Who is Kathleen in The Last of Us?

When it comes to post-apocalyptic storytelling, the brutality of humanity frequently enters the picture. Yet, The Last of Us on HBO has only given glimpses of that, with the raiders storming into Bill and Frank‘s compound and Joel’s willingness to kill without hesitation.

However, Kathleen, the captain of a band of survivors in Kansas City. Although Kathleen is a brand-new character in the series, her cruel neighbourhood is not. The episode also introduces two fan favourites from one of the game’s most famed stories, so it’s not just those survivors who are recognisable.

One of the greatest threats you can encounter is a hunter group, which Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) ultimately encounter in The Last of Us episode 4. Hunters are survivors who feed on other weaker groups. These vicious thugs appear to be led by the ruthless Kathleen, but who is she?

We dug a little to bring you Kathleen’s backstory from the TV show, how she fits into the narrative of the videogame, and a breakdown of the actress that portrays Kathleen in The Last of Us. There will be some small spoilers. You can learn everything about Kathleen right here.

Who is Kathleen in The Last of Us?

The revolutionaries from Kansas City are led by Kathleen. Kathleen was able to gain control of the Kansas City Quarantine Zone with the aid of her devoted soldiers, removing FEDRA and others who supported the oppressive organisation in the process.

Who is Kathleen in The Last of Us

She has sent men into the city to find a man named Henry who she is now after. Joel and Ellie become lost in the city and come upon the hunters, who are Kathleen’s warriors.

Kathleen concludes that FEDRA must have dispatched Joel and Ellie to rescue Henry when Joel successfully repels the hunter’s onslaught. But, before our heroes can assist Henry, she commands her soldiers to pursue them.

Does Kathleen Appear in The Last of Us Game?

No, Kathleen is a totally unique character created for the television series The Last of Us. Neil Druckmann, the show’s co-showrunner, created Kathleen especially to give the hunters the kind of sympathetic (though violent) leader they lacked in the game.

According to Druckmann, “Craig came up with [an original character] that was the character of Kathleen, who was the leader of who in the game of these people were the hunters, and they take on a little different role here.”

“Because I cherish the notion that there are more than simply good and bad people. Everyone is attempting to stay alive. Everyone aspires to live each day to the maximum extent possible. Nevertheless, intriguing things frequently occur when the aims are in conflict with one another.

Melanie Lynskey, best known for portraying Shauna in the survival thriller series Yellowjackets, plays Kathleen.

If you can’t get enough of The Last of Us, see our cast guide, where we explain which actors are portraying your favourite characters.