He was just a kid trying to be a man. Honestly, if you’ve played through the Pittsburgh or Kansas City arcs—depending on whether we’re talking about the 2013 Naughty Dog masterpiece or the HBO adaptation—you know exactly who I’m talking about. Henry.
The Last of Us Henry is a character that basically serves as the ultimate "what if" for Joel. He’s the mirror image. He's the guy who didn't lose his soul yet, because he still had something to protect that wasn't cynical or broken. He had Sam.
Watching Henry navigate that nightmare world is brutal because he’s doing everything right, or at least he’s trying to. He isn’t a hardened smuggler with a history of "doing what it takes" to the point of losing his humanity. He’s a big brother. That’s it. That’s his entire identity. When that identity is stripped away in one of the most violent, sudden pivots in gaming history, it doesn't just hurt the characters. It hurts us.
The Brutal Reality of Henry in The Last of Us
Most people remember the ending. How could you not? But the build-up is where the real writing shines. In the game, Henry and Sam are met in Pittsburgh (swapped for Kansas City in the show to accommodate the Kathleen subplot). Henry is cautious. Paranoid, even.
You’ve got to realize that Henry is only about 25 years old.
Think about that for a second. In a world that ended twenty years prior, he has almost no memory of a "normal" life. Yet, he strives to provide a semblance of it for Sam. He enforces rules. No candy. Stay quiet. Keep moving. It’s a rigid, frantic type of parenting that stems from pure, unadulterated terror. Unlike Joel, who uses violence as a primary language, Henry uses evasion. He’s a strategist of survival, not a warrior.
Differences Between Game Henry and HBO Henry
Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin made some heavy pivots for the television version. In the game, Henry is a survivor hiding from "Hunters." In the show, his backstory is significantly darker and more morally grey. He’s a "collaborator."
He gave up the leader of the resistance, Michael, to FEDRA. Why? To get medicine for Sam’s leukemia.
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This change adds a layer of E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) to the narrative depth. It’s not just a survival story anymore; it’s a story about the cost of a life. Henry admits he’s a "bad guy" because he did a "bad thing." It makes his eventual fate feel less like a random tragedy and more like a karmic weight he couldn't carry anymore.
The Subversion of the Protector Archetype
We’re used to the hero winning.
In most media, the "protector" succeeds or dies a noble, sacrificial death. Henry doesn't get that. He fails.
The moment Sam turns, the world ends for Henry. The Last of Us Henry is a character defined by a singular purpose. When Sam attacks Ellie, Henry’s instinct is split. He shoots the floor. He screams. Then, he does the unthinkable—he shoots his own brother to save a girl he met two days ago.
Or did he shoot Sam to save Sam from being a monster?
The nuance here is incredible. Lamar Johnson, who played Henry in the HBO series, talked extensively in interviews about the "robotic" nature of that final moment. It’s a shock response. The brain shuts down. When he turns the gun on himself, it isn't just grief. It’s the realization that he has no function left in this world.
Why Sam and Henry’s Relationship Matters for Joel and Ellie
Without Henry, Joel never learns the lesson he needs to hear.
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Henry is a warning. He represents the danger of making one person your entire world. If that person goes, you go. Joel sees this. He watches it happen in a blood-spattered room. And yet, instead of pulling away from Ellie, it arguably pushes him closer to her. He decides he won’t let his story end like Henry’s. He’ll burn the whole world down before he has to hold a gun to his "daughter’s" head.
Common Misconceptions About Henry’s Actions
A lot of fans debate whether Henry was "weak."
I’ve seen Reddit threads for a decade claiming he should have just tied Sam up or looked for a cure. That’s a fundamental misunderstanding of the world Naughty Dog built. There is no cure. There is no "holding on." Once the Cordyceps hits the brain, the person is gone.
Henry knew this. His decision to end his own life wasn't an act of cowardice; it was the finality of a man who had already sacrificed his morality, his safety, and his future for one goal. With that goal gone, he was a ghost.
- Fact: In the game, Sam is 13. In the show, he is 8 and deaf.
- Fact: Henry is one of the few characters who never actually fights Joel; they are allies from the jump.
- Fact: The "Radio" scene in the game is one of the few times we see Henry actually relax, showing the life he could have had.
The Last of Us Henry: Impact on the Franchise
The legacy of this character is massive. He’s often cited in "top 10" lists of most tragic gaming moments. But beyond the shock value, Henry represents the loss of innocence in a way Joel cannot. Joel is already "guilty." Henry was trying to stay "innocent" through Sam.
When you look at The Last of Us Part II, the themes of Henry and Sam echo in characters like Lev and Yara. The cycle of a protector failing or being forced into impossible choices is the DNA of this series. Henry was the blueprint for that misery.
The game uses Henry to transition the player from the "action" of the city to the "quiet" of the suburbs. It’s a pacing masterpiece. You survive the tunnels, you survive the sniper, you think you’ve made it. You’re at the beach. You’re safe.
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Then the morning comes.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans and Writers
If you’re looking to truly understand the depth of The Last of Us Henry, there are a few things you should do.
First, re-watch Episode 5 of the HBO series and pay attention to the lighting. Henry is almost always kept in shadow until the very end, symbolizing his "shameful" past as a collaborator.
Second, if you're playing the Part I remake, look for the artifacts Henry leaves behind. The notes provide a much grimmer picture of their flight from the city than the dialogue suggests. They were hunted like animals.
Finally, appreciate the contrast. Henry is what Joel would have been if Joel hadn't spent twenty years becoming a monster. He’s the "good man" version of the apocalypse survivor, and the game explicitly tells us that the "good man" doesn't make it.
To really grasp the weight of Henry’s story:
- Compare the "Toy" scene in the game versus the "Crayons" scene in the show. Both highlight Henry’s desperation to maintain Sam’s childhood.
- Listen to the soundtrack ("All Gone") during the aftermath. Gustavo Santaolalla uses specific motifs that only trigger during moments of absolute loss.
- Reflect on Henry’s line: "I’m the bad guy because I did a bad thing?" It’s the central thesis of the entire franchise.
Henry wasn't just a side character. He was the heart of the story's middle act, a reminder that in this world, love isn't just a motivation—it’s a liability.
To explore the lore further, check out the official The Last of Us podcast where the creators break down the decision to change Henry's backstory for the screen. It offers a window into why they felt the original game version needed more "weight" for a TV audience. Understanding these narrative choices makes the experience of the story much richer on a second or third viewing.