The introduction of Negan in The Walking Dead serves as a precursor to The Last of Us’s own menacing villain, Abby. Both characters deliver brutal and intense moments that threaten the franchise’s standing in the zeitgeist. In The Walking Dead, Negan’s debut is forever etched after he brutally kills beloved characters Abraham and Glenn.
Meanwhile, The Last of Us follows a similar trajectory with its own pivotal moment: when Abby exacts her revenge on Joel, beating him to a pulp before ending his life in front of his surrogate daughter Ellie. While the video game adaptation shows Abby as a complex character driven by violence, the TV version has failed to give viewers an opportunity to empathize with her actions.
Abby’s arc remains underdeveloped due to limited screen time, leading to concerns that The Last of Us may not be able to redeem her in the audience’s eyes. Unlike Negan, who underwent significant development over five seasons, Abby’s introduction feels more exploitative. This could ultimately lead to a decline in viewership if the show prioritizes shock value and cliff-hangers over solid storytelling.
The season has dangled numerous narrative threads without addressing many of them, leaving unanswered questions about key characters and plotlines. With The Last of Us potentially straying from its own path to redemption as well as facing challenges faced by other prestige TV series, it remains to be seen if the show will weather the storm or suffer a similar fate.
Source: https://www.theringer.com/2025/05/25/the-last-of-us/the-last-of-us-season-2-finale-abby-cliff-hanger-kaitlyn-dever