Who Is The Main Character In The Last Of Us TV Series?

If someone asked me in a group chat, I’d say it’s complicated but fun: 'The Last of Us' kind of splits the spotlight. Joel is front-and-center at the start — the grumpy survivor trope, only so much more textured thanks to Pedro Pascal’s performance — and he’s treated like the main protagonist in many scenes. His backstory and the choices he makes drive the plot, so I get why people default to calling him the main character.

Still, Ellie grows into the role of co-lead really fast. Bella Ramsey brings this blend of toughness and vulnerability that turns Ellie into the show’s emotional anchor. The whole show revolves around their relationship, and since Ellie’s immunity is the plot’s MacGuffin, she’s absolutely essential. If you want a neat label: it’s essentially a dual-protagonist story, with Joel often feeling like the primary POV early on and Ellie taking more weight as things progress. Personally, I love shows that do that slow handoff — it makes every episode feel alive and unpredictable.

I tend to tell friends that calling a single person the main character of 'The Last of Us' misses the point a bit. Joel is introduced as the obvious lead — an older, broken survivor whose decisions shape the early narrative — but Ellie quickly becomes indispensable. Her immunity to the infection and her developing bond with Joel turn the series into a mutual journey. I enjoyed watching how scenes that seemed to center on Joel would segue into moments that belonged to Ellie, creating this push-and-pull storytelling rhythm. The show adapts the game’s dual-focus approach faithfully: it isn’t strictly one protagonist versus another, but rather two people whose lives and arcs intertwine so tightly that they share the role of main character. That ambiguity is part of why the series keeps me hooked.

For me, 'The Last of Us' TV series doesn’t have a single, lonely hero — it’s a two-person heartbeat. When I first sat down and watched the premiere, Joel Miller (played by Pedro Pascal) immediately felt like the focal point: he’s the weary, gruff survivor who carries the weight of loss and has to make brutal choices. The show frames a lot of the early episodes through his eyes, his trauma, and his moral compromises, so you can easily call him the main character in a traditional sense.

But I can’t talk about the series without giving Ellie the spotlight too. Bella Ramsey’s Ellie quickly becomes the emotional core and narrative engine — her immunity, her sarcastic bravery, and her evolving relationship with Joel are what the story hinges on. Over the course of the season, the series shifts: Joel’s the central guide at first, and Ellie becomes equally central as the plot and themes deepen. As a fan who grew up with the game, I love how the show balances the duo; it feels like a duet rather than one solo act, with both characters carrying major arcs and carrying the audience along with them.