Marlene (The Last of Us)

Marlene is the main antagonist of The Last of Us and a posthumous character in The Last of Us Part II, serving as the posthumous overarching antagonist of Ellie's storyline and a posthumous character in Abby's storyline. She is the leader of an extremist anti-government group known as the Fireflies devoted to fighting the totalitarian rule of the military in a post-apocalyptic world in 2033.
She was voiced and motion-captured by Merle Dandridge, who is famous for voicing Alyx Vance in Half-Life 2 and its episodes, and also played Evelyn and Sister Catherine in Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, another Naughty Dog video game series. Dandridge has also portrayed Marlene in the HBO adaptation.
==Biography==
===Background===
Marlene was the leader of the Fireflies, a group who fought against the Military totalitarian rule during the apocalypse. Marlene met and befriended a woman named Anna, who asked the former to protect her daughter, Ellie as her dying wish. Agreeing so, Marlene protected Ellie and had her taken to a military boarding school, keeping an eye on her. In addition, Marlene was close with Tommy, who eventually left the Fireflies, but told her that she could trust his brother Joel to get a job done.
===American Dreams===
During the events of The Last of Us: American Dreams, Marlene saves Ellie and Riley Abel from the infected, and fought against smugglers. Riley wanted to join the Fireflies, but Marlene rejected the notion, going as far to point a gun at her, but drop it when Ellie took Firefly soldier's gun. Marlene revealed to Ellie that she was a close friends with her mother, and gave her a switchblade before sending the two back to the boarding school.
Marlene changed her tone and recruited Riley into the Fireflies, and had her kill an infected during her initiation. When Ellie asked to join, Marlene refused and forbid Riley to see her again, even going as far to send Riley to another city in a unit. Despite this, Riley sneaked away and spent time with Ellie, which would lead the two to be bitten by infected, with only Ellie surviving the bite. Seeing that Ellie didn't turn, she realized that they can create a vaccine to kill off the infected.
===Events of the Last of Us===
Wanting to keep morale within the Fireflies, Marlene attempted to buy weapons from Robert, but things when awry and she got critically injured. Marlene returned to him to only find him dead by Joel and Tess, his former allies whom he betrayed. Marlene greeted the two and told them they could get their guns back if they help her smuggle something out of the city. Returning back to her hideout, Marlene introduced the two to Ellie, and told Joel to take Ellie to another hideout as Tess and her verified the weapons.
After recovering her weapons, Marlene and her men left Boston and dealt with many casualties along the journey. Despite their loses, Marlene and her men became optimistic and made it to Salt Lake City in early 2034. At the hospital, Marlene learned that Joel and Ellie were suppose to meet the Fireflies at the Capitol Building, but were found dead. Marlene went into deep depression, questing her leadership, and doubting the Fireflies cause. By July, Marlene learned that the Fireflies found an older man and a young girl who nearly drowned, and had them brought to the hospital.
Bringing Ellie to the hospital, the doctors revealed that extracting the parasite would kill her, and asked Marlene to give the go ahead to do the surgery. Shocked (thinking they would have done it regardless of her decision), she allowed the go ahead, but questioned it on two of her recordings. Meeting with Joel, Marlene revealed that Ellie was prepped for surgery, but also replied that she could die. When Joel objects to the surgery, Marlene sympathizes with him, but stops him by having Ethan knock him in the back, and told him that this was too important than both of them. Marlene then ordered Ethan to take Joel away, and if he fought or tried to stop the operation, have him killed.
After Joel's massacre and carrying Ellie to the parking lot, Marlene attempts to stop him at gunpoint. She goes on that Ellie can't be saved, as she would eventually be killed by clickers, thugs, or sexually assaulted. Marlene then told him that this would be what Ellie wanted, and tried to show peace by lowering her gun and raising her hands. She was then shot by Joel, who placed Ellie in the car to getaway. Bleeding to death, Marlene pleaded with Joel to let her go, but he responds that she will come after her, and shoots her in the face. Joel would lie to Ellie about what happened, stating that there was no cure, but Ellie appears to not believe all he says, even telling him to swear before the game ends.
===Legacy===
Her death was avenged by Abby Anderson, the daughter of Jerry Anderson, who was the head surgeon Joel killed to rescue Ellie. Wanting revenge for her father's death, Abby brutally tortured and killed Joel in front of Ellie. Ellie would later swear vengeance for Joel's demise alongside Joel's younger brother, Tommy. Ellie would abandon her revenge despite still suffering from trauma, as Tommy remained with the Jackson community despite suffering from physical injuries and separating from his wife.
==Gallery==
Marlene-and-Joel.jpg|Marlene confronts Joel.
Marlene_last_moment.jpg|Marlene pleads with Joel to let her go.
Marlene's-death.jpg|Marlene's death.
==Trivia==
*Ellie refers to Marlene as "just a friend, I guess" even though Marlene took care of her shortly after she was born. As such, it is unusual that she thinks Joel is closer to her than Marlene, possibly because Marlene sent her to a military boarding school. Given Ellie's emotionally closed-off personality, it is also possible that she may have felt uncomfortable opening up to talk about Marlene as a close friend.
==External Links==
*Marlene at the Villains Wiki
*Marlene at the The Last of Us Wiki
fr:Marlene (The Last of Us)
Category:Female
Category:Anti-Heroes
Category:Honorable
Category:Video Game Heroes
Category:Antagonists
Category:Leaders
Category:Freedom Fighters
Category:Deceased
Category:Tragic
Category:Betrayed
Category:Fighters
Category:Extremists
Category:On & Off
Category:Criminals
Category:True Neutral
Category:Sympathetic
Category:Failure-Intolerant
Category:Rescuers
Category:Lethal
Category:Traitor
Category:Good Vs. Good
Category:Friend of a Villain
Category:Stalkers
Category:Scapegoat
Category:Dreaded
Category:Merciful
Category:Hegemony
Category:Power Hungry
Category:Fallen
Category:Parents
Category:Charismatic
Category:Lawful Neutral
Category:Virtually Resourceful
Category:Paranoid
Category:Sophisticated
Category:Liars
Category:Posthumous
Category:Jerks