HBO Finally Answers The Last of Us Question Even Naughty Dog Didn’t With Season 2 Episode 2

The second episode of The Last of Us Season 2 has been released, and it is an emotional rollercoaster. From the infected horde popping out of the snow to Abby’s crew arriving at Jackson, the showrunners held nothing back and elevated the source material for this medium.

Fans of the source material will be pleased to see a few iconic moments occur on screen; however, this version gave them that and more. Kaitlyn Dever’s Abby plays a pivotal role in the game, and some fans have questions about this character, such as her age. The show gave fans a definitive answer about how much older she is than Bella Ramsey’s Ellie.

Abby’s Age Has Been Officially Revealed in The Last of Us Season 2

Age is just a number, but it is one of those lingering facts that must be clarified in franchises like The Last of Us. In the original game, Abby Anderson is a playable protagonist who stirred up much controversy for what she did to a certain character, and from the looks of it, she isn’t that much older than Ellie, the other playable protagonist. Some fans deduced she is probably a year or two older than the immune survivor, but the HBO show gave fans a definitive answer.

After Joel and Dina rescue Abby from a horde, she leads them to the lodge where her friends are holed up. The scene roughly follows the same sequence as the game, and Abby delivers a lengthy monologue about earlier events. Abby revealed she was 19 when her father died in Salt Lake City, and Season 2 takes place 5 years later, making her 24 years old in this season.

While this detail may not mean much to the casual audience, it answers a long-running question for players. In The Last of Us Part 2, Abby’s age was never explicitly stated, and the art books described her as a woman in her early 20s. The HBO adaptation gave a definitive answer and ended years of guessing for the gaming community.

Abby’s World Will Slowly Crumble in The Last of Us Season 2

Naughty Dog introduced Abby out of nowhere during the prologue, leaving some players clueless about her intentions. This is another thing the live-action show changed and revealed her true intentions early on, leading viewers to understand her pain and her motivations.

The reveal that Abby was the surgeon’s daughter in the season finale of The Last of Us will allow the audience to understand her. While the game’s execution could have been handled better, this was the way to go and help viewers get up to speed once Ellie and Abby have their showdown in a later episode.

Abby’s age may not be a big deal for some, but it is worth noting that the live-action adaptation aged up a few characters, including Joel. This creative change highlights how the years have not been kind to these survivors and how their fight for survival is weighing on them physically. Abby’s age in the HBO show may not be canon to the source material, but it is vital information moving forward.

For more Thumb Wars coverage, check out how the HBO adaptation could give Pedro Pascal’s Joel more to do than his video game counterpart, or how the recent teaser of Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four: The First Steps confirmed an early theory.