Major spoilers for The Last of Us 2

The Last of Us 2 brought Ellie to her breaking point, but one of her biggest forms of solace was found in her girlfriend Dina. After Ellie’s first unsuccessful run-in with Abby, Ellie and Dina leave Seattle and opt for a more peaceful life. The two make their home on a picturesque farm property on the outskirts of the Jackson commune, but The Last of Us 2 doesn’t use the setting to its full potential.

TLoU2 puts Ellie and Dina through a whirlwind of emotions, and that’s honestly an understatement. From the death of Joel and Jesse to Dina finding out she’s pregnant, the couple face a lot of turmoil throughout the harrowing events of The Last of Us 2. However, things seem to be brought to a somewhat normal state when Ellie and Dina embrace the serene farmhouse they decide to call home. Unfortunately, this peaceful existence doesn’t last too long as Ellie’s craving for revenge is reawakened, seemingly ending her and Dina’s relationship. When Ellie returns to the farmhouse, it appears to have been abandoned, ending The Last of Us 2 on a vague note. Although The Last of Us 2 only spends a short amount of time on the farm, this setting shouldn’t be gone for good.

The Last of Us 3 Bringing a Farm Setting to Its Full Potential

Using a Farm’s Landscape to Intensify Horror

Although Ellie’s time at the farm may be over, that doesn’t mean a farm setting can’t bring some great moments to life in The Last of Us 3. The next game in the series will hopefully answer the many questions left unanswered, but bringing Ellie back to the farmhouse, or even introducing a new location that’s similar, would be perfect for some heart-pounding moments. The environments of The Last of Us are crucial to its storytelling and intensity, and encountering the infected at a farm would be a great way to evolve these settings.

It’s easy to imagine a scenario where Ellie could potentially return to the farmhouse or stumble upon a new farm. If this happens in The Last of Us 3, throwing a run-in with infected who have taken over the property could be a heart-stopping moment. Imagine running through overgrown fields and rows of dead crops while Clickers rustle through the stalks. This would bring the fear factor up to a whole new level. Since Ellie and Dina haven’t been on the property to make sure it’s kept safe, it’s not far out of the realm of possibility that wandering Clickers have taken it over.

This would also be a fascinating way to demonstrate how nowhere or no one is safe in the world of The Last of Us. No matter how idyllic its scenery is, the farm is still open to threats. Although it would be nice for this to be explored at the same farmhouse Ellie and Dina shared, an unrelated farm could also showcase the setting’s potential just as well.

Tying Up The Last of Us 2’s Loose Threads

One of the biggest mysteries left unanswered at the end of The Last of Us 2 is where Ellie is headed. She could be returning to Jackson to reconnect with Dina, or she could be venturing out on her own. There’s also even the possibility that Ellie and Dina could return to the farm together after reconciling, only to find that it has been ravaged. Jackson and its surrounding landscape is almost too good to be true, and the farm could be a bold symbol of the encroaching danger.

Naughty Dog is reaching a crossroads with The Last of Us, as the story is beginning to stretch itself thin. Ellie’s future is foggy at the moment, but wherever she goes, it will likely lead to even more harrowing moments for her to face, but hopefully not alone.