How exactly? It's very possible that if Tess was there for the whole journey then they could've been like a little family and Joel and Tess both would've eliminated salt lake crew.
You are right plot-wise that is exactly why or at at least what he told himself. I honestly think he was already starting to like Ellie, but that is the way they wrote the story.
However we don't know because it didn't happen. Tess could have talked him into continuing because she was already sold on it by the time she died and he would have rode with her to the end I think. 🤷
Tess was definitely ride-or-die with Joel. If they leave with Tess alive and well, that change would tumble down the line changing everything in its wake. Maybe they won't even meet Sam and Henry. Maybe they all die in Bill's Town. Who knows.
You're right. I guess I was just picturing a scenario where they arrive to the capital building and see the dead fireflies but still push onwards anyways. Sure Joel didn't want to before finding out Tess was bit, but if Tess wanted to still get her to the fireflies beyond the capital building then I suppose it's not entirely impossible she could've somehow convinced Joel to come without the context being her final wishes.
If they do leave, everything from that point on will be vastly different. Maybe Sam doesn't get bit because there's an extra gun to protect him.
Maybe Tess convinces Marlene and Jerry to get consent.
Maybe the bus drowning doesn't even happen and they all walk into Saint Mary's with everybody conscious and alert.
I mean yea, but that means Joel never warms to Ellie, and will probably go their own ways, we never get to meet Jessie, and sam and henry probably die cuz they have to try get out of their city on their own or they starve. By saving Tess and preventing the journy, you're most likely killing two people and for sure 2 relationships
That has a lot of other consequences tho. I'm not sure Tess would have taken it all the way to Jackson if there were no personal stakes like someone being bitten. I feel like they would have laid low in Bill's Town before heading back to the QZ. Not sure what they would have done with Ellie. But there'd be no bond between them. All the great moments between them would be gone, and they'd never meet Henry, Sam, or Jesse.
And if Tess did decide to see it through and convince Joel to help her escort Ellie, that doesn't automatically save Sam or Henry or Joel or Jesse.
Sam got bit because they helped Joel and Ellie.
Jessie got shot by Abby which has a direct correlation to Joel leaving Boston.
Joel got killed by Abby which is definitely a direct result of him leaving.
If, however, Tess convinces Joel to leave, she'd probably be able to convince him to let them do the thing in Salt Lake or she could convince Marlene and Jerry to ask for Ellie's opinion and we all know what that would be. It could definitely go differently in Salt Lake either way. If the doctor lives, Abby won't kill Joel or Jessie because why would she?
As for Sam and Henry. The whole section in Pittsburgh would be different with Tess there. The sniper scene where Sam gets bit, for example, Joel and Tess would have a better strategy than just Joel circling around the back. Maybe Tess being an extra gun there would help prevent him from getting bit.
That's true about Jesse, assuming Joel doesnt go to Jackson bc Tess lives. And tbh, as for Sam and Henry. I don't see them getting out of the city at all without Joel's help; he does most of the legwork anyway. But the main thing is, that I just don't see Tess and Joel caring about making the trip to Jackson if there's no death there. Tess cared about one thing and that was getting her guns back. That only changed bc she was bitten and the guns no longer mattered. If she wasn't bitten, would she have made the trek to Jackson? I don't think so; not for some guns that likely wouldn't be waiting for her 2 years later. And I think she needed to face the mortality of being bit to realize and understand what Ellies immunity meant.
Everything else you bring up is just speculation. Having Tess definitely would have made things easier, but that changes the whole trajectory of it all. And as for SLC, who knows what Tess would have done to help or hinder the situation bc the Tess that would be in SLC isn't the one we'd known in Boston; like Joel, she would have changed a lot so who knows.
All in all, it's interesting to think about one way or another. I'm really curious what would have happened if Tess stayed alive. And it's fun to speculate one way or the other, but the above is just my 2 cents.
I agree! Also, just speculating, but Tess would have probably stopped Joel from saving Ellie, to get her guns back from Marlene. I don't know if Tess would have ever bonded enough with Ellie to see her as more than cargo at worst, or a vaccine at best. But it is possible.
Hmm...come to think of it, if Tess had survived and they had an extra party member, I wonder what would have happened?
I love that gal but Jesse grew on me more than Tess. She's not a horrible person or anything, it's that i would love to see more of Jesse and well...not see Joel being smacked in the head by a poorly written character.
As much as I love Tess, her death is what motivated Joel to go on a journey with Ellie. I suspect that they wouldn't have developed the father-daughter bond that they did if not for Tess's demise.
I agree, joel had a life and lived it protecting Ellie. Henry had a life to live but failed to protect his reason to live. He deserves a second chance. I feel bad for Jesse tho great guy but died with no regrets
I guess I interpreted this as just bringing them back. Hell, Saving Tess and Joel could theoretically prevent the entire rest of the games from playing out 😂 drop Ellie off and go home to retire
Jesse and Sam. They feel like the most unfair deaths to me.
Joel and Tess were okay with their time being up, and Henry would probably refuse to live in a world without his little brother.
I liked all of them personally,joel and tess are my favs out of this list but I did really like Sam and Henry tbh and I felt there death's were unfair,same with jessie
If we assume no butterfly effect and the other characters still die… my instinct is Sam and Jesse just on a “everybody else got their chance” basis. I think Henry, Joel, and Tess would feel the same.
Henry and Sam, I’d add Jesse to that list too but can only pick 2.
The people picking Joel and Tess is understandable because they’re great characters—but they were *shitty* people.
I gotta go with Henry and Sam, it’d feel wrong for me to have to split them up and they deserved to keep living their lives together, and in every other circumstance )except for one) Joel and Tess can handle themselves just fine.
Jesse and Henry, just realistically. Young enough to be able to survive no problem. Skilled, hot, I mean um Human. Not zombies. Joel is too old, and Sam is too young, they'd both just kinda slow everything down, and increase the risk of getting others killed. I love em, but this is an apocalypse we're talking about.
If it’s in isolation from timeline events, then I’d save Jesse and Sam.
If saving then can impact the others, as other comments have said, Joel being alive saves Jesse, Sam being alive saves Henry.
Sorry Tess….big respect for your sacrifice
Joel and Jesse. The other three deaths are story devices (that work really well). Jesse's death is pretty pointless and Joel's death serves the story but...like... obviously I want him alive lol
Hmm, build a time machine, go back in time and bring OSHA and Gordon Ramsey to that flour manufacturer. That would save everyone except who wasn't born after the outbreak, and Ellie, dina and Jessie wouldn't be around which is a relief because I want to marry Abby's dad. Sexy dad.
I want to make an argument for Henry so bad. I’d argue he has the most tragic death out of everybody here.
Joel denied humanity of the cure and killed his killer’s father in the process.
Tess, died from clickers, BUT her past was going to catch up with her either way.
Jesse at least got it in the back of his head so it was quick. (So did Henry, but I’ll get there.)
Sam, tragic as fuck, but again, clickers. it’s gotta be the most common death in the world at this point.
but Henry? dude just minded his business and tried to take care of his little brother. day in and day out. and the one time he trusted people and let them in he lost his brother. and that’s on top of just trying to survive clickers. dude didn’t even think twice about taking his own life, if he couldn’t have his brother he didn’t want to live.
Tess is the key to saving sam and henry at least.
Tess stays alive. Joel and her dont go off the beaten path and meet sam and henry.
they complete the mission resulting in ellies death, sadly. or the same type of bonding scenario plotline plays out, just with tess.
but if tess stays alive, so do henry and sam lol
Obviously the gut reaction is Joel, but honestly just ethically speaking, you gotta save Sam. And if you save Sam then you have to save Henry. It doesn't feel good, but it feels like the only real choice, and I think every one of the other 3 characters would completely understand the decision.
As much as I want Joel alive, morally I'd have the kid and Jesse live. One being an innocent child and the other a new father who didn't even get to meet his kid.
Tess was good character development for Joel even tho she'd be a beast ( in part 2) if she never died
Sam and Jessie were too nice for this world honestly Henry was a survivor but he couldn't make it like Joel so honestly
Tess and Jessie
Sam because Henry wouldnt kill himself and Tess because she was cool. I feel like bringing Joel back wouldn't matter because like what happened in part 2, someone would just come after him again.
Tess, and joel , bc tess has to be the last part of the family dying , but joel will still kill abbys dad later so i took joel as second bc he could have won the fight
Tess and Sam. Maybe Henry instead of Tess.
I wasn't really very surprised at Joel's death if I'm honest, he kinda did have it coming in a way. He's done a lot of bad things, he's killed innocent people, fucked people over and lots more. I'm not really surprised that eventually it came back to bite him.
Sam and Henry were just trying to live, if yara was on this list I would also save her too. She was a child who'd just lost her arm doing everything to save her brother. But this isn't that kinda game where everyone kind lives and the bad people die. This world is cruel and people get ripped away from you with no clear reason
Sam and Henry. Game would have been so much cooler if they went with Joel and Ellie to see the Fire Flies. The bond between Ellie and Joel would have been much different probably, but I’ve always wondered how the story would have turned out.
Joel and Sam, cause saving Joel saves Jesse and saving Sam saves Henry 😎
Bros got the biggest brain
But saving Tess saves everybody.
How exactly? It's very possible that if Tess was there for the whole journey then they could've been like a little family and Joel and Tess both would've eliminated salt lake crew.
Joel's whole motivation for leaving Boston rested on her getting bit. Without her getting bit, Joel wouldn't have left.
You are right plot-wise that is exactly why or at at least what he told himself. I honestly think he was already starting to like Ellie, but that is the way they wrote the story. However we don't know because it didn't happen. Tess could have talked him into continuing because she was already sold on it by the time she died and he would have rode with her to the end I think. 🤷
Tess was definitely ride-or-die with Joel. If they leave with Tess alive and well, that change would tumble down the line changing everything in its wake. Maybe they won't even meet Sam and Henry. Maybe they all die in Bill's Town. Who knows.
You're right. I guess I was just picturing a scenario where they arrive to the capital building and see the dead fireflies but still push onwards anyways. Sure Joel didn't want to before finding out Tess was bit, but if Tess wanted to still get her to the fireflies beyond the capital building then I suppose it's not entirely impossible she could've somehow convinced Joel to come without the context being her final wishes.
If they do leave, everything from that point on will be vastly different. Maybe Sam doesn't get bit because there's an extra gun to protect him. Maybe Tess convinces Marlene and Jerry to get consent. Maybe the bus drowning doesn't even happen and they all walk into Saint Mary's with everybody conscious and alert.
I mean yea, but that means Joel never warms to Ellie, and will probably go their own ways, we never get to meet Jessie, and sam and henry probably die cuz they have to try get out of their city on their own or they starve. By saving Tess and preventing the journy, you're most likely killing two people and for sure 2 relationships
That has a lot of other consequences tho. I'm not sure Tess would have taken it all the way to Jackson if there were no personal stakes like someone being bitten. I feel like they would have laid low in Bill's Town before heading back to the QZ. Not sure what they would have done with Ellie. But there'd be no bond between them. All the great moments between them would be gone, and they'd never meet Henry, Sam, or Jesse. And if Tess did decide to see it through and convince Joel to help her escort Ellie, that doesn't automatically save Sam or Henry or Joel or Jesse.
Sam got bit because they helped Joel and Ellie. Jessie got shot by Abby which has a direct correlation to Joel leaving Boston. Joel got killed by Abby which is definitely a direct result of him leaving. If, however, Tess convinces Joel to leave, she'd probably be able to convince him to let them do the thing in Salt Lake or she could convince Marlene and Jerry to ask for Ellie's opinion and we all know what that would be. It could definitely go differently in Salt Lake either way. If the doctor lives, Abby won't kill Joel or Jessie because why would she? As for Sam and Henry. The whole section in Pittsburgh would be different with Tess there. The sniper scene where Sam gets bit, for example, Joel and Tess would have a better strategy than just Joel circling around the back. Maybe Tess being an extra gun there would help prevent him from getting bit.
That's true about Jesse, assuming Joel doesnt go to Jackson bc Tess lives. And tbh, as for Sam and Henry. I don't see them getting out of the city at all without Joel's help; he does most of the legwork anyway. But the main thing is, that I just don't see Tess and Joel caring about making the trip to Jackson if there's no death there. Tess cared about one thing and that was getting her guns back. That only changed bc she was bitten and the guns no longer mattered. If she wasn't bitten, would she have made the trek to Jackson? I don't think so; not for some guns that likely wouldn't be waiting for her 2 years later. And I think she needed to face the mortality of being bit to realize and understand what Ellies immunity meant. Everything else you bring up is just speculation. Having Tess definitely would have made things easier, but that changes the whole trajectory of it all. And as for SLC, who knows what Tess would have done to help or hinder the situation bc the Tess that would be in SLC isn't the one we'd known in Boston; like Joel, she would have changed a lot so who knows. All in all, it's interesting to think about one way or another. I'm really curious what would have happened if Tess stayed alive. And it's fun to speculate one way or the other, but the above is just my 2 cents.
I agree! Also, just speculating, but Tess would have probably stopped Joel from saving Ellie, to get her guns back from Marlene. I don't know if Tess would have ever bonded enough with Ellie to see her as more than cargo at worst, or a vaccine at best. But it is possible. Hmm...come to think of it, if Tess had survived and they had an extra party member, I wonder what would have happened?
What he should have said was, who would you BRING BACK FROM THE DEAD. cause then the butterfly effect wouldn't take place. And it would only be 2.
Smart!!
That’s some good figuring
IM WITH YOU BRO HAHAHA
The fuck? Give me Jesse and Joel and FRIGG the rest
What about tess😔
I love that gal but Jesse grew on me more than Tess. She's not a horrible person or anything, it's that i would love to see more of Jesse and well...not see Joel being smacked in the head by a poorly written character.
Well, thankfully he got smacked in the head by a great written character.
As much as I love Tess, her death is what motivated Joel to go on a journey with Ellie. I suspect that they wouldn't have developed the father-daughter bond that they did if not for Tess's demise.
Sam and Henry. They deserved better.
I agree, joel had a life and lived it protecting Ellie. Henry had a life to live but failed to protect his reason to live. He deserves a second chance. I feel bad for Jesse tho great guy but died with no regrets
Exactly! Thanking for taking the time to explain it in far more detail than I had time to do earlier. 🙌🏻
No regrets? Didn't he just find out Dina was pregnant with his child? Now the child grows up without a Dad
Well you see the regret comes after he’s dead.
Good point
If you save Sam then Henry is saved by default since he only shot himself after Sam was bit
Joel and Jesse, they both need to be there for their kid.
Joel and Tess
Jesse and Tess
Sam and Jesse. Sam had bad luck and Jesse was just given no opportunity to react with Abby's godlike reaction speed. Also, saving Sam saves Henry.
Agreed. 💯
Henry and Sam.
I was gonna say this too, but the commenter who said Joel and Sam because in theory it saves Jesse and Henry has the biggest brain lol
I guess I interpreted this as just bringing them back. Hell, Saving Tess and Joel could theoretically prevent the entire rest of the games from playing out 😂 drop Ellie off and go home to retire
Either Henry and Sam or Joel and Tess
Jesse and Sam. Honestly because they're the youngest.
I don't know why but Sam's death hurt me more than Joel's. Maybe because he's just a kid and never had a chance to live life before dying
Joel, Jesse.
Joel, Jesse.
Joel and Sam !!!
Joel so ellie can be happy again
Tess and Jessie
joel and jesse🩷🩷
I save Joel twice.
Joel and Sarah :(
Joel and joel
Joel and then if I need to, Joel again.
Joel and Jesse, no others, don’t care.
Joel.
Yara gets left out once again
Joel and Jesse
Feels wrong to say anyone but Joel lol but I would pick Henry and Jesse
Save Joel and keep the other saving for sometime in the future when he might need it again.
Put the spoiler tag man, you literally spoiled most of the characters deaths.
Whatshisface and sam
What top comment said Sam and Henry’s death were the worst for me
Joel and Sam. 100%.
Joel and Jesse
My man Joel and Jesse because I want to see Jesse’s character more and you know, make Joel live instead of throwing him dead with a golf club
Jesse and Joel
Tess and Joel.
Lowkey Jesse and Tess
Jesse and Sam. They feel like the most unfair deaths to me. Joel and Tess were okay with their time being up, and Henry would probably refuse to live in a world without his little brother.
Joel and Jessie 😤 NEXT
How is this a questions Joel and Tess all day everyday. Fuck everybody else.
I liked all of them personally,joel and tess are my favs out of this list but I did really like Sam and Henry tbh and I felt there death's were unfair,same with jessie
tess
If we assume no butterfly effect and the other characters still die… my instinct is Sam and Jesse just on a “everybody else got their chance” basis. I think Henry, Joel, and Tess would feel the same.
Joel, Tess rest mid af
Joel and Tess
Jesse and Sam, I need to save Sam for me, my heart wouldn't even function right if I didn't
tess
Henry and Sam, I’d add Jesse to that list too but can only pick 2. The people picking Joel and Tess is understandable because they’re great characters—but they were *shitty* people.
I gotta go with Henry and Sam, it’d feel wrong for me to have to split them up and they deserved to keep living their lives together, and in every other circumstance )except for one) Joel and Tess can handle themselves just fine.
Jesse and Henry, just realistically. Young enough to be able to survive no problem. Skilled, hot, I mean um Human. Not zombies. Joel is too old, and Sam is too young, they'd both just kinda slow everything down, and increase the risk of getting others killed. I love em, but this is an apocalypse we're talking about.
If it’s in isolation from timeline events, then I’d save Jesse and Sam. If saving then can impact the others, as other comments have said, Joel being alive saves Jesse, Sam being alive saves Henry. Sorry Tess….big respect for your sacrifice
Joel and that’s about it, Jesses cool and all but ehh
Save Jesse and Joel. Because Jesse is good character and if we save Joel we don’t have to witness the Abby getting fucked in the ass scene.
Joel and Jesse no contest.
Joel and Joel
joel and jesse, easy
Jesse deserved to know his son. That’s all I can think of now. So I guess, Jessex2
Jesse and Sam. As much as people don’t want to admit, Joel was NOT a good person.
Jesse and Sam. Wasn't their time
Jesse and Sam. Neither deserve what they got
Joel and Jesse. The other three deaths are story devices (that work really well). Jesse's death is pretty pointless and Joel's death serves the story but...like... obviously I want him alive lol
Joel and Jessie’s, duh.
Hmm, build a time machine, go back in time and bring OSHA and Gordon Ramsey to that flour manufacturer. That would save everyone except who wasn't born after the outbreak, and Ellie, dina and Jessie wouldn't be around which is a relief because I want to marry Abby's dad. Sexy dad.
Joel and Joel a second time.
tess and sam probably (i found henry to be annoying)
Jesse and Joel.
Joel and use the other save to kill Abby
I want to make an argument for Henry so bad. I’d argue he has the most tragic death out of everybody here. Joel denied humanity of the cure and killed his killer’s father in the process. Tess, died from clickers, BUT her past was going to catch up with her either way. Jesse at least got it in the back of his head so it was quick. (So did Henry, but I’ll get there.) Sam, tragic as fuck, but again, clickers. it’s gotta be the most common death in the world at this point. but Henry? dude just minded his business and tried to take care of his little brother. day in and day out. and the one time he trusted people and let them in he lost his brother. and that’s on top of just trying to survive clickers. dude didn’t even think twice about taking his own life, if he couldn’t have his brother he didn’t want to live.
Joel, and then it’s a toss up between Jesse and Henry. I think Henry would’ve fit really well in Jackson.
Joel and Jesse
Tess is the key to saving sam and henry at least. Tess stays alive. Joel and her dont go off the beaten path and meet sam and henry. they complete the mission resulting in ellies death, sadly. or the same type of bonding scenario plotline plays out, just with tess. but if tess stays alive, so do henry and sam lol
I mean, not to be harsh, but just Joel I guess lol. Maybe Sam because he's just a kid.
Joel and Tess. They deserve a happy ending.
Joel and Joel. He will be The Last of Us.
Joel (because it’s Joel) and Henry because he was just a child living in a terrible world.
I’m saving muscle mommy, thick thighs save lives.
Joel and Sam, for the same reasons someone else said. Saving Joel saves Jesse and saving Sam saves Henry
joel and jesse
Joel and Tess, they deserve to be happy together
Joel and Tess, easy.
Joel twice
Joel and Sam (saving Sam saves Henry)
Jessie and Joel
joel and sam
Man, I don't know, probably Joel and Tess, but is saving them even a reward? Or just a punishment?
Jesse and Yara.
Joel and Joel
Jesse and Sam One has a baby the other still a child
Obviously the gut reaction is Joel, but honestly just ethically speaking, you gotta save Sam. And if you save Sam then you have to save Henry. It doesn't feel good, but it feels like the only real choice, and I think every one of the other 3 characters would completely understand the decision.
I feel like the only one that wouldn’t (imo) negatively affect the story is Jesse cause he just got done dirty by naughty dog
Just Joel
Joel and Jesse
Joel and Sam.
Joel and Sam
Joel and Tess or Joel and Henry
Sam and Henry their story breaks me down every time
Sam and Jesse. Two innocent completely characters. Henry would want to save his brother.
Joel and who the fuck care who else. You can pick
Sam and Henry are the only true options. Jessie gets an honorable mention.
As much as I want Joel alive, morally I'd have the kid and Jesse live. One being an innocent child and the other a new father who didn't even get to meet his kid.
Tess was good character development for Joel even tho she'd be a beast ( in part 2) if she never died Sam and Jessie were too nice for this world honestly Henry was a survivor but he couldn't make it like Joel so honestly Tess and Jessie
Sam and Jesse
Joel and Sam
Jesse because he’s a dad and his baby deserves to have a dad. Sam because he’s a kid
Joel and Sam
Sam and Tess easy
#Joel Twice
Joel twice 🤷♂️
None, they're all a canon event.
Sam because Henry wouldnt kill himself and Tess because she was cool. I feel like bringing Joel back wouldn't matter because like what happened in part 2, someone would just come after him again.
Jesse and Sam, because they didn't deserve to die
WTF JOEL DIES!!!?
Tess, and joel , bc tess has to be the last part of the family dying , but joel will still kill abbys dad later so i took joel as second bc he could have won the fight
Joel and Tess
Joel and Joel again
myself lol
Joel and Jesse for sure!!!
Joel and Jesse
I’m saving Joel and Tess
Jesse and Joel.
Well judging by past outcome I know one I want to save for sure. But I’m not gonna say it. Lol
Tess and Sam. They both deserved better and as a plus saving sam means saving Henry
Joel and Tess. I'm sorry to the other 3 😭
Joel
The brothers
Jesse and Joel.
Joel and Jesse.
Joel twice
Sam & Jesse
Joel and Joel
Joel and Jesse
Jesse and while she’s not here I’m also saving Yara
Joel twice, just to be sure
Joel for sure and also Jesse, the game did him dirty (not him dying but rather, you don’t spend as much time with him as I would’ve liked).
Joel and Joel ofc
Anyone who doesn't pick Joel for at least one of the two choices should go to hell immediately
jesse and joel. love tess but she sacrificed herself while jesse was killed very unexpectedly and was still young and had a family and a kid
Joel and Sam. Jesse is an honorary member of the
The brothers.
Joel and Jesse
Jesse and Sam
Joel and Sam
Owen
tess and tess. just tess
That’s fucked up
Lol at Abby not being on the list cause no one would save her
Jessieeee
Joel and Jessie.
Tess and Sam. Maybe Henry instead of Tess. I wasn't really very surprised at Joel's death if I'm honest, he kinda did have it coming in a way. He's done a lot of bad things, he's killed innocent people, fucked people over and lots more. I'm not really surprised that eventually it came back to bite him. Sam and Henry were just trying to live, if yara was on this list I would also save her too. She was a child who'd just lost her arm doing everything to save her brother. But this isn't that kinda game where everyone kind lives and the bad people die. This world is cruel and people get ripped away from you with no clear reason
Not choosing joel should be illegal
Sam and Henry. Game would have been so much cooler if they went with Joel and Ellie to see the Fire Flies. The bond between Ellie and Joel would have been much different probably, but I’ve always wondered how the story would have turned out.
The dog and giraffe.
Joel and Jesse
Probably Joel and Jesse. Their deaths were the most brutal and were completely unnecessary.
Joel and jesse
Save Joel because it’s Joel, save Jesse because he deserved more