In the eighth episode of The Last of Us, we learn that Ellie wasn't alone when she got bit the first time—her best friend Riley was there, too.
Ellie was a baby when her mother, Marlene, decided to place her in an orphanage. After a while, FEDRA came and snatched her up. The last hope for human survival lies with Ellie, thus Marlene went to great lengths to ensure her safety.
Riley always came to Ellie's aid when she got into a dispute with another person. Ellie was the same back then as she is now. She was frequently sent to “the hole,” as the FEDRA officials referred to it, because of the difficulty she caused.
Riley crept out of the hole when Ellie was sleeping and didn't return for three weeks. Upon her return, she brought with her an unexpected development. She invited her best buddy on a date after joining the Fireflies.
Why did Riley decide to become one of the Fireflies?
Ellie felt completely alone once Riley went disappeared. Being alone herself had a negative impact on her game. After that, she and a girl named Bethany got into a fight in which Bethany received fifteen stitches.
Captain Kwong talked some sense into Ellie after recognising that punishing her repeatedly wasn't working. Despite Kwong's best efforts, Ellie ultimately decided to go along with Riley that night. Riley says she joined the Fireflies when asked where she's been.
Riley explains to Ellie how she joined this insurgent organization as they travel to their objective. Riley was spotted by a 40-year-old lady, subsequently identified as Marlene, on the night Ellie was locked in the hole and she escaped.
The woman, impressed with Riley's abilities, inquired as to Riley's thoughts on FEDRA. When the woman found out that even Riley considered FEDRA to be fascists who deserved to be killed for their crimes, she quickly asked Riley if she wanted to join FEDRA. When asked to become a Firefly, Riley eagerly accepted.
Riley's Relationship with Ellie
It's safe to say that Ellie and Riley are the closest of friends. They take it very personally when one of them deceives or abandons the other. Despite they describe one another as closest friends, romantic tension emerges during their mall hangout.
As they finally put Mortal Kombat II down at the mall, the suspense reaches a fever pitch. Ellie deduces that Riley did not bring her to the mall for recreational purposes after learning that Riley had been hiding grenades there.
Riley tells Ellie she is being transferred to Atlanta QZ just before Ellie can leave. She's leaving Boston today. She begged Marlene to let her take Ellie, but Marlene refused. Ellie was perplexed as to why Riley had brought her here. Riley stated that she wished to pay her final respects to Ellie.
Ellie was anticipating more from Riley at the time, perhaps a declaration of her affection. Ellie starts walking back home, but then she has a change of heart and returns to her friend.
Does Riley Die?
There was a touching moment between Riley and Ellie, but then an infected person showed up and ruined it. As a team, Riley and Ellie fight the infected. Both of them get bitten, but they manage to kill him.
They have realized there is nothing they can do to change their eventual fate. According to Riley, they can go one of two ways. They have the option of ending things fast by killing themselves, or waiting for the other person to turn and spending their remaining time together.
The pair decides to go with Plan B. As Ellie is resistant to cordyceps, it stands to reason that she will survive her trip to the mall. Marlene comes to the rescue and helps her out. What happens to Riley is not shown in The Last of Us.
As she was bitten, she must have become infected, but whether or not she met an untimely end is unknown.
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