The Last Of Us Characters: Who Will Lead Season 3 And The Five New Faces Of Part III (2025 Updates)

The Last of Us continues to be one of the most compelling and emotionally brutal narratives in modern fiction, with its characters driving a story of survival, morality, and the cost of love in a post-apocalyptic world. As of December 2025, the franchise is experiencing a massive shift, with new details emerging about the future of both the HBO series and the long-anticipated third video game installment, The Last of Us Part III. The core cast—Joel, Ellie, and Abby—are at the center of these updates, with one character officially confirmed to take the lead in the upcoming third season of the television show. This deep dive explores the current status, complex biographies, and rumored futures of the central figures in this iconic series.

The latest news confirms a significant narrative pivot for the HBO adaptation, directly mirroring the controversial structure of the second game, The Last of Us Part II. This intentional move ensures the television series maintains the emotional weight and challenging themes that defined the video game experience, setting the stage for a new protagonist to guide the audience through the next chapter of the Cordyceps-infected world. The focus is shifting, and the stakes for every survivor are higher than ever.

The Central Characters: A Complete Biographical Profile (Game & Series)

The world of The Last of Us is defined by its characters, each bearing the scars of the Cordyceps Brain Infection (CBI) pandemic and the subsequent collapse of civilization. Their affiliations, motivations, and tragic histories form the emotional backbone of the entire franchise.

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Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal / Troy Baker)

• Affiliation: Survivor, Smuggler, former Firefly associate.
• Key Moments: Losing his daughter Sarah at the outbreak's start; his moral choice to save Ellie from the Fireflies, killing the potential for a vaccine.
• Legacy: Joel's life is a study in trauma and redemption. His final act of love for Ellie, while morally reprehensible to many, cemented his role as a surrogate father. His death in Part II is the catalyst for Ellie’s entire revenge arc, making his legacy one of both profound love and devastating violence.

Ellie Williams (Bella Ramsey / Ashley Johnson)

• Affiliation: Immune survivor, former Firefly, resident of Jackson.
• Key Moments: Discovering her immunity; her journey across the U.S. with Joel; the confrontation at the Firefly hospital; her pursuit of Abby after Joel's murder.
• Motivation: Ellie is driven by survivor's guilt, the trauma of witnessing Joel’s death, and a desperate need to find meaning in her immunity. Her journey in Part II is a complex exploration of revenge, forgiveness, and the crippling cost of obsession, ultimately leading to her choosing to let Abby go.

Abigail "Abby" Anderson (Kaitlyn Dever / Laura Bailey)

• Affiliation: Former Firefly, Soldier for the Washington Liberation Front (WLF).
• Key Moments: Witnessing her father's murder by Joel; leading the group that kills Joel; her redemption arc through protecting Lev and Yara; the final confrontation with Ellie in Santa Barbara.
• Arc: Abby's story is a mirror to Ellie's, focusing on how the cycle of violence consumes both the victim and the perpetrator. Her central motivation is avenging her father, a Firefly surgeon, but her character evolves through her bond with the Seraphite children, Lev and Yara, leading to a path of redemption.

Tommy Miller (Gabriel Luna / Jeffrey Pierce)

• Affiliation: Joel's brother, co-founder of the Jackson settlement.
• Role: Tommy represents the possibility of a stable, hopeful life after the apocalypse. His desire for revenge on Abby is initially a shared burden with Ellie, but his subsequent injury and bitterness showcase the devastating reach of trauma even within the safest communities.

Dina (Isabela Merced / Shannon Woodward)

• Affiliation: Resident of Jackson, Ellie's romantic partner.
• Role: Dina is Ellie's anchor, representing the life and family Ellie sacrifices for her revenge quest. Her relationship with Ellie, and their child JJ, highlights the profound loss and emotional cost of Ellie's obsession.

Confirmed: Abby Anderson Will Lead The Last of Us Season 3

In a major development that has excited and polarized the fanbase, co-creator Neil Druckmann officially confirmed that Kaitlyn Dever's Abby Anderson will be the central focus of The Last of Us Season 3. This announcement, made in late 2025, solidifies the show's commitment to adapting the full, morally complex narrative of The Last of Us Part II, which dedicates a significant portion of its story to Abby’s perspective.

The shift in focus away from Bella Ramsey’s Ellie Williams for the primary lead role is a bold move that directly challenges audience expectations, mirroring the controversial structure of the game. Season 3 is expected to cover the second half of the game's narrative, detailing Abby’s time with the Washington Liberation Front (WLF), her conflict with the religious Seraphites (or "Scars"), and the formation of her protective bond with the young Seraphite outcast, Lev.

This narrative decision is crucial for exploring the theme of empathy. By forcing the audience to spend time with Joel's killer, the show aims to dismantle the simple hero/villain dichotomy. Abby's journey of grief, revenge, and eventual redemption—catalyzed by her relationship with Lev—will be the emotional core of the season.

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The Importance of Lev and the Seraphites in Abby's Arc

The character of Lev, a young Seraphite (played by Ian Alexander in the game), is integral to Abby's transformation. Lev, who is a transgender boy, flees his fundamentalist cult after cutting his hair, a profound act of defiance. Abby’s decision to risk everything to protect him and his sister, Yara, is her path to atonement for the violence she committed, including the murder of Joel Miller. This storyline will introduce the Seraphite faction—a community that rejects modern technology—and deepen the world's lore by showcasing a new form of post-apocalyptic society and conflict.

The Last of Us Part III: Leaked New Characters and Future Speculation

While the HBO series prepares for Season 3, Naughty Dog is rumored to be deep in development for The Last of Us Part III, with recent leaks suggesting a major expansion of the character roster. The narrative is expected to follow both Ellie and Abby’s continuing stories, but also introduce an entirely new group of survivors.

The Five Leaked New Characters

Rumors circulating in late 2025 detail five new characters who may form a new faction or serve as the primary focus of a new protagonist in Part III. These characters are:

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• Val: A central figure in the new group.
• Mason: Another member of the core new group.
• Gracie: A character whose role is currently unknown but is listed as a new entity.
• Ezra: Part of the new survivor community.
• Lucas: Reportedly a character who forms a significant relationship with another individual in the group.

These new entities are reportedly situated in an old Victorian house in the outskirts of a city, suggesting a different, perhaps more communal, survival setting than the established bases like Jackson or the WLF's Seattle. The introduction of five detailed new characters strongly suggests that Part III will continue the franchise's tradition of challenging player perspective by introducing a new main playable character, or at least a new major viewpoint, alongside Ellie and Abby.

Ellie's Future and the Search for Meaning

Ellie Williams is still expected to play a crucial role in *Part III*, potentially searching for new meaning after giving up her revenge and losing her fingers, a physical manifestation of the cost of her obsession. Her story may focus on finding a way to live with her trauma and the guilt over her actions, including pushing away Dina and JJ. The narrative could explore her reconnecting with Tommy, who is also suffering from the fallout of the events in Seattle. The underlying theme will likely be the journey from obsession to acceptance.

Abby and Lev's Journey to the Fireflies

The ending of Part II sees Abby and Lev heading toward Santa Catalina Island, the rumored location of a rebuilt Fireflies organization. If *Part III* follows this thread, their story will focus on their integration into the Fireflies and potentially a renewed search for a cure, a path that Ellie was originally meant to take. This would bring the narrative full circle, revisiting the core conflict of the first game—the moral dilemma of sacrificing one life (Ellie's) for the potential salvation of humanity.

In conclusion, the future of The Last of Us is focused on a relentless expansion of its character roster and a continued commitment to morally ambiguous storytelling. With Abby confirmed to lead Season 3, and a host of new characters rumored for *Part III*, the franchise is cementing its status as a masterclass in post-apocalyptic character development, ensuring that the emotional and topical authority of its world only grows stronger.