the villain of the story. Her attachment to Joel’s trauma, which defines and consumes her, places her on a collision course with an Abby who, despite having suffered greatly, seems to have found emotional clarity. Abby’s story, with its sacrifices and painful choices, puts Ellie in an uncomfortable position. The audience, which initially aligns with Ellie, may begin to identify more with Abby’s journey — a woman who lost everything and yet tries to protect what remains of her humanity.

An introverted Ellie is no match for Abby. It’s not for lack of talent from Bella Ramsey, but rather an issue with the character itself. In the end, it will be fascinating to see how the series deepens these contrasts. Abby’s empathy, her willingness to change, and her desire for a new beginning with Lev, contrast with Ellie’s more rigid and traumatized stance. The final confrontation between them will likely be one of the greatest battles, not only physical but emotional and ideological, of the series. And, who knows, perhaps the audience will find themselves more on Abby’s side, who, despite her violence, is a character that represents the possibility of change, while Ellie, in her obsession, might be seen as someone who has lost her way in the pursuit of vengeance.