Survival isn't pretty. It’s messy, loud, and usually smells like wet concrete and bad decisions. If you’ve spent any time in the world Naughty Dog built, you’ve probably stared at the screen after a brutal encounter and wondered how you’d actually fare. Most people want to be the hero. They want to be Joel, stoic and capable, or Ellie, fierce and resilient. But let’s be real for a second. In a world where a mushroom-based fungus turns your neighbors into clicking nightmares, your personality determines your lifespan more than your aim does.
Finding out which Last of Us character are you isn't just about picking your favorite weapon or deciding if you like puns. It’s about your moral compass. Or what’s left of it.
The Joel Miller Complex: Loyalty Over Everything
If you find yourself prioritizing the people you love over the entire human race, you’re looking at a Joel result. Joel isn't a "good" guy in the traditional sense. He’s a survivor. He’s the guy who will lie to your face to keep you safe because, in his mind, the world already ended, and the only thing left that matters is the person standing next to him.
People who align with Joel usually have a history of loss. They’ve been hardened by the world. You’re likely the "dad" or "mom" of your friend group, not because you’re nurturing, but because you’re the one who makes sure everyone has their seatbelt on and enough water for the trip. You probably have a hard time trusting new people. Honestly, you might be a bit of a pessimist, but you’d call it being a realist.
Joel’s arc, specifically in the 2013 game and the HBO adaptation, highlights a specific type of trauma. It’s the "never again" mindset. If you’ve ever felt like you failed someone and spent the rest of your life overcompensating by being overprotective, that’s the Joel energy. It’s heavy. It’s exhausting. But it’s incredibly human.
Ellie and the Weight of Purpose
Then there’s Ellie. If you’re trying to figure out which Last of Us character are you, and you feel a constant, nagging sense that you’re meant for something bigger—or that you owe the world something—you’re likely an Ellie.
But which Ellie?
There’s the Part I Ellie, who uses humor as a shield and just wants to belong. Then there’s the Part II Ellie, consumed by a need for justice that looks a lot like a suicide mission. If you’re the type of person who can’t let things go, you’re leaning into the Part II territory. You’re tenacious. Maybe a little too much. You’ll burn every bridge you have just to prove a point or settle a score.
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It’s about agency. Ellie’s biggest struggle is people making choices for her. If you’re someone who values autonomy above all else—even if that choice leads to a dark place—that’s her. You’re the person who would rather be right and alone than wrong and part of a group.
The Pragmatism of Tess and Marlene
We don't talk enough about the leaders.
Tess is the ultimate pragmatist. She doesn't care about the "why" as much as the "how." If you’re the person in the office who just wants the meeting to end so you can actually do the work, you’re Tess. She doesn't have time for Joel’s emotional baggage or the Fireflies' lofty goals until she literally has no other choice. She’s the anchor.
Marlene, on the other hand, is the burden-bearer. To understand which Last of Us character are you, you have to ask if you could sacrifice one person to save a million. It’s the classic trolley problem, but with higher stakes and more spores. If you can make the "hard call" without blinking, even if it kills you inside, you’re the Queen Firefly. It’s a lonely place to be. Most people think they’re Marlene until they actually have to pull the trigger.
Tommy and the Hope for Normalcy
Not everyone in this universe is a nihilist. Tommy Miller represents the part of us that still wants a white picket fence, even if it’s surrounded by a high-voltage fence.
If you’re the kind of person who believes in community building, you’re Tommy. He’s a veteran, a marksman, and a leader, but his core drive is stability. He wants Jackson to work. He wants his wife, Maria, to have a life that isn't just constant fear. If you find yourself trying to fix things rather than just survive them, you’re the younger Miller brother. You believe in the "we," not just the "me."
Does Your Personality Match Your Playstyle?
Think about how you play the game. Do you go in guns blazing, or do you spend twenty minutes crawling through tall grass to avoid a fight?
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- The Stealth Specialist: You’re likely a Dina. You’re observant, supportive, and you know when to take a back seat for the greater good. You value life and don't take unnecessary risks.
- The Tank: You’re Abby. You’ve trained yourself to be a weapon because the world is dangerous. You value discipline and physical capability. You probably have a strict routine and get annoyed when people break it.
- The Scavenger: You’re Bill. You don't trust anyone. You’ve got a "system" for everything. Your house is probably full of things that "might be useful one day."
The Abby Anderson Paradox
Abby is a polarizing character, but she’s arguably one of the most disciplined in the series. If you're wondering which Last of Us character are you and you find yourself prioritizing physical strength and a strict hierarchy, Abby is your match. She’s a soldier. She’s what happens when you give a grieving child a weight room and a mission.
If you’ve ever been so focused on a goal that you lost sight of your own humanity, you’ve walked in her boots. But Abby also represents redemption. Her journey with Lev shows that even the most hardened person can find a reason to be soft again. If you’re someone who has reinvented themselves after a massive mistake, that’s the Abby path.
The Side Characters: Bill, Riley, and Dina
Sometimes we aren't the protagonists. And that's okay.
Bill is the cautionary tale. He’s what happens when you win at survival but lose at living. If you’re fiercely independent to the point of isolation, you’re Bill. You’re safe, but you’re alone in a town full of traps.
Riley represents the "what could have been." She’s the spark. If you’re the friend who is always dragging people on adventures, even when it’s probably a bad idea, you’re Riley. You’d rather have one amazing night in an abandoned mall than a lifetime of boredom behind a wall.
Dina is the heart. Honestly, most of us should aspire to be Dina. She’s loyal, she’s funny, and she knows when to walk away. She understands that love is a choice you make every day, not just a feeling you have when things are easy. If you’re the person who stays when things get hard but knows your worth when they get toxic, you’re Dina.
Why We Care Which Character We Are
The Last of Us isn't really a zombie game. It’s a stress test for the human soul. When we ask which Last of Us character are you, we’re really asking: Who would I be if the lights went out?
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Psychologists often talk about the "Big Five" personality traits: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. In a post-outbreak world, these traits shift. Agreeableness might get you killed. Neuroticism might keep you alert.
Neil Druckmann and the team at Naughty Dog didn't write archetypes; they wrote people with flaws. Joel is a murderer. Ellie is a vengeful teenager. Abby is a literal wrecking ball of grief. We see ourselves in them because they aren't perfect. They’re desperate.
Assessing Your Survival Instincts
To truly figure this out, you need to look at your real-world reactions to stress.
- When a crisis hits, what’s your first move? Do you grab a bag and run (Ellie), start making a plan (Tess), or check on your family (Joel)?
- How do you handle betrayal? Do you cut ties and move on (Dina), or do you track them across the country (Abby/Ellie)?
- What’s your "Jackson"? Is it a literal place, a person, or just a feeling of safety?
Misconceptions About Character Alignment
A lot of people think being "Joel" is the cool result. It’s not. Joel is a man who lived in a state of high-cortisol survival for twenty years. That ruins a person. Likewise, being "Ellie" isn't just about being a badass; it’s about carrying a level of survivor's guilt that is frankly crushing.
The "best" character to be is probably someone like Jesse. He’s reliable, he’s brave, and he doesn't let the darkness change his fundamental goodness. But Jesse is rare. Most of us are somewhere between the frantic fear of a civilian in the Boston QZ and the weary cynicism of a smuggler.
Taking the Next Step in Your Journey
Knowing which Last of Us character are you is just the start. If you’ve realized you’re more like Bill than you’d like to admit, maybe it’s time to reach out to a friend. If you’re an Ellie, maybe it’s time to let go of a grudge that’s been eating at you.
Here’s how to actually use this information:
- Identify your "Protector" style: Are you protecting people out of love or out of a need for control? Joel vs. Maria.
- Audit your "Revenge" meter: Are you holding onto things that no longer serve you? The lesson of Part II is that revenge is a hollow prize.
- Evaluate your "Community" contribution: Are you building a Jackson, or are you just surviving in a basement?
The world of The Last of Us is bleak, but the characters give it color. Whether you’re a hardened survivor or a hopeful dreamer, there’s a piece of that Cordyceps-ravaged world in all of us. Use that insight to navigate your own world—hopefully one with fewer Clickers.
Go back and play the "Left Behind" DLC or re-watch the third episode of the HBO series. Look at the choices characters make when they aren't being hunted. That’s where the real personality shines through. If you want to dive deeper, look into the "Enneagram" personality types and see how they map onto the cast; you'll find Joel is a classic Type 8, while Ellie often swings between Type 4 and Type 6 depending on the day.