Ex-Naughty Dog Artist Reveals Potential Plot Twist for The Last of Us: Part 3

A former Naughty Dog developer has dropped a bombshell that could shape the narrative of a potential The Last of Us: Part 3. In a recent interview on the KiwiTalkz podcast, ex-lighting artist Gabriel Betancourt shared a surprising conversation with franchise creator Neil Druckmann, who disclosed that protagonist Ellie is not the sole individual immune to the cordyceps infection—she's part of a larger "congregation" of immune people.

Ellie's immunity is central to the first game's plot, especially its climax where Joel makes a fateful choice between her life and a potential cure for humanity. This decision echoes throughout The Last of Us Part 2, with Druckmann clarifying last year that a cure would have been achievable if Joel had acted differently, a revelation that reignited fan debates. Now, this new insight has stunned fans, challenging the long-held belief in Ellie's uniqueness.

Betancourt expressed his initial understanding: "I felt like the pillar of the story was Ellie being the only person with the cure. Protecting her to save humanity gave the world its gravity and made The Last of Us special." However, Druckmann corrected him, saying, "Yeah, but several people are immune. There's a place, there's a whole congregation of that kind of person, and what I want to do is tell a more sophisticated story with multiple characters and expand on that."

It's important to note this discussion occurred years ago; Betancourt left Naughty Dog over a decade back after working on The Last of Us: Left Behind, and Druckmann's plans may have evolved since. Nonetheless, fans are already speculating about the implications for the series and whether this "congregation" might appear in future installments.

On Reddit, user suffywuffy voiced strong opposition: "Part of what makes Joel's decision so impactful is that Ellie is that 1 in 7 billion messiah figure. Having multiple immune people drastically changes the emotional stakes of the first game's ending." They also criticized HBO's The Last of Us TV series for explaining Ellie's immunity through a unique prenatal exposure, arguing it makes her condition potentially replicable.

This news follows Druckmann's recent social media post where he shared his original 2003 sketches for Joel and Ellie, hinting that their story isn't over. He wrote, "Been a wild journey... Grateful for every part of it, especially the few stops that remain on the road ahead." Druckmann has never dismissed the possibility of a third chapter, and the Grounded 2 documentary concludes with him stating, "I feel there's one more chapter to this story." Ellie encountering a group of other immune survivors could be that compelling next chapter.

Meanwhile, Naughty Dog is developing Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, directed by Druckmann, and another game led by Shaun Escayg, director of Uncharted: The Lost Legacy.