Why is Ellie Immune in ‘The Last of Us’?

Why Is Ellie Immune to the Infection

On Sunday, January 15, 2023, the first episode of The Last of Us, one of the most eagerly anticipated shows of 2023, was finally released. This HBO series, which is based on the well-known PlayStation game of the same name, chronicles the post-apocalyptic journey of a smuggler named Joel (Pedro Pascal) as he tries to accompany a little girl named Ellie (Bella Ramsay) across America in the wake of a deadly fungus that “turns” humans.

Many details were given in the first episode, including those that were very intriguing to people who hadn’t played the game. This includes a justification of Ellie’s values. The first episode’s conclusion revealed that Ellie was resistant to the fungus that had almost wiped off humanity. Even her hand displayed evidence of a bite. Although The Last of Us players may understand this entirely, others might not.

Why Is Ellie Immune to the Fungus Infection?

Although Ellie’s immunity is never officially explained, it is usually assumed that a genetic mutation is to blame for her lack of susceptibility to the fungus.

The driving force behind The Last of Us’s main plot and Ellie’s resistance to the virus. Only one person is able to stave off the fungus plague that is putting humanity on the verge of extinction. The bites of other infected humans appear to not affect Ellie.

Ellie displays a bite mark on her arm that she sustained weeks earlier at the episode’s conclusion. In contrast to how things functioned in that reality, this. Ellie’s situation is extremely different from most infected individuals, who often change completely within 48 hours. This scenario suggested that Ellie did become infected with the fungus, but she was not as negatively impacted as other people.

The biological mechanism by which Ellie resists the fungus has been attributed to hereditary characteristics, although both The Last of Us video games and the HBO series declined to explain it. Due to a likely genetic mutation, Ellie could resist the fungus and either battle it or coexist with it in a symbiotic way.

Ellie was born with it; it wasn’t something she later acquired. This can have happened at random as well. But this serves as The Last of Us’ main plotline and explains why Ellie is so important. The secret to battling this illness may lie in her genetic makeup or a study of her body.

However, there is one idea about Ellie’s immunity that is widely recognised. According to the idea, Ellie’s mother, a nurse by profession, contracted the fungus while pregnant with Ellie, exposing the unborn child to the Cordyceps infection. She might have developed the strongest immunity to the illness as a result.

Although this notion was never proven in the game, it can be used in the HBO series, which will delve into Ellie’s history at some time.

On January 22, 2023, The Last of Us’ second episode will air on HBO.

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