Warning: This text incorporates spoilers for The Final of Us. As episode one in every of HBO’s new post-apocalyptic collection The Final of Us got here to an in depth, viewers have been left questioning why is Ellie immune to a plague that decimated most of humanity. And that goes for many who have and people who haven’t performed the critically acclaimed online game by the identical identify, developed by Naughty Canine.
For the uninitiated, The Final of Us is ready 20 years after a devastating pandemic that worn out most of humankind. The illness, a parasitic fungus often called Cordyceps, shortly overtakes the host’s physique and thoughts. Horribly mutated and aggressive, they develop into what’s often called “the contaminated”. Joel (Pedro Pascal), a hardened survivor, is employed to smuggle Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a 14-year-old lady, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What begins as a small job quickly turns into a brutal and heartbreaking journey as they each should traverse the US and depend upon one another for survival.
When Ellie reveals on the finish of episode one which she was bitten by an contaminated weeks in the past and hasn’t “turned”, we study that someway, she’s managed to achieve immunity. However how? Listed below are essentially the most convincing fan theories.
Why is Ellie immune in The Final of Us?
Why is Ellie immune in The Final of Us? We’re not solely positive, although the unique recreation launched in 2013 would possibly present some hints. Earlier than we dive into that, it’s useful to know Ellie’s backstory—and, it’s essential to remember the fact that that is all data gathered from the video games, components One and Two, so HBO would possibly take it in a special path.
Ellie was born within the spring of 2019, by which period the cordyceps an infection has unfold all through america and led to the collapse of civilization. There is no such thing as a remedy nor a vaccine and what’s left of humanity is restricted to authoritarian quarantine zones (QZs). People who develop into contaminated are handled shortly.
Liane Hentscher/HBO
Her mom, a nurse by the identify of Anna, died the day Ellie was born. Thus, Ellie was despatched to an orphanage inside a Boston QZ. Whereas on the orphanage, Ellie befriends the 16-year-old Riley. Adventurous and brazen, they sneak out to discover an deserted mall and different pre-apocalypse relics like arcades. However one night time, they’re ambushed by what’s known as a runner, a human within the first stage of an infection.
Each women are bitten and whereas Riley shortly succumbs to the an infection, Ellie survives, although she nonetheless carries a mutated type of the an infection inside her which is why she nonetheless checks optimistic for it. This immunity might assist scientists uncover a remedy, which is why Joel should smuggle her out of the QZ to Salt Lake Metropolis to a staff of researchers working out of a insurgent militia base.
Ellie exhibits no signal of being contaminated, although she is left with a small scar on her arm the place she was bitten. There’s not a lot of an evidence as to how or why Ellie is immune, however one fan concept factors to Ellie’s mom Anna and the reason for her demise.
Liane Hentscher/HBO
In “The Word from Mother” artifact that you just acquire within the online game whereas wandering the wilds as Ellie, Anna reveals she’s dying. Many followers imagine Anna was bitten merely hours earlier than Ellie’s delivery and the an infection that finally takes Anna grants her daughter immunity. The notice reads:
“Ellie, I’m going to share a secret with you, I’m not an enormous fan of children and I hate infants. And but… I’m observing you and I’m simply awestruck. You’re not even a day previous and holding you is essentially the most unimaginable factor I’ve finished in my life—a life that’s about to get lower a bit quick. Marlene will take care of you.
She continues: “There’s nobody on this world I belief greater than her. When the time comes, she’ll let you know all about me. Don’t give her an excessive amount of of a tough time. Strive to not be as cussed as me. I’m not going to lie, this can be a fairly tousled world. It received’t be straightforward. The factor you all the time have to recollect is that life is value residing! Discover your goal and combat for it. I see a lot power in you. I do know you’ll grow to be the girl you’re meant to be. Endlessly… your loving mom, Anna. Make me proud, Ellie!”
This fan concept appears unlikely, nonetheless, on condition that Ellie would’ve been full-term by the point Anna was contaminated, which doesn’t give sufficient time for immunity to be handed all the way down to a new child. A much more probably clarification is sort of merely that Ellie was born immune. Given the outbreak was lower than twenty years previous to her delivery, this probably means Ellie is an exceedingly uncommon particular person with pure immunity and a mutation that permits her to sidestep an infection.
Liane Hentscher/HBO
There could also be others on the market like her, however given how treacherous the post-apocalyptic world is, they could have died in a myriad of different methods, together with violent assaults or simply missing primary medical care. Whether or not HBO’s present will delve extra into the how or why of Ellie’s immunity stays to be seen. You’ll have to look at to seek out out!
What are the contaminated?
What are the contaminated? They’re people who’ve succumbed to the Cordyceps mind an infection and horribly mutated into new varieties because the fungus continues to take over. Calling them zombies wouldn’t actually be doing them justice, although, neither is it actually correct as “the contaminated” aren’t reanimated corpses however live hosts hijacked by this parasite. As with most infections, its single aim is to breed and in The Final of Us, this may be finished in two methods: by way of a chunk or by way of inhaling spores that transfer within the air.
The an infection can’t be faraway from the host with out killing them given how shortly it spreads to the mind. Neil Druckmann (co-president at Naughty Canine) and his staff of artists went to “nice lengths to create a full organic cycle for this stuff” and the extent of element is astounding—spanning its development from the primary few days of an infection to the ultimate stage, whereby the fungus has utterly taken over the physique and, when it feels prefer it’s time to die, it finds an area the place it will probably develop into part of the atmosphere, spewing spores within the hopes {that a} new host will come alongside to contaminate.
The Final of Us is accessible to stream on HBO Max. New episodes are launched Sundays at 9 p.m. ET. Right here’s methods to watch it totally free.
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