Gay in The Last of Us: Left Behind (SPOILERS)

[The Crispy Tiger]

EDIT: If you're lazy like I am you can view this in video form and comment here or on Youtube, your choice. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRgjpiXrZ7s

Yep, that's right kids. Ellie is now gay. Or Bi. Because I can not be the only one that thinks that Ellie had the hots for Sam. I'm just saying! Either way, it feels like I'm playing two games. One is The Last Of Us, and the other is "How many stereotypes in gaming concerning women and minorities can we break in video games?"

The answer is, a shit ton of them. This is great news because it gives a fully 3 dimensional gay main character that we don't see often. Mass Effect was brave, but kinda of a cop out answer, and mentioning Gone Home would just bring up the fight of, "Gone Home wasn't even a real game!?!?" All the fuck over again.

Either way, this is all good but shit for me because this would the third person/character that I've had a crush on that turned to be gay (I'm 15 so I'm not a pedophile, thanks for asking). It happened with Michelle Rodriguez, happened again with Ellen Page, and with a cruel sense of irony, happened again with Ellie. Jesus Christ, I have either shit taste in women or have the same taste in women as Lesbians... YAY.

 

[The Crispy Tiger]

I don't really think her being gay has anything to do with it. She's a kid who developed a strong emotional connection with another kid who just so happened to also be a girl. I mean, how old is she in the game again? 14-16? If that's the case, it really isn't that shocking. It's true what they say after all, adolescent hormones are fucking wild and crazy! It's totally normal to identify as 'gay' for one week, then 'bi' the next, and then 'straight' after that. I knew a girl who was dead set that she was 'trans' all throughout high-school, but then when she graduated and turned 18... she just stopped.

There's a strong sense of truth to your statement, but this just doesn't seem like the type of world where you get to do shit like that. There was something very genuine about everything that was going on around them. Then again we played with water guns and Halloween masks so what the fuck do I know?

 

[Genocidicles]

I haven't played the DLC yet, but if what you're saying is true then it's kind of funny seeing as Ellen Page just came out as gay. Y'know, because they're so similar?

EDIT: I see you mentioned that in the last line. I should probably read a post through to the end before commenting.

 

[The Crispy Tiger]

I haven't played the DLC yet, but if what you're saying is true then it's kind of funny seeing as Ellen Page just came out as gay. Y'know, because they're so similar?

EDIT: I see you mentioned that in the last line. I should probably read a post through to the end before commenting.

Don't worry, you and me share the same shitty habit.

 

[The Crispy Tiger]

I don't really think her being gay has anything to do with it. She's a kid who developed a strong emotional connection with another kid who just so happened to also be a girl. I mean, how old is she in the game again? 14-16? If that's the case, it really isn't that shocking. It's true what they say after all, adolescent hormones are fucking wild and crazy! It's totally normal to identify as 'gay' for one week, then 'bi' the next, and then 'straight' after that. I knew a girl who was dead set that she was 'trans' all throughout high-school, but then when she graduated and turned 18... she just stopped.

There's a strong sense of truth to your statement, but this just doesn't seem like the type of world where you get to do shit like that. There was something very genuine about everything that was going on around them. Then again we played with water guns and Halloween masks so what the fuck do I know?

Well, I guess it could have developed into a serious relationship if it had had the time to grow, but I'm just not sure I'd label it as a definitive moment in 'gayming.' Considering how wild the emotions of teenagers are after all.

GAYMING!?!? I for the love of me, have NEVER heard that term, in my entire life. Did we people really need a title for gay moments in video games... I mean... Holy shit. Okay then.

 

[The Crispy Tiger]

I don't really think her being gay has anything to do with it. She's a kid who developed a strong emotional connection with another kid who just so happened to also be a girl. I mean, how old is she in the game again? 14-16? If that's the case, it really isn't that shocking. It's true what they say after all, adolescent hormones are fucking wild and crazy! It's totally normal to identify as 'gay' for one week, then 'bi' the next, and then 'straight' after that. I knew a girl who was dead set that she was 'trans' all throughout high-school, but then when she graduated and turned 18... she just stopped.

There's a strong sense of truth to your statement, but this just doesn't seem like the type of world where you get to do shit like that. There was something very genuine about everything that was going on around them. Then again we played with water guns and Halloween masks so what the fuck do I know?

Well, I guess it could have developed into a serious relationship if it had had the time to grow, but I'm just not sure I'd label it as a definitive moment in 'gayming.' Considering how wild the emotions of teenagers are after all.

GAYMING!?!? I for the love of me, have NEVER heard that term, in my entire life. Did we people really need a title for gay moments in video games... I mean... Holy shit. Okay then.

Would you have preferred 'queer moments in gaming?' I don't really see what the issue is there.

There's no issue, I just thought it was interesting...

 

[Fox12]

Either way, this is all good but shit for me because this would the third person/character that I've had a crush on that turned to be gay (I'm 15 so I'm not a pedophile, thanks for asking). It happened with Michelle Rodriguez, happened again with Ellen Page, and with a cruel sense of irony, happened again with Ellie. Jesus Christ, I have either shit taste in women or have the same taste in women as Lesbians... YAY.

Damn, I know it's a stereotype that women love gay guys, but I'm starting to think the same hold true for men. Ellen Paige always had that Girl Next Girl thing going for her.

In all seriousness this is interesting news about Ellie, but I kind of wish they'd led into it a bit more. It felt a little random, which I suppose was the point.

 

[Gamer87]

Either way, this is all good but shit for me because this would the third person/character that I've had a crush on that turned to be gay (I'm 15 so I'm not a pedophile, thanks for asking). It happened with Michelle Rodriguez, happened again with Ellen Page, and with a cruel sense of irony, happened again with Ellie. Jesus Christ, I have either shit taste in women or have the same taste in women as Lesbians... YAY.

Damn, I know it's a stereotype that women love gay guys, but I'm starting to think the same hold true for men. Ellen Paige always had that Girl Next Girl thing going for her.

In all seriousness this is interesting news about Ellie, but I kind of wish they'd led into it a bit more. It felt a little random, which I suppose was the point.

Is it random that she is into girls? Now I haven't played the DLC, but one doesn't necessarily have to assume she is straight. Sure, it's what is most common, but loads of people are bi or gay and we never really got that much of a clue as to Ellie's sexuality, it wasn't relevant to the main story.

 

[the_great_cessation]

I know a lot of people are very critical of this aspect, but I feel as if it was pulled off very well. To me at least, it felt earned and true to their relationship in the moment. I never got the feeling that it was shoehorned in or added just to add liberal-street cred as it was done in a very subdued manner that played off the chemistry of the two characters. They could of made it a big dramatic/ pandering moment and really drawn it out, but instead it's a quick, quiet moment that's taken at face value and then moved on from.

 

[Casual Shinji]

I thought it was so fucking dumb!

It establishes a relationship between the two that you'd think would've impacted Ellie more than it seems to have in the main story. So now she's actually in love with Riley?! Whether it's genuine or just confusion, Ellie seems to think it's the former. This presumed young love then gets cut short when they both get bitten, but only Riley dies of it (which we don't even get to see). Ellie is then in no way scarred by her first infatuation dying, probably in front of her, only shortly after she confessed it.

And apart from that this just smacked of 'Let's make Ellie gay, the guys'll love it.'

So yeah, I'm gonna notch Left Behind under the 'Fuck you, that didn't happen' catagory.

 

[The Material Sheep]

I thought it was so fucking dumb!

It establishes a relationship between the two that you'd think would've impacted Ellie more than it seems to have in the main story. So now she's actually in love with Riley?! Whether it's genuine or just confusion, Ellie seems to think it's the former. This presumed young love then gets cut short when they both get bitten, but only Riley dies of it (which we don't even get to see). Ellie is then in no way scarred by her first infatuation dying, probably in front of her, only shortly after she confessed it.

And apart from that this just smacked of 'Let's make Ellie gay, the guys'll love it.'

So yeah, I'm gonna notch Left Behind under the 'Fuck you, that didn't happen' catagory.

What I hate to see is how we can't have a genuine lesbian character without someone mentioning it was just put in there for male fan service. Love it. Guys like gay women, therefore all gay women in games are there to appeal sexually to men. No decision was made for genuine interest in making the character gay, it was just trying to appeal to horny men.

Even though the girls in question are freaking 15 years old... seriously wtf.

 

[King Billi]

I kind of agree with the opinion that there isn't really any definite confirmation of a romantic attraction between the girls from a character or story perspective although in saying that they certainly knew that gamers were going to react to what they saw and if they didn't want people to think and talk about it they could have been much less overt.

Regardless of all that though I really liked this DLC, playing through such a playful and relaxed story(In the Ellie and Riley bits at least) that I knew beforehand was going to end tragically created alot of tension and I felt increasingly sad knowing what was coming.

I like that the story ended just a little prematurely as well as it still left a few questions unanswered such as whether Ellie had to kill Riley when she turned or how Ellie first contacted the Fireflies.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I haven't played The Lasts of Us but this sounds like an awful retcon. Does any of the stuff that happens in the DLC prequel factor in any way in the main game?

 

[00slash00]

That's kinda funny, considering Ellie looks exactly like Ellen Page

 

[Autumnflame]

People overuse the " gay " lable.

considering her age she is in a curious experimentation phase.

with the situation of the world and her trouble with making friends its natural she would desire to be closer to Reily.

then with the magazine curisosity, Sam she was happy to see another person of around her age.

I think she wanted a new freind more than a romantic interest but who knows.

If anything shes closer to bi

but ultimatly.

Gender, Sexuality, Age, Ethnicity, NONE of these make a ok character better or a great character PERFECT.

these are things that add to a character but dont define a character.

in the gaming worlds and realife

 

[Longing]

You do know that there's not a definitive look that lesbians like right? You don't have the same 'tastes' as them.

And anyways, Ellie's sexuality wasn't even mentioned in the game so it's not like they retconned it. I haven't played the dlc yet, but if they really did make her gay and didn't make a big deal of it, then fucking good.

 

[The Material Sheep]

You do know that there's not a definitive look that lesbians like right? You don't have the same 'tastes' as them.

And anyways, Ellie's sexuality wasn't even mentioned in the game so it's not like they retconned it. I haven't played the dlc yet, but if they really did make her gay and didn't make a big deal of it, then fucking good.

That's kind of what I hope for in at least. I felt it was rather explicit about her attraction but I suppose interpretation is always worth while.

Also speaking as a lesbian, I feel my tastes align a lot with those of my straight male friends. Certainly there are variations but I don't think lesbians as a group differ to terribly much what most men find aesthetically attractive.