In the TV show The Last of Us, people are almost extinct, and Ellie, who is immune to the zombie plague that has spread around the world, might have the cure.
In the horror series, Joel has to bring Ellie across the United States so that the Fireflies can find a way to get a cure out of her. Cordyceps is incurable so far. It spreads from person to person through spores that get into cuts and scratches.
In the fifth episode of The Last of Us, Ellie tests a theory. Even though it doesn’t work, could Ellie’s blood cure an infection?
How is Ellie Immune to the Cordyceps Infection?
In “The Last of Us,” Ellie Williams (Bella Ramsey), is shown to be immune to the Cordyceps virus that has taken over the world. Brain infection makes people behave like animals.
In the first episode of The Last of Us, Fireflies leader Marlene (Merle Dandridge) gives Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) and his partner Tess (Anna Torv) a dangerous mission: take Ellie across the U.S. and bring her to one of their labs.
The Fireflies are a rebel group trying to fight against military control. Ellie has to be taken to their lab because she is immune to the Cordyceps infection. She found this out when she was bitten by an Infected but didn’t turn.
Ellie’s blood may be the key to finding a cure for the virus, so she could be the key to saving humanity. It is up to Joel to bring her safely to a Firefly lab where she can help scientists work on a vaccine.
People may wonder how Ellie is immune to the Cordyceps infection when so many others are not. Neil Druckmann, who made the game and is co-president of the company that made it, Naughty Dog, has never said how Ellie is immune, but it’s clear why: If Ellie weren’t immune, there would be no story because the game is about Joel and Ellie’s journey to get her to scientists looking for a cure.
Can Ellie’s Blood Cure Infection?
No way that has been tried has shown that Ellie’s blood can cure an infection. We learned in episode 5 that putting her blood on a wound won’t stop the spores from spreading. Cordyceps wants to get to the brain, so any treatment would have to stop it from getting there.
In theory, her blood could be used to treat the infection through a transfusion, but this is a very vague idea that neither horror games nor drama show talks about. The Fireflies think that Cordyceps, which makes people immune, is in her brain, which is where it lives in people.
Sam doesn’t get better when she tries to help him, which teaches her a good lesson. The outbreak keeps putting her hope and will to live to the test, just like it does for all the characters in The Last of Us.
For more on The Last of Us, check out our guides on whether Joel dies in episode 6 of The Last of Us, and who are bloaters.
