Ellie’s Tattoo in The Last of Us and Its Hidden Meaning Tied to Joel, Explained
Ellie’s forearm tattoo has recently become pretty visible in The Last of Us’ TV adaptation and was a familiar image to the game’s fans for a long time, but even so not many might have figured the heartbreaking meaning behind it. Here’s what the tattoo means and how it represents Ellie’s relationship with Joel.
The Last of Us’ latest episode saw Ellie debuting her forearm tattoo that never appeared so obvious in the show before, and, just like many other things in her life, this one also has a lot to do with Joel.
The latter’s death keeps taking its toll on Ellie who has now reached Seattle trying to get Abby killed, in the meantime exploring the city’s abandoned buildings and bonding with Dina over their shared pain left after Joel’s passing.
The tattoo itself, however, doesn’t get a single mention in the show so far, though in the game the image on Ellie’s hand appears to be just as significant as the guitar she kept as a reminder of Joel — here’s what it all means.
Real Meaning of Ellie’s Moth and Fern Tattoo, Explained by The Last of Us Creator
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In both the video game and the HBO series, the tattoo is big enough for everyone to see that it primarily consists of two big fern leaves and a moth, but The Last of Us’ fans spent years speculating about what it actually means.
Sometime before the HBO show’s first season arrived, the game’s co-director and writer Neil Druckmann finally broke down on the matter, confirming fans’ theory about the tattoo’s mostly practical purpose.
“There’s a functional reason for the tattoo, which is covering up the bite. The idea that Joel instilled in her is the bite is dangerous. So, she starts by doing a chemical burn”, he revealed in an interview with The Washington Post back then.
However, the tattoo wouldn’t be all full of symbolism if it was just for covering up the wound, and this is where Ellie’s father figure came into consideration.
How Does Ellie’s Tattoo Connect Her to Joel?
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Apart from what Druckmann had to say about the matter, both fern and moth stand out as strong symbols that appear in different cultures across the world.
Things might vary when it comes to interpreting the fern in different countries, but mostly it represents new life and beginnings, as well as protection from evil forces.
The moth, in its turn, is frequently seen as a symbol of transformation, but also as something that keeps reaching for light no matter what; the latter is what was in Druckmann’s mind too.
“There’s this idea of obsession and being drawn to a light and constantly pursuing this thing”, he said, adding that the moth also symbolises “this relationship she has with Joel to her old life”.
“Now this moth on her arm is a constant reminder of Joel. And that, to me, is the best kind of symbolism you can make in a story. It’s all relevant to the story and the themes and the relationships within”, Druckmann stated.
When Is The Last of Us Next Episode Being Released?
The second season’s episode 5 is now scheduled to air on Max on May 11. The following two episodes will be released on May 18 and May 25 respectively.
