Riley (HBO series)

Riley is a supporting character in the first season of HBO's The Last of Us.Russell, Bradley (March 9, 2020). "The Last of Us HBO series co-creator confirms first wave of characters (but leaves one redacted)". GamesRadar+. Retrieved January 20, 2023. She was a who befriended .HBO's The Last of Us episode 7: "Left Behind" 
== Biography ==
=== Background and early life ===
Riley was born in either October or November of 2006 and had a family. However, her parents died at some point, meaning Riley grew up in the military preparatory school in the . During her time there under Captain Kwong's leadership, she met and befriended Ellie Williams. She was protective of the girl, regularly getting into fights with other girls at the school who tried to hurt her, like Bethany.
Riley hated her time in the school, often sneaking out at night to explore other areas of the city. A month before her seventeenth birthday, Kwong revealed he planned for Riley to graduate as a FEDRA grunt, dooming her to a life of subservience to officers and menial sewage work. Therefore, on her next excursion in the summer of 2023 when Ellie was in military confinement for insubordination, she was spotted by . The woman approached Riley and complimented her skills traversing the city and avoid FEDRA's watch. She then asked for Riley's opinion of FEDRA, to which Riley replied she despised them, viewing them as fascists. Marlene then offered Riley join the . Intent on doing more in life that being a FEDRA grunt, Riley accepted Marlene's offer.
Over the next three weeks, Marlene stationed Riley in Liberty Gardens mall, which FEDRA falsely advertised as containing many infected, to make improvised explosive devices to bomb FEDRA checkpoints with. Marlene also gave Riley a handgun to carry as well. Riley desired for Ellie to join the Fireflies, preparing the mall for her to visit, evening spending a whole day breaking open the money dispensers in Raja's Arcade so they could play on the arcade games together. However, Marlene dismissed that suggestion and eventually informed Riley that she intended to redeploy her with a Firefly unit in the Atlanta zone. Worried she would never see Ellie again, Riley left the mall to return to the FEDRA school.
=== Events of HBO's The Last of Us ===
==== Reuniting with Ellie ====
That night, Riley climbed into Ellie's room through the window to find the girl sleeping. When she woke her, Ellie shoved Riley off and prepared to attack her with her switchblade. Riley announced who she was, revealing she had joined the Fireflies. Though frustrated, Ellie's anger subsided. Riley then asked her to follow her outside so she could explain everything about the past three weeks. Reluctantly, Ellie did.
The two snuck through the streets, managing to avoid the patrols, before entering an abandoned building. As they climbed up, they found the dead body of a civilian, who had committed suicide by imbibing alcohol and pills at the same time. The two stole the man's liquor, which they identified as coming from before the outbreak, and drank some as they reach the roof of the building. Ellie asked to hold Riley's gun, which she briefly allowed. Riley explained how Marlene recruited her to fight FEDRA but Ellie suggested that the Fireflies' view on FEDRA is too simplistic, and that FEDRA actually held everything together in the zone. Riley refused to argue and led Ellie in jumping across the rooftops. 
As they stopped to rest, they looked at a newly-powered block of apartments, which Riley explained that FEDRA set up for new residents of the QZ. The two argue again over whether rule by FEDRA is really as bad as the Fireflies proport, with Ellie bringing up how the Fireflies destroyed a storage depot and jeopardized the QZ's supplies. Riley pointed out their destination: the abandoned Liberty Gardens mall.
==== A night in the mall ====
Once inside, where Riley explained how the mall was connected to the same power grid that FEDRA set up for the new apartments. She turned on the power in the mall, and Ellie marveled at the colorful storefronts. Riley revealed it was just the two of them in the mall, and that she planned to show Ellie the "Four Wonders of the Mall." They found the escalators, which Ellie played on, prompting Riley to jokingly claim there were now five wonders. As they walked through the mall, the girls spotted a Victoria's Secret display, and joked about how uncomfortable the items must be to wear. Riley then showed Ellie the second wonder: a working carousel. The two climbed on the plastic horses and enjoyed the ride while drinking from the liquor bottle, stealing glances at each other as they did so.
Abruptly, The carousel broke down. As Riley went to try to fix it, Ellie asked if Riley really left the school in a bid to liberate the Boston zone. Riley claimed Fireflies in other QZs have freed everyone and run things like before the Outbreak. Ellie pointed out Riley could still do that if she stayed with FEDRA, but Riley replied that she did not have the same future in FEDRA that Ellie does: she revealed Kwong gave her sewage detail as her assignment, which prompted her to run away and eventually join the Fireflies. 
Riley then took Ellie to the third wonder, an old photo booth. The pair took several silly pictures together, but were disappointed to learn the twenty year-old ink was faulty and left the photos mostly faded, though Ellie decided to keep the sheet anyway. Riley then walked Ellie to the fourth wonder, Raja's Arcade, filled with working video game consoles including Mortal Kombat II which the both of them were fans of. The pair played several rounds of the game using an endless supply of coins from a dispenser Riley broke into. Unbeknownst to them, the sound of the games and their playing awoke a long-dormant in another part of the mall.
After Ellie finally got a Fatality, Riley tried to take Ellie to the next wonder but Ellie suggested it was time for her to head back to the dorms so she would not get in trouble, proposing they pick up the next day. Riley protested by offering to give Ellie a gift. She takes Ellie into the food court, revealing her living quarters in the kitchen of a taco restaurant, and a copy of No Pun Intended: Volume Too that she gifted to her. They shared some puns with each other, only for Ellie to notice a shelf full of bombs. Ellie, knowing the Fireflies' bombs are used to kill FEDRA soldiers, realizes Riley was actually stationed at the mall by the Fireflies rather than finding it herself. Riley protested that she would not let the Fireflies hurt Ellie. Ellie incredulously asked if Riley really thought the Fireflies would listen to her, and stormed out. Riley chased her through the food court and revealed Marlene's plans to sent her to Boston rather than left her recruit Ellie into the group. The night at the mall was meant to be one last chance to spend time together before she left.
==== One last dance ====
After Ellie stormed off, Riley activated a Halloween display meant to be the fifth wonder, which emitted screaming that drew Ellie back to the costume store. Ellie retrieved the joke book from Riley and lamented that she came back to give her a fun night only to leave her once again for a cause she does not fully understand. Riley replied that Ellie did not know what it was like having a family, which Riley had, albeit briefly, and has long wished to have again. She invited Ellie to do one last activity and gave Ellie one of the store's latex masks. She then plugged Ellie's into the store's speaker system and the two dance on the counter in their masks to Etta James' cover of "I Got You Babe".
Ellie soon slowed her dance and removed her mask as she stared at Riley, prompting Riley to remove her own mask. Ellie begged Riley not to leave Boston and kissed her. Riley kissed her back, the pair breaking apart and laughing together. Ellie smiled, asking what they should do next. Riley replied she did not know, but felt confident they would figure it out. 
Their moment was interrupted when the store is broken into by an infected. The pair fought the infected using Riley's gun and Ellie's switchblade. After a brutal fight, Ellie managed to stab it in the head. She was at first gleeful at having killed one, only to notice Riley staring at her arm. Looking down, she was horrified to discover she was bitten. Riley tearfully raised her own hand to reveal she was also bitten.
Ellie then threw a tantrum, smashing the glass on the display while Riley watched. After she stopped, Riley offered two options to move forward. Option one: they use her gun to kill themselves, which Riley admitted she did not like. Option two: they wait out the infection, and spend whatever time they have left together. Ellie asks Riley what the third option was. Riley could only apologize as the two embrace. Ellie was later forced to shoot Riley after she succumbed to the infection.HBO's The Last of Us episode 9: "Look for the Light"
== Personality ==
Riley was a rebellious young woman with a keen distrust for authority. Like most children born after the outbreak, Riley had to learn to become self-sufficient after the death of her family. Though she was taken care of within the military school of the zone, she broke the rules despite the consequences she would face for leaving the zone. Notably, she got into fights often, mostly to protect Ellie from others girls, and held authority figures in contempt, like Kwong. Her rebellious nature meant she actively moved against FEDRA, running away from their school and joining the terrorist group the Fireflies, to fight against them. Her distrustful nature grew with them, learning that FEDRA hid supplies from residents in the city and lied about areas that were roaming with infected to keep people subdued with fear.
Riley's alliance with the Fireflies revealed her idealism, with Riley believing that the current situation could improve and that through fighting she could enact that change. She believed this change could benefit those she cared for, notably Ellie. 
Riley held a deep affection for those she loved, namely Ellie. She would display a selfless nature, notably spending an entire day in the arcade store breaking open a coin dispenser on the chance it worked so Ellie could play Mortal Kombat II with her. This care expanded even more, with Riley planning an entire day out in the mall for Ellie. This care even led her to protect Ellie, the girl fighting several other students to keep her friend safe.
Discussions with Ellie has with Riley in the mall suggest her absence from the school, and the friction between herself and Ellie, was not only predicated by her desire to join the Fireflies, but also her growing feelings for her friend. Despite her dedication to the Fireflies' cause, however, the indirect admittance for how they both felt for each other was enough that Riley was willing to abandon them for Ellie. Even when facing death from infection, Riley chose to keep fighting as opposed to giving up completely, unable to surrender what time she had left with Ellie to suicide.
Regarding her interests, Riley appreciated music and video games from before the time of the infection. Though she calls the old music on Ellie's Walkman "shit", she will speak oppositely if the music Ellie listens to was chosen by herself. She enjoyed the game Mortal Kombat II, a fighting game.
== Relationships ==
=== Ellie ===
Ellie was Riley's best friend while growing up in the . The pair looked out for each other, with Riley protecting Ellie from the other girls in the school, particularly the older girls who tried to bully her. Riley showed much affection for Ellie, still thinking about her weeks after leaving the orphanage. Riley's loyalty to Ellie made it difficult for her to dedicate herself to the Fireflies, Riley begging Marlene to allow Ellie to joing so they could be together. When she refused, Riley snuck out from her outpost to see Ellie one more time. spending hours constructing the ideal tour for her in the Liberty Gardens mall, finding a pun book for her to read and even spent an entire night breaking open a cash vendor so Ellie could play Mortal Kombat II.
However, Riley could be dishonest to Ellie, keeping her reasons for being at Liberty Gardens a secret from Ellie and confessed she was leaving, knowing it would upset Ellie. However, when Ellie kissed her while they were dancing, Riley confessed she would not leave Ellie, revealing her dedication to Ellie was stronger than her dedication to the Fireflies. She also did not want to give up her life if it meant she could not spend it with Ellie, allowing herself to turn into an infected to spend more time with Ellie.
== Behind the scenes ==
* Riley is portrayed by American actress . Reid was unfamiliar with the original game prior to her casting; when approached to star in the show, she asked friends and family members for their opinions on the game.Hill, Jemele; Reid, Storm (February 14, 2022). "Storm Reid – The Light in the Darkness". Jemele Hill is Unbothered. Event occurs at 42:03. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
* It is implied in "Please Hold to My Hand" that Ellie had to kill Riley once she began to turn, as Ellie emotionally admits that Bryan was not her first experience killing someone (or trying to). This was later confirmed in "Look for the Light" when she finds the courage to open up to Joel about it.
== Gallery ==
=== Promotional images ===
Riley HBO promo poster.jpeg|Promotional poster featuring Storm Reid as Riley.
=== Official stills ===
S1E7 Riley 2.jpg|Riley in Ellie's dorm room.
S1E7 Riley 1.jpg|Riley listens to Ellie in her room.
S1E7 Riley and Ellie 1.jpg|Ellie questions where Riley has been.
S1E7 Riley 3.jpg|Riley in the generator room of Liberty Gardens.
S1E7 Riley and Ellie 3.jpg|Ellie and Riley enter Liberty Gardens.
S1E7 Riley and Ellie 4.jpg|Riley and Ellie spy a lingerie store.
S1E7 Riley and Ellie 5.jpg|Riley and Ellie bemuse about the need for lingerie before the outbreak.
S1E7 Riley and Ellie 6.jpg|Ellie and Riley ride the carousal.
S1E7 Riley and Ellie 7.jpg|Ellie and Riley exchange words on the carousal.
S1E7 Riley and Ellie 14.jpg|Riley and Ellie outside Raja's arcade.
S1E7 Riley and Ellie 13.jpg|Riley standing with Ellie.
S1E7 Riley 4.jpg|Riley in Raja's Arcade.
S1E7 Riley and Ellie 2.jpg|Ellie reads a joke to Riley.
S1E7 Riley and Ellie 8.jpg|Ellie confronts Riley about her actions as a Firefly.
S1E7 Riley 5.jpg|Riley in the Halloween store.
S1E7 Riley and Ellie 9.jpg|Ellie and Riley sit together in the Halloween store.
S1E7 Riley and Ellie 10.jpg|Ellie and Riley on the counters in the Halloween store.
S1E7 Riley and Ellie 12.jpg|Ellie and Riley dancing together.
== References ==
Category:HBO's The Last of Us characters
Category:HBO's The Last of Us deceased characters
Category:Members of the Fireflies (HBO series)