<P> Initially annoyed by Joel's surliness, Ellie begins to feel a strong attachment to him . However, upon learning that he intends to leave her with his brother Tommy and return to Boston, she runs away . She later confronts him demanding that he not abandon her . This strengthens the bond between them, and they continue their journey . After experiencing a traumatizing encounter in the Winter, where Ellie is nearly raped and murdered by a band of cannibals and their leader David, she becomes withdrawn and introverted . When Joel finally gets her to the Fireflies, it is discovered that Ellie requires an operation to remove the mutant strain of the Cordyceps fungus growing on her brain, which may be used to create a vaccine; the operation will likely kill her . While she is being prepared for surgery, Joel kills Marlene and the Fireflies, makes his way to the operating room, and carries Ellie to safety . Because she was unconscious during the battle, Ellie is unaware of what has transpired . As they leave the hospital, Joel lies about the events, telling her that the Fireflies had found many other subjects, and had stopped looking for a cure . When Ellie later confronts him about it, describing her survivor's guilt and demanding to know the truth, Joel reassures her that he is telling the truth; she replies "Okay". </P> <P> At the December 2016 PlayStation Experience event, a sequel titled The Last of Us Part II was announced as being in early development . The game's first trailer reveals the return of Ellie and Joel . Events take place about five years after the first game; Ellie, who will be 19 during Part II, has been confirmed as the main playable character . </P> <P> Ellie's character received generally positive feedback . Jason Killingsworth of Edge praised Ellie's complexity and commended Naughty Dog for not having made her "a subordinate...precocious teen girl that Joel must babysit". Ashley Reed and Andy Hartup of GamesRadar named Ellie one of the "most inspirational female characters in games", writing that she is "one of the most modern, realistic characters ever designed". Eurogamer's Ellie Gibson commended the character's strength and vulnerability, praising the game's subversion of the damsel in distress cliché . GamesRadar listed Ellie among the best characters of the video game generation, stating that her courage exceeds that of most male characters . IGN's Greg Miller compared Ellie to Elizabeth from BioShock Infinite (2013), and felt that the former was a "much more rounded out, full - fledged" character . Conversely, Game Informer's Kimberley Wallace felt that the game focused too much on Joel, "hardly capitalizing on Ellie's importance", and Chris Suellentrop of The New York Times judged that Ellie is cast "in a secondary, more subordinate role". </P> <P> Critics praised the relationship between Ellie and Joel . Matt Helgeson of Game Informer wrote that the relationship was "poignant" and "well - drawn", Joystiq's Richard Mitchell found it "genuine" and emotional, and IGN's Colin Moriarty identified it as a highlight of the game . Eurogamer's Oli Welsh felt the characters were developed with "real patience and skill". Philip Kollar of Polygon found the relationship was assisted by the game's optional conversations . Wallace of Game Informer named Joel and Ellie one of the "best gaming duos of 2013", appreciating their interest in protecting each other . Game Informer's Kyle Hilliard compared Joel and Ellie's relationship to that of the Prince and Elika from Prince of Persia (2008), writing that both duos care deeply for one another, and praising the "emotional crescendo" in The Last of Us, which he judged had not been achieved in Prince of Persia . PlayStation Official Magazine's David Meikleham named Joel and Ellie the best characters in a PlayStation 3 game . </P>

Ellie's last name the last of us