Although largely a faithful adaptation of the games, HBO's The Last of Us hasn't restricted itself entirely to the source material. The live-action version of the story features elements that never appeared in the games. Thankfully, they all feel very authentic rather than being shoe-horned into the iconic post-apocalyptic universe. While some pre-existing storylines and characters have been tweaked to suit the small screen, others are completely original to the HBO show. Sadly, the best Last of Us character to debut in the adaptation now can't return when season 3 arrives.
The Last of Us isn't an especially optimistic saga, but that's a big part of its appeal. Rather than relishing fairy tale levels of hope, The Last of Us zeroes in on the concept of selfishness and revenge in a world where that's pretty much all that has survived. Such a dark story allows for some unique characters to materialize at its heart. Joel and Ellie are obviously the two most well-known figures in this respect, but they appeared in both games before the show's 2023 premiere.
However, a fascinating character first appeared when season 2 dropped last year. While they would have been a great addition to season 3, that's no longer a possibility.
The passing of Catherine O'Hara means her original The Last of Us character probably won't appear in season 3
At 71 years old, the recent death of Catherine O'Hara shook the entertainment industry. The beloved actress was more widely known for her comedic and lighthearted roles, but The Last of Us gave her a chance to flex different acting muscles. She was phenomenal in the role of Gail Lynden.
Unfortunately, but for understandable reasons, we've probably seen the last of Gail. With season 3 not set to begin shooting until later in 2026, it's unlikely that any new footage of O'Hara's performance exists.
Gail wasn't a character in the games, but her husband was. Played by Joe Pantoliano in the adaptation, Eugene Lynden had a more prominent role in the show than he did in the games. He did have a wife in the source material, but she was named Claire instead. Claire is basically a non-entity in the original version of the story. O'Hara's character was far more relevant to the plot. It's possible she could be recast ahead of season 3, but I think it's more respectful to leave Gail's fate unconfirmed.
Why Gail was so important in The Last of Us season 2
One of the things that The Last of Us does so brilliantly is blur the line between good and bad. Characters that may seem heroic to some are textbook villains to others. Season 2, and the game on which it's based, doubles down on this part of the formula. For example, while Joel's decision to save Ellie from undergoing the operation at the end of season 1 is understandable, it's also easy to see his choice as misguided. Let's not even talk about how Abby sees Joel.
Gail is another one of those characters who help the audience reframe what they think they know about Joel. While most of the Jackson residents see him as a key member of the community, Gail finds it almost impossible to view Joel as anything other than the man who prevented her from having a final farewell with her husband in the wake of Eugene's cordyceps infection.
Still, in her role as Jackson's only psychotherapist, Gail can't shake the feeling of responsibility when it comes to allowing Joel to vent and heal about the trauma he's experienced. Similarly, Joel has no one else to talk to other than Gail. Watching them interact was a depressingly fascinating affair, and it was the creation of O'Hara's character that made it all possible.
Why The Last of Us season 3 can still work without Gail
Joel's death in The Last of Us season 2 was one of the story's most pivotal moments – if not the most pivotal. Sure, it transformed how Ellie saw the world and set her off on her journey of vengeance, but the impact on Gail would also have been interesting if it had been shown. She would likely have felt incredibly conflicted about Joel's death and how it changed Jackson. Regardless, there probably would have been an element of guilty satisfaction within her tortured mind.
Even though it would have been interesting to see how Gail has changed in the wake of Joel's death, Jackson, as a setting, is largely ignored in the source material once Ellie sets off for Seattle to find Abby.
Although the HBO adaptation has already boldly included sequences that never appeared in the games, focusing entirely on the similarities between Ellie and Abby in season 3 would be a far more valuable use of the show's time. Maybe if O'Hara were still with us, it would have been worth the diversion. However, with reports that The Last of Us season 3 may wrap up the series earlier than planned, Ellie and Abby were always going to require as much screen time as possible.
The Last of Us seasons 1 & 2 are streaming now on HBO Max. Season 3 is expected in 2027.