So I have some theories for *The Last of Us Part II*. I wanted to whip up a post about them for posterity, cause you know, what if I’m right? I also thought it’d be fun to do before both [[Chasing the Stick Announcement Trailer|Chasing the Stick]] and the actual game. I haven’t looked at any leaks and have a bunch of keywords muted on Twitter. All I know is what I’ve seen in the trailers and demos. I’m going in mostly dark, considering Naughty Dog and Sony have recycled footage from the three small gameplay demos. Also, one prediction in particular is pretty intense. I think it lines up with the game’s theme of hate, revenge, and the cycle of violence. It’ll be the last prediction, so you may skip it if you’d like. # One Night Live Epilogue is Canon Back in 2014, Sony and Naughty Dog produced a live performance of *The Last of Us* with a special epilogue exclusively performed for the live audience. It takes place a few weeks after the final events of the game and was written specifically for the One Night Live event. You can [read](https://www.polygon.com/2014/7/29/5948073/the-last-of-us-epilogue-joel-ellie) about the epilogue online, but here is the key chunk. > “According to the attendees’ reports, the scene finds Joel and Ellie, the two protagonists of The Last of Us, living at the dam where Tommy, Joel’s brother, was holed up. Joel mentions to Ellie that Tommy is trying to get him to tie the knot with a woman at the camp named Esther.” > > “…Joel hands her his guitar and promises to teach her how to play, before leaving the room.” I think the game could have a sequence during this time period. Heck, it could even be related to this [screenshot](https://media.playstation.com/is/image/SCEA/the-last-of-us-ii-screenshot-08-en-us-25mar20?$native_xxl_nt$). I think this game will pick up right where the first one ended and will span a significant chunk of time. # Dog Companion Some low hanging fruit here, but there has to be a dog companion in this game. We know they have dog technology! They’ve [toyed with the idea of a dog companion since the first game’s development](https://www.artstation.com/artwork/3o89o) between 2011-2013. The enemies use dogs! Ellie should get a dog. There has to be a dog. It’ll probably die. # Multiple Playable Characters This one is just a feeling. Naughty Dog has only done this once before in The Last of Us. Maybe it’s the easy way to to assume they’d do the same thing, but I just have a feeling that you’ll play as another character at some point in the game. Maybe in the beginning as Joel? Maybe the Hammer Lady from the 2017 Paris Games Week trailer? # There is Gonna be a Baby More low hanging fruit. It was all, but confirmed that someone got pregnant during the PSX 2017 panel discussing *The Last of Us Part II*. There is also the [easter egg in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAN0t7-_eI8) with the “*The Last of Us: American Daughters*” [[AmericanDaughtersPoster.jpg|poster]]. # Cordyceps in the Brain This is my personal favorite idea. We know that the cordyceps fungus attaches itself to the brain of its host. It’s what sparked the end sequence of *The Last of Us*. We also know that Ellie is immune to the disease itself due to some mutation, but the fungus is still there. What if Ellie starts hallucinating? Seeing characters that are not really there? If Rocksteady can pull it off, so can Naughty Dog. God, [that game](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman:_Arkham_Knight) was incredible. # Dina Won’t Be “Fridged” So this is my last prediction and it is pretty dark. I’d close the article if you don’t want to go any further. I don’t think Dina dies. It seems obvious that’s what happens in the trailer, but that seems to be well worn territory. Instead, I think the both Ellie and Dina are sexually assaulted. It’s a gruesome, horrible crime. It’d certainly push Ellie toward wanting revenge. And that revenge will come at a cost. # Theory Now jump aboard the theory train with me. Rolling with the idea that Ellie is sexually assaulted, I think she ends up pregnant. Dina does not. Ellie has to live with this consequence of someone else’s offense. I think that baby becomes the muscle lady from the Paris Games Week Trailer. I think there could be a significant time jump and you end up playing as this muscle daughter. Seeking vengeance for your mother’s death. I think Ellie dies. The cycle of violence goes on. We shall all find out in just a few weeks. No matter if I am right or wrong, I’m excited to see what happens.