The Last Of Us 2: 11 Perfect Theories That'll Blow Your Mind

4. Anna Sacrificed Herself To Stop The Cult Hunting Down Ellie

the last of us 2 ellie
Naughty Dog

So far, players know that Ellie's mother died a few days after giving birth to her, and it's assumed that it was due to complications with the delivery, but it could have been at the hands of the cult members.

Knowing they were on her trail, it's been argued that instead of dying a peaceful death, Anna actually gave herself up to the cult before putting Ellie in Marlene's care.

Whether she definitely got herself killed or just faked her death, with the group finally thinking that they had taken their revenge, Ellie's existence could remain a mystery, with Anna's sacrifice allowing her daughter to live a life without having to constantly look over her shoulder.

Likewise, it could also explain why Ellie was always moved around in the first game. Everyone assumed it was because Marlene couldn't take her into the Fireflies herself, but it could have been an extra measure to make sure the cult never caught wind of her existence.

Contributor

Josh has over 11 years of experience as a published writer, having worked nine of those years as a full-time content producer at WhatCulture. In that period he has created hundreds of articles, videos and podcast episodes for multiple WhatCulture channels, specialising in gaming, horror and film & TV. He now primarily works as a senior content producer and presenter on WhatCulture Gaming where he co-hosts the WhatCulture Gaming Podcast, a top 3 UK most listened to gaming podcast that he co-created in 2018. Over the years he has reviewed several high-profile gaming releases, covered industry events with on-site reporting, opined on breaking news, and even kicked off his interviewing career by chatting to childhood hero, Tommy Wiseau.