Summary

• "You can't stop this." - Ellie. Ellie's descent into revenge is evident from the start, showing her determination to get justice for Joel's murder.
• "You don't get to rush this." - Abby. Abby's cold and calculated nature is showcased when she finally confronts Joel, refusing to let him escape his fate easily.
• "Happy birthday, kiddo." - Joel. Amidst the darkness, Joel's love for Ellie is still apparent in this heartfelt moment, reminding us of their bond throughout the games.

The Last of Us Part 2 is deeply narrative-driven, and near-constant dialogue throughout the game results in very fleshed out characters. From old favorites like Joel, to new leads like Abby, TLOU 2 has a knack for delivering compelling quotes. The story's stakes are high and the game's characters are incredibly complex. With such a dire post-pandemic world and a cinematic flair, it's unsurprising that The Last of Us Part 2 is filled with memorable lines.

[Warning: The following article contains spoilers for The Last of Us Part 2.]

A few years after Joel and Ellie's odyssey to find the Fireflies in The Last of Us Part 1, Part 2 tells the parallel story of Ellie and Abby, the daughter of the surgeon whom Joel killed at the end of the first game. The game is an agonizing descent into vengeful violence, but nonetheless a towering narrative achievement.Although centered on the two leading women, The Last of Us Part 2 has a wonderful cast of suppporting characters who contribute to its most memorable quotes and converstations.

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21 "What Is The Downside To Eating A Clock?"

Joel

Sarah's death at the beginning of The Last of Us Part 1 fundamentally changed Joel as a person. He became jaded and stoic until eventually bonding with Ellie helped him move on. Ellie's corny jokes are a charming through line in the first game, and they briefly come full circle when Joel tells one at the beginning of Part 2: "What is the downside to eating a clock? It's time consuming." It emphasizes how Joel went from wanting nothing to do with Ellie to learning jokes just for her.

20 "You Can't Stop This."

Ellie

The Last of Us: Part 2 shows Ellie becoming entirely consumed by her quest for revenge against Abby's group for Joel's murder. Early in Ellie and Dina's journey through Seattle, Ellie is captured by one of the perpetrators, Jordan. While tied to a table, Ellie tells Jordan, "You can't stop this," in reference to her plans for revenge. Ellie is soon saved by Dina before brutally killing Jordan. The line is an early indication that Ellie is slipping into a very dark place, hinting at her insatiable need for revenge.

19 "You Don't Get To Rush This."

Abby

After years of pursuing Joel following his rampage at the hospital during the climax of The Last of Us, Abby and her group finally catch their quarry. As her friends hold Joel captive, Abby tells him, "You don't get to rush this," before taking her time brutally murdering him with a golf club. This line is perhaps the earliest indication that TLOU 2 is going to be a much darker journey than its predecessor.

18 "If You Lie To Me One More Time, I'm Gone."

Ellie

Joel's actions at the end of the first game were morally gray at best, choosing to save Ellie's life rather than allowing her to die in the service of finding a cure for the Cordyceps brain infection. However, Ellie eventually becomes suspicious of Joel's lies regarding the Fireflies and, in one heated moment, she swore that she would leave for good if he didn't tell her the truth. The entire dynamic between Joel and Ellie in Part 2 hinges upon this monumental moment. Players witness a growing divide between the two beloved characters as Ellie comes to realize what Joel did to rescue her and, once the truth is revealed, things are never the same between them again.

17 "I Can Make It Quick. Or I Can Make It Much Worse."

Ellie

After doggedly pursuing Nora, one of Abby's companions, Ellie corners her and threatens a slow death unless she discloses Abby's location. With the scene bathed in a menacing red light, it's a striking scene, and is something of a turning point for Ellie's character. Nora is already doomed to die in the lower floors of the hospital, which are covered in Cordyceps spores, but Ellie shows that she's willing to dole out sever punishment in response to Nora's role in Joel's murder. The scene delivers on Ellie's promise to "make it much worse," cutting away as she bludgeons Nora with a metal pipe.

16 "Oh Ellie, I Think They Should Be Terrified Of You."

Dina

The Last of Us Part 2 tells much of its story through deliberately placed flashbacks. Many center on key interactions between Ellie and Joel, but an important one, which is alluded to near the beginning of the game but not shown until close to the end, delineates a key incident in Ellie and Dina's relationship: their first kiss at a dance in Jackson. Dina saying, "they should be terrified of you," is in reference to men watching them dance, but after witnessing Ellie's bloody trek through Seattle, it takes on a more tragic meaning.

15 "My Friends' Problems Are My Problems."

Jesse

Jesse is introduced in The Last of Us Part 2 as Dina's ex and one of the people in charge of coordinating patrols outside of Jackson. Despite Ellie and Dina's burgeoning romantics, though, Jesse remains a close friend to both, and is instrumental in the two surviving Seattle. Jesse is perhaps one of the few redeemable characters in the series, and his selflessness is exemplified by telling Ellie, "My friends' problems are my problems," before he's tragically and unexpectedly killed by Abby.

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13 "You Don't Think Joel Deserved What He Got?"

Abby

Joel's decision to rescue Ellie from the hospital at the end of the first game had far-reaching consequences. Fireflies died (including Abby's father), Ellie lost her purpose, and a potential cure for the Cordyceps brain infection was lost forever. When Mel expresses regret at being involved in Joel's torture and murder, Abby asks if she thinks Joel deserved it, and Mel its she believes he deserved worse. It's a quick exchange, but thought-provoking, and there's no clear answer. Aside from what it reveals about Mel and Abby, it's a poignant question to ask the player, who at this point in the story is early in Abby's saga, just beginning to see her side of things.