Is The Last of Us woke?
TV Show · 2023
The Last of Us has a wokeness score of 4/10, which we rate as Light Social Awareness. Some light diversity or inclusion elements that feel natural and organic. Woke themes are subtle, non-intrusive, and fully integrated into the story without drawing attention to themselves.
Key points
- Expanded Bill-Frank gay romance episode feels organic to game lore but pauses main action, sparking agenda accusations.
- Diverse casting including Latino Joel and non-binary Ellie actor integrates naturally without plot alterations.
- Ellie's canonical queerness revealed subtly, supporting character depth over ideological preaching.
Wokeness analysis
The Last of Us (2023) TV series adapts the popular video game with high production values and strong performances from Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, focusing primarily on survival, father-daughter bonding, and post-apocalyptic tension. Diversity elements, such as Latino actors for Joel and Tommy, and the canonical queer identities of Ellie and the expanded Bill-Frank relationship, integrate naturally without dominating the narrative. Episode 3, 'Long, Long Time,' expands the minor game subplot into a full-hour backstory of Bill and Frank's romance, earning critical acclaim for emotional depth but drawing review-bombing from some viewers decrying it as forced gay representation that halts the main plot. However, creators stayed faithful to the source material's implications, avoiding preachiness; Bill remains a rugged prepper distrustful of government, aligning with conservative archetypes rather than subverting them. Ellie's queerness is subtle, revealed organically through character moments. Casting non-binary Bella Ramsey as Ellie and diverse supporting roles like Merle Dandridge as Marlene feel organic to modern sensibilities but do not preach ideology or alter core story beats for messaging. Unlike heavily ideological shows, entertainment—action, horror, and relationships—remains primary, with woke complaints often stemming from heightened sensitivity to any LGBTQ visibility rather than overt activism. Season 2 escalates backlash with Ellie's lesbian storyline and lines like 'gonna be a dad,' but for Season 1, elements stay mild and story-serving.
Plot
In 2003, a mutated Cordyceps fungus triggers a global pandemic, turning humans into monstrous infected and collapsing society. Twenty years later, grizzled smuggler Joel (Pedro Pascal) loses his daughter early in the outbreak and survives in brutal quarantine zones under oppressive FEDRA rule. Tasked by allies Tess and contact Marlene to smuggle immune teenager Ellie (Bella Ramsey) from Boston to the Fireflies—a rebel group seeking a cure—Joel embarks on a treacherous cross-country journey. Joined briefly by Joel's brother Tommy, they face infected hordes, hostile survivors, and moral dilemmas. Along the way, Joel and Ellie forge a profound surrogate father-daughter bond amid flashbacks to the outbreak's devastation. The narrative emphasizes survival's harsh realities, human depravity, and fleeting hope, culminating in a controversial choice at the Fireflies' base in Salt Lake City.
Analyzed by AI on April 27, 2026