HBO’s “The Last of Us” is being praised by fans for respecting the source material while simultaneously improving on the lore of the franchise. There are a lot of differences as well as similarities between the show and the game.

While the similarities have drawn fan appreciation, the differences have divided the fanbase, like the controversial death scene of Tess. One other difference has not been noticed till now. It’s the butterfly symbolism with Ellie. So let us tell you about it.

Ellie And The Butterfly In The Last Of Us

We first noticed this connection when Ellie is sitting in the room staring out of a window while Joel sleeps on the couch. On tge window is a beautiful blue stained-glass butterfly. Upon revisiting the two episodes released till now we found that this butterfly motif is subtly present in some other scenes as well.

We see one fly over Ellie when she’s sleeping peacefully as well. Joel’s daughter Sarah also has butterflies around her during her introduction as well. There’s also a butterfly in Joel’s kitchen.

As per popular belief, butterflies symbolize rebirth and hope. In the show, Sarah is surrounded by butterflies because she’s Joel’s only bright spot in life and his hope for living. After her death he becomes a shell of a being.

As for Ellie, she’s surrounded by butterflies because she represents hope for mankind. She could be the cure to the infection that has brought humanity to its knees. But there are plenty of parallels between Ellie and Sarah too.

Both of them are children with a childlike curiosity. We see this mostly in Ellie as she marvels over everything once she’s out in the city even though she curses like a sailor. From pretending to a guest at a hotel to gazing at the skyline, Ellie is fascinated by everything.

Another thread connecting Ellie and Sarah is that soon Joel is going to see Ellie as his daughter.

The Butterfly Will Morph Into A Moth

It’s interesting that in “The Last of Us Part 2” game, there’s no butterfly symbolism. Instead, it’s of a moth. Moths are single-minded creatures who are drawn to the light. They also often symbolise death.

In Part 2 of the game, Ellie suffers from one obsession- to get revenge as she mistakes vengeance for justice. And to get her revenge she kills many. But thankfully, she turns back and realises the error of her ways at the end.

Will the same happen in the show? It remains to be seen.