'The Last of Us' Recap: Ellie's Origin Story

Ellie is a teenager in post-apocalyptic world who still has much to learn. She's an excellent student and person, but also struggles with unresolved anger issues.

On 'The Last of Us' season two episode seven, Ellie is thrust into a world of fear and chaos after her brother Joel gets infected with Cordyceps infection. Despite knowing that he will likely succumb soon, she takes this situation seriously and strives to save him even though she knows it won't be successful.

Ellie's mother Marlene

In The Last of Us, we learn that Ellie was left orphaned after her mother passed away from Cordyceps infection. Anna, a close friend of Marlene's, knew Ellie needed safety and love - which is why she wrote her a letter promising her care and the reminder that life truly is worth living.

Unfortunately, Marlene never got to meet Ellie or tell her her mother was alive again. Ellie was placed into FEDRA military school for orphans and only learned a little about her parents through a handwritten letter Marlene provided her.

She quickly came to regard FEDRA as her enemy, even though it had been the only world she had ever known. This may have contributed to her skepticism towards the Fireflies and their mission to overthrow FEDRA and put an end to the pandemic.

Marlene eventually discovered Ellie was immune to the fungal infection and set out on a plan to transport her to Salt Lake City for research. They hoped that Ellie could become a leader of the Fireflies and help them defeat FEDRA.

Ellie rose to become a leader of her own faction and the two embarked on an intensely private and dangerous relationship. Though initially trying to leave with friends, Ellie ultimately chose to remain with them because she believed they had only her best interests at heart.

Marlene not only acts as Ellie's mother, but she's also close friends with Joel. Their bond will be tested when they reunite again.

Neil Druckmann, co-creator of The Last of Us, recently spoke to Variety about the significance of Ellie and her mother's bond. He noted that they wanted to explore the limits of unconditional love between a parent and child.

It's an intriguing question that will be explored in the HBO adaptation of The Last of Us, premiering January 15th. It's essential to note that while Joel has an intense desire for what happens to Ellie, Marlene always puts Ellie's needs first. This distinction in their interactions will leave viewers with a lasting impression.

Ellie's father Eric

Ellie's story begins three weeks before 'The Last of Us,' when she was still a small girl. This period in Ellie's life marked by loss - not only from Riley's passing, but also an unprecedented Cordyceps outbreak that spread rapidly around the globe and claimed billions of lives.

Her father Eric (Ty Simpkins), a police officer, struggled to cope with being diagnosed with terminal cancer. He insisted Ellie and her brother Aaron (Hong Chau) stay with him, but Ellie had her own reasons for wanting to leave; she knew her dad was in love with another man and couldn't comprehend why he would leave her behind.

She attempted to convince him to stay with her by discussing her feelings, but that didn't work out. She felt deeply resentful of her father whom she saw as an uncaring jerk. Furthermore, Marlene (Emma Bell) wasn't taking good care of her and only wanted what was best for Ellie.

Despite her outspoken personality, she is incredibly compassionate and empathic. When her parents leave her, she attempts to reach out and ask why they would do so; at the same time, she shares stories from her own childhood with them.

Ellie's ability to demonstrate empathy makes her an intriguing character to watch. She's a determined young woman who knows she doesn't belong anywhere and yet doesn't know what to do with herself in this new world.

Ellie has a close bond with her mother, as well as with Dina (Shannon Woodward), an Israeli from New Mexico. They work together on patrol together, taking shelter from a blizzard together before sharing a passionate kiss before parting ways to search for Joel.

Dina and Ellie travel to Seattle in search of revenge after Joel's death, joined by Ellie's former partner Jesse who had followed them.

At some point, Ellie visits the hospital and meets WLF member Nora Harris. After torturing her for information, Ellie realizes she has an intense crush on Riley (Bella Ramsey), not just by chance that they were both in the same class.

Ellie's sister Riley

As The Last of Us progresses, Ellie attempts to rebuild her life by fleeing Jackson. Her first stop is Oregon where she meets Maria (Lynnette Guillory) who lives in a refugee camp with her daughter Tommy (Gabriel Luna).

These two girls have been friends for years, and it's no shock that they form an instant bond when Maria teaches them how to use their switchblades. Their relationship blossoms until Maria reveals Tommy is Ellie's biological father, further strengthening their bond.

She also gives Ellie a little glimpse into her world, telling her there's a mall still operating as before. She gives her an extensive tour of all the storefronts, including Ellie's beloved escalator!

Although not a shock, it's still heartbreaking to watch Ellie take a trip to an abandoned mall and realize it's the only thing she has been missing for two decades. Luckily, her sister Riley comes along for the ride and helps her see the positive aspects of life once again.

Riley is an excellent addition to the story, despite her insecurities, as she's always there for Ellie and understands what Ellie is going through. Riley has the capacity to bring out Ellie's best qualities when necessary, which she proves through being her constant support throughout the series.

It's evident that she has an intense crush on Ellie, though this may be overshadowed by the fact that she has yet to secure a date with Joel, it still demonstrates how much she cares for her best friend. We can only hope this continues throughout Season 2!

In the meantime, you can watch the first six episodes of The Last of Us on HBO Max. They air Sundays at 9 p.m. ET and Episode 7 will be released this weekend. Alternatively, you can stream all eight seasons on Netflix!

Ellie's switchblade

Naughty Dog's 2013 groundbreaking video game The Last of Us set the bar high for storytelling and design. Its depictions of violence and lawlessness, its depictions of desperate living, and its exploration of a world gone mad all left an indelible mark on audiences.

Even as the story draws to a climactic close, it still offers hope for the future. This is the message 'The Last of Us' sends its audience, one we should be able to take with us into our own lives.

In The Last of Us Part II, players take on the roles of Ellie and Joel as they try to find a way out of a seemingly hopeless world. It's an intense game that explores both the hardships that come from living in post-apocalyptic conditions while also showing off Joel and Ellie's strong and lasting bond.

At the start of the game, Ellie is a young girl born after the Cordyceps brain infection outbreak that claimed her parents Anna and Eric. Her only connection to them is a letter she wrote during her mother's time in hospital and the switchblade she keeps with her throughout the journey.

Ellie wields a sword that could be wielded as either an ordinary blunt weapon or turned into an explosive. It's also used for retribution and justice purposes - you can kill enemies with it by striking their chests or throats, leaving behind real and lasting impacts. As Ellie, you have control over this blade's potential--your killings feel real and weighty when done so.

Ellie's switchblade is one of the most lethal weapons in the game. She can stab enemies in the head or throat, often leaving their wounds draining away with blood seeping out of their eyes.

As Ellie progresses through the game, Ellie becomes increasingly ruthless and dangerous. Her tactics become more intricate as she strives to outwit her enemies and kill them with any means necessary. She may ambush them as they pass, or even sneak up behind them for a surprise attack.

She's more agile than Joel, allowing her to leap over small gaps and use makeshift ropes to reach areas too high off the ground for him to access. This creates a dynamic gameplay experience complemented by stunning backdrops of Jackson and Seattle - two cities Naughty Dog has expertly created.

Inventory Overhang Will Be a Modest Headwind For Growth

Though inventories may reduce year-on-year GDP growth in the first quarter by 0.5 percentage points, we do not anticipate it to prevent eurozone economic activity from picking up steam again in the spring.

Multiple headwinds have hit Europe's economy this winter, but the European Commission anticipates growth to pick up again in spring. They anticipate inflation rising to 3.5% this year - well above their target rate.

Growth

Inventory overhang is a frequent issue in the manufacturing sector. This occurs when a business has too much stock to sell to keep up with demand. Navigating this situation can be challenging, as companies may need to discard items they no longer require or have valid reasons for keeping on hand.

An inventory overhang will likely reduce GDP growth, though not significantly. We estimate that the inventory overhang will subtract 0.5 percentage points from year-on-year GDP growth in the first quarter, but net exports will make up for any shortfall.

It's worth noting that this metric is not always accurate, as it's difficult to separate stock building from discrepancy (i.e., stock not being reordered). This is particularly true in the eurozone where inventory building is heavily influenced by external events like trade and monetary policy decisions.

Utilizing efficient inventory management techniques to maximize the number of items produced and sold per day is the key to making this happen. In the long run, lower inventories will lead to improved productivity and higher profits as companies are better able to fulfill customer demands with less effort.

To determine whether an inventory overhang will have a negative effect on growth, take a look at the latest survey data from Eurostat. For the eurozone, the Industrial Production and Retail Sales Index provide the most insightful indicators into how well the eurozone economy is doing - especially in the short-term.

Inflation

The European Union is facing a modest growth slowdown that has been compounded by high inflation. Prices of energy and food items have reached unprecedented highs since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, contributing to this spike in inflation.

These price increases are also increasing the burden on workers in the region who rely on collective-bargaining agreements that typically last a year or longer. In Europe, six out of ten employees are covered by such arrangements.

Wage pressures have been one of the primary drivers of inflation, though they have taken some time to catch up with prices and are unlikely to add significantly more to the overall level. Furthermore, workers may decide to switch jobs which could reduce their income losses.

Eurostat predicts that economic changes will result in a slight boost to consumer demand, leading to higher prices. However, this rise should not exceed one percentage point, according to their latest forecasts.

Inventory overhang will pose a modest headwind to eurozone growth, but it won't be a major impediment as inflation expectations remain stable. A slowdown in production should help alleviate supply chain backlogs and support lower prices.

The inventory overhang will give the ECB room to further reduce interest rates without risking an overheated economy, and it will allow firms to borrow at low prices in order to expand their operations. This could boost Europe's competitiveness and help it regain some ground against the dollar, potentially supporting economic growth across the region.

However, inflation will remain a challenge and it may take some time to achieve a "soft landing" where prices can moderate and growth can resume. A prolonged period of sustained inflationary pressure could lead to divergences in inflation across EU member states, potentially placing the euro's credibility slightly at risk.

On Friday, the European Commission revised up its economic forecasts, increasing their estimate for euro area inflation to 7.6% this year from 9.2% previously. Additionally, they warned that headline prices could rise further if gas prices surge due to Russia's cut off of supplies, potentially leading to a downward revision to growth projections.

Interest Rates

Interest rates are an integral factor in economic growth. Lower interest rates make it more affordable for people to purchase goods and services, which can boost production. Conversely, higher rates discourage people from borrowing money to purchase such items, thus slowing growth.

The European Central Bank (ECB) has indicated that it plans to keep raising its benchmark interest rate in the near future to combat inflation and keep the euro zone economy growing steadily. Nonetheless, it should be noted that this inflation trajectory differs from previous ones, being much more marked and persistent.

In the short term, higher interest rates may help eurozone growth by stimulating consumer spending. However, in the long run, they could prove detrimental if they lead to deferred consumption and thus depressed economic activity.

Higher interest rates often deter people from taking out loans or credit cards to purchase items, and can even lead to companies losing more money if they must pay more on loans or credit card bills.

Due to this, companies often face higher interest costs which they simply cannot afford if their loan payments must be covered in full. When companies face having to pay more money in interest, they may need to cut prices or find ways to reduce production expenses; ultimately leading to an adverse effect on the economy as a whole.

The European Central Bank (ECB) has stated it intends to normalize its interest rate path in 2023, raising benchmark rates two or three times depending on inflation and demand forecasts.

Meanwhile, higher interest rates will have an adverse effect on banks' net worth in the medium-term. The duration gap between their yield curve and asset-liability positions will widen due to higher rates, potentially decreasing their equity value.

On Thursday, the European Central Bank raised its main refinancing operation (FROB) rate by 25 basis points to 0.75% and deposit rate by 10 basis points to 0.00%. In a statement, they cited several reasons for the hike, including that "the outlook for economic activity has weakened and inflation is approaching its target." Furthermore, they said they would support inflation back towards target by strengthening anchoring inflation expectations and guaranteeing demand conditions adjust in line with their inflation target.

Trade

The eurozone, consisting of 19 countries using the euro currency, is one of the world's largest economies in terms of GDP. Furthermore, it serves as a top trade partner to many other nations around the world and maintains an ardent commitment to free trade.

EU trade is an essential driver of economic growth, providing companies with opportunities to compete more successfully abroad and giving consumers a wider selection of goods at lower prices. Furthermore, the EU is committed to strengthening multilateralism and reforming global trade rules where necessary.

Free trade can have many advantages, but a system that fails to protect local markets for local goods can have detrimental outcomes. That is why the EU has such a steadfast policy of fostering fair trade and encouraging local production.

Europe's economy has benefited from the strength of its union, yet several challenges have emerged in recent years. For instance, the conflict in Ukraine has had an adverse effect on Europe's economy and caused many people to fall into poverty.

Since then, Europe has worked to recover from the war. It has implemented policies designed to boost productivity, alleviate supply constraints and boost economic capacity in an effort to bolster its long-term growth prospects.

As the eurozone enters its second decade, a renewed emphasis on creating a fairer and more sustainable trading system is necessary to guarantee that EU members can grow together. This strategy involves strengthening multilateralism while using new EU tools for protecting its rights and interests.

Another challenge lies in making the euro's single monetary policy more responsive to individual European economies' needs. To do this, exchange rates between different currencies must be allowed for flexibility and some of its rigidity removed from its monetary policy.

The euro has long been accused of encouraging too much German production and taking advantage of a bias towards Germany in the design of its exchange rate mechanism. Though some progress has been made toward eliminating this prejudice, it remains significant.

The inventory overhang will present a modest headwind to eurozone growth in the first half of this year, but it is expected to dissipate with time as economic recovery continues in the region. To maintain European competitiveness and enhance productivity levels, policies need to be implemented that remove supply constraints in energy and labor markets and expand economic capacity across member states.