One of the biggest plot holes in The Last of Us: Part 2 is why Joel put so much trust in Abby when she was a complete stranger. This seemed completely out of character for Joel and went against everything he’d taught Ellie about staying safe in the post apocalyptic world.
Abby originally encounters Joel and his brother Tommy when the duo saves her from a group of infected. She was pinned down by one of the zombies when Joel shoots the infected and instructs her to follow them. Once the trio is seemingly safe – at least for the moment – Tommy is the first one to reveal their identities. “I’m Tommy, that’s Joel,” he tells Abby as he pats her on the shoulder.
The look of shock on Abby’s face makes it clear that she’s surprised by their names, which should’ve been a hint. “What’s your name?” Tommy asks her, to which Abby replies by telling him her first name. When Tommy says that they’re not going to be able to outrun the infected all the way to Jackson County, Abby suggests they go back to her settlement. “My friends are at a mansion just north of here,” she explains. “It’s fenced in. We have the whole perimeter secure.” Joel and Tommy accept in an instant. “C’mon, you ride with me,” Joel even says to Abby.
Why Was Joel So Trusting Of Abby In The Last Of Us?
Even though Tommy is the one that offers up his and Joel’s name without a second thought to Abby, what’s surprising is that Joel doesn’t stop him or shoot him a look of disapproval. He seemingly sees no problem revealing his identity to a complete stranger, and even more, with going back to her home. This seems out of character for the former smuggler, who for years made a career out of associating with sketchy people. He survived for two decades in a post-apocalyptic environment, which should teach him a thing or two about street smarts. Considering everything Joel taught Ellie about keeping safe, and all they went through in the first game, it’s almost unbelievable that he would not only offer up his name so quickly, but he saw no problem going along with Abby, despite knowing nothing about her.
Granted, perhaps one could make the argument that living in Jackson County has made Joel softer over the years. He’s been able to ease up and become more trusting now that he has Ellie in his life. Moreover, Abby doesn’t exactly come across as threatening. She’s around the same age as Ellie and seemed vulnerable when Joel first finds her with an infected on top of her. He may have made the mistake of assuming she’s a non-threat because she’s a petite blonde woman who, for some reason, couldn’t hold her own against a single zombie (even though she’s somehow able to kill the Rat King all by herself later in the game). It doesn’t make a lot of sense, considering his character, why The Last of Us: Part 2’s Tommy and Joel were so trusting of Abby from the get-go, but then again the game’s story wouldn’t have been able to progress without this minor detail.
