Rewriting A Tragedy: An Introduction to 'Zionism and The Last of Us'

Brief overview

This video is the first part of a planned multi-part series exploring Zionism and The Last of Us. The creator (Jack) explains the project was shortened by medical and family interruptions, promises a deeper Part 2, and peppers the talk with recurring “Relaxation Room” breaks and a Surfshark sponsor bit.

Core argument and setup

• Central question: Can The Last of Us (especially Part II) be read as having connections to Israeli politics and Zionism, given Neil Druckmann’s Israeli background and an interview where he cites a childhood reaction to the 2000 Ramallah lynching as inspiration?
• The video opens by summarizing a 2020 Vice piece by Emanuel Maiberg that argued The Last of Us Part II quietly encodes Israel-related politics—chiefly through its depiction of two warring factions and a theme of cyclical revenge.

Summary of the games and themes

Jack frames the two games as complementary explorations of human bonds and violence:

• Part I: a tightly accessible, cinematic exploration of love, family, and the boundaries of “us.”
• Part II: a mirror to Part I — an exploration of hate, revenge, and how those cycles destroy people and communities.

Two main narrative strands in Part II:

1. The personal revenge arc (Joel/Ellie ↔ Abby).
2. The factional conflict (Wolves/Scars in Seattle).

Recurring moral: revenge begets more violence; mercy offers the only real hope.

Controversy, leaks, and community reactions

• The video recounts the intense backlash to Part II: Joel’s early death, being forced to play as Abby, pacing and gameplay complaints.
• Leaks amplified resentment by spoiling key beats before release.
• Jack criticizes extreme online responses:
  • Some reduced objections to “they killed Joel” or reflexive “woke/trans” panic (e.g., the “big muscly lady who may or may not be trans” trope).
  • Others made substantive critiques about pacing and structure.
• Jack gives Part II a 6/10, calling out pacing problems and obligatory gameplay stretches, while defending its moral ambition and the idea that a game can force uncomfortable empathy.

The Closer Look rewrite — summary and critique

• Summary of the fan rewrite (by The Closer Look): keep Joel alive, recast Abby’s motives into a bigger “third-party evil empire” plot (FEDRA/General Redgrave), and turn the story into a conventional “team up / reunite / revenge” narrative.
• Jack’s takedown: he argues this rewrite would
  • Flatten the mirror-characters and the story’s moral messiness.
  • Replace tragic personal stakes with a conventional villain plot.
  • Retcon the thematic payoff that makes Part II interesting — specifically, the idea that two people see the other as the cause of their trauma and are warped by revenge.

Politics, representation, and mapping the game to Zionism

• Druckmann’s cited inspiration (the Ramallah lynching) makes a political reading plausible, but the cycle-of-violence trope is ancient and universal; it does not automatically mean the game is a direct allegory for Israel/Palestine.
• Jack pushes back on reductive takes:
  • “It’s just pandering/wokeness” is too simple.
  • Complexity of characters does not equal endorsement or villainy.
• He admits part of the audience’s reaction was about attachment to comfort characters and how those characters are used.
• Broader question raised: Are games equipped to handle real-world, recent political violence sensitively?
  • References past controversies (e.g., Six Days in Fallujah).
  • Cites Spec Ops: The Line as an example of a game that handled politics better.

Tone, recurring bits, and notable jokes

The video uses heavy humor and snark throughout:

• Recurring “Relaxation Room” interludes.
• Mock-sponsor / Surfshark asides.
• Jokes about living in Dark Souls, “deady walky frowny men” for zombies.
• A running gag: “Did you read the Vice article?”
• Over-the-top disdain for certain fan rewrites (“I fucking hate this,” “smithereens”).
• Defends Bella Ramsey’s performance in the HBO adaptation, skewers Craig Mazin for over-emphasizing a sadistic Ellie, and lampoons reductive fan expectations (e.g., recasting Abby as a mustache-twirling villain to vindicate Joel).

Conclusion and next steps

• This video functions as an introduction: it frames narrative and thematic issues in The Last of Us games, addresses fan outrage and political readings, and sets the groundwork for a Part 2.
• Promised Part 2 will dive deeper into Zionism, Israel, Druckmann’s background, and how (or whether) those elements might reframe readings of The Last of Us.

Notable personalities mentioned

• Jack (video host / narrator)
• Emanuel Maiberg (Vice article author)
• Neil Druckmann (Naughty Dog creative director/writer)
• The Closer Look (YouTube critic / author of the fan rewrite)
• Anita Sarkeesian (referenced)
• Bella Ramsey (actor in the HBO show)
• Craig Mazin (showrunner, referenced)
• Washington Post (source of Druckmann interview)
• Surfshark (sponsor)
• In-game characters referenced: Joel, Ellie, Abby, Dina, Owen, Mel, Jesse, Henry, Sam
• Fan-rewrite character: “General Redgrave”