Let’s be real for a second. When you think about the heavy hitters in Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic world, Joel and Ellie grab all the headlines. They’re the icons. But if you really dig into the bones of the narrative, The Last of Us Tommy—the younger, arguably more complicated Miller brother—is actually the moral compass that keeps the whole thing from spinning off into total darkness. At least, until he doesn't.
Most fans remember Tommy as the "nice" one. He’s the guy who built a thriving community in Jackson while his brother was busy being a smuggler in Boston. But there is a massive difference between being "nice" and being "good," and Tommy’s arc is one of the most tragic "de-evolutions" in gaming history. If you only look at him as a sidekick, you're missing the point of why he exists in this story.
The Firefly Years: The Backstory Nobody Saw
Before we ever met him in the games or the HBO show, Tommy was already a veteran of a different kind of war. After the world ended in 2013, he and Joel did some pretty horrific things to stay alive. We know they were hunters. We know they hurt people. But while Joel just wanted to survive, Tommy wanted to live.
That’s why he joined the Fireflies.
He was looking for a cause. He wanted to believe that the world could be fixed. Honestly, it’s kinda heartbreaking when you realize he spent years fighting for Marlene and her crew, only to leave because he couldn't stomach the violence anymore. Specifically, the bombing of the Denver Quarantine Zone was the final straw for him. He saw the Fireflies becoming just as bad as the military they were fighting.
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When he finally settled in Jackson and married Maria, he wasn't just building a town. He was trying to wash the blood off his hands.
That Specific Sniper Scene: Why Tommy is a Tier-1 Badass
If you’ve played The Last of Us Part II, you know the scene. The Marina.
For the first half of the game, we hear stories about this lone "WLF-slayer" terrorizing Abby’s friends. You’d think it’s Ellie, right? Nope. It’s Tommy Miller with a bolt-action rifle.
- He’s a former soldier (Gulf War veteran in the show).
- He can pick off targets from half a mile away in a storm.
- He outmaneuvers Manny, one of the WLF's best, with ease.
This version of The Last of Us Tommy is terrifying. It reminds us that even though he spent years being a peaceful leader in Jackson, the "hunter" side of him never really went away. He just kept it in a box. When Abby killed Joel, he didn't just open that box; he smashed it.
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The Controversy: Did He Really Change at the End?
Here is where fans get divided. At the end of Part II, Tommy shows up at Ellie’s farm. He’s a shell of himself. He’s survived a bullet to the head—which cost him an eye and gave him a permanent limp—and his marriage with Maria is basically over.
Some people hate this. They say, "Tommy would never guilt-trip Ellie into going back out there!"
But think about it. He lost everything. He lost his brother, his health, his dignity, and his wife. He can’t hunt Abby himself anymore because his body is broken. The only way he can get "justice" is through Ellie. It’s a bitter, petty, and deeply human moment. He isn't the hero anymore. He’s a victim of the cycle of violence that Joel started 20 years ago.
Gabriel Luna vs. Jeffrey Pierce: Two Different Tommys?
It’s worth mentioning the actors here because they bring totally different vibes to the character.
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Jeffrey Pierce, who voiced Tommy in the games, played him with a certain grit and weariness. You could hear the years of regret in his voice. Interestingly, Pierce actually appeared in the HBO series, but not as Tommy—he played Perry, the rebel leader in Kansas City.
Gabriel Luna, who takes the mantle in the show, brings a bit more warmth. In the HBO version, they even added a detail where Tommy is going to be a father (Maria is pregnant in Season 1). This makes his eventual descent into revenge in Season 2 and 3 even more painful. If you think the game version of Tommy had it rough, just wait until you see the TV version leave a child behind to go on a suicide mission in Seattle.
Will We See Tommy in The Last of Us Part 3?
Everyone wants to know if there's a future for him. Neil Druckmann has mentioned that a "small story" about Tommy was written at one point, though it wasn't turned into a full game.
Rumors for The Last of Us Part 3 (or whatever the next chapter is called) suggest that if the story continues, we might see a redemption arc for him. Or, perhaps, a final stand. He is one of the few characters who has been there since the very first night in Austin. He’s the bridge between the old world and the new one.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans:
If you want to get the full "Tommy experience" and understand his character better, here’s what you should do:
- Play the "No Return" mode in TLOU Part II Remastered: You can actually play as Tommy. It’s the first time he’s officially playable, and his unique sniper-focused loadout shows exactly why the WLF was so scared of him.
- Watch the HBO Season 2 Trailer: Keep an eye out for his interactions with Maria. The show is clearly leaning into his domestic life to make his "de-evolution" feel even more earned.
- Re-read the "Jackson" journals in the game: There are notes scattered around the town that talk about Tommy’s leadership style before the events of the second game. It adds a lot of weight to what he eventually loses.
Tommy Miller isn't just "Joel's brother." He’s the personification of the game's biggest question: Can you ever truly start over? For a while, it looked like he could. But in the world of The Last of Us, the past usually has a way of catching up, no matter how high you build your walls.