Why did Marlene never tell Ellie that she would die during the process of making the vaccine in The Last of Us?

HBO’s The Last of Us has proved itself to be the most successful video game adaptation to have ever been made. The series was loved by both fans and critics alike, and several of the original actors from the game also made an appearance in the series. Merle Dandridge is the only actor who played the same character in both The Last of Us TV show and the video game. She recently explained why Marlene never tell Ellie that she would die during the process of making the vaccine in The Last of Us.

Why Marlene kept Ellie’s fate a secret?

In a recent inter with The Hollywood Reporter, Dandridge explained:

“Well, I would say that there might be a question mark around that. I know that Marlene didn’t explicitly offer [that information to] Ellie because she didn’t want to alarm her, but I do think that they have a more pragmatic relationship. She might have even alluded to it, which gives Ellie even more conflict in not having had the agency that Joel has taken away from her. Ultimately, black and white, yes, they are both taking this choice from her, but I do think that Marlene has given her a little bit more information. I don’t think she’s explicitly lied to her. She maybe omitted some truths, but she would not explicitly lie to her.

Also, in the midst of this, the relationship between Marlene and Joel is fraught with a lot of history between them. As Marlene put it, they’re both capable of so much, and they have abided with each other in parallel lines. But there’s a chasm and animosity between them because Marlene’s relationship with his brother, Tommy [Gabriel Luna], as a Firefly, caused a physical and emotional rift between them. So there’s another element of him not giving any two Fs about what Marlene wants in this situation, even though she’s throwing out every argument and the kitchen sink at him, trying to negotiate with him.”

What can we expect from The Last of Us Season 2?

Showrunner Craig Mazin teased the reporters about what’s to come in Season 2, “Sometimes it will be different radically and sometimes it will be barely different at all, but it’s going to be different and it will be its own thing. It won’t be exactly like the game. It will be the show that Neil and I want to make. We are making it with Bella.”

Read Next: Merle Dandridge talks about Marlene and Anna’s friendship in The Last of Us