Question 1

Is The Last of Us woke?

Accepted Answer

The Last of Us has a woke score of 58/100, which means it is mixed, with noticeable woke elements. The Last of Us is an HBO series that adapts the Naughty Dog video games. It follows hardened survivor Joel and immune teenager Ellie as they travel across a post-apocalyptic United States devastated by a fungal infection, then shifts five years later to themes of revenge, lies, and family bonds in Season 2.

Visible queer elements appear through Ellie and Dina’s central lesbian relationship and pregnancy arc in Season 2, including the line where Ellie says she will be a dad. Diverse casting fits the story’s survivor world, but marketing and creators focused on emotional drama rather than identity or social messaging.

Question 2

Is there DEI in The Last of Us?

Accepted Answer

The biggest factors in our score are Anti-woke backlash / 'too woke' complaints, Identity-driven story themes, Representation / casting choices. Twenty years after modern civilization has been destroyed, Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse the United States and depend on each other for survival.

The Last of Us

Factors & Ratings

Summary

Main Cast

Director & Crew