Alright, let's dive deep into the tragic and complex world of The Last of Us Part 2. As someone who's played through Ellie's brutal revenge quest more times than I'd like to admit, the story of Abby and her friends is one that sticks with you. It's messy, it's heartbreaking, and it forces you to see both sides of a conflict where there are no real winners. Today, I want to break down exactly what happened to each member of the "Salt Lake Crew"—the group that traveled to Jackson to kill Joel. This isn't just about who lived and who died; it's about understanding the consequences of revenge in a world that's already overflowing with pain.

First up, the woman herself: Abby Anderson. Man, where do I even start? 😮‍💨 Playing as Abby was one of the most challenging narrative experiences I've had in a game. We first meet her as this relentless force of vengeance, single-mindedly hunting down Joel for killing her father, the Firefly doctor who could have created a cure. It's so hard to like her at first, right? But her journey isn't just about revenge. After Seattle, her life gets completely upended. She finds purpose again in protecting Lev, a young Seraphite (Scar) she saves. This act of compassion flips her whole world. She and Lev leave Seattle, searching for any remaining Fireflies. But their journey south to Santa Barbara goes horribly wrong. They're captured by a brutal slave-owning group called the Rattlers and thrown into a labor camp. Just when all hope seems lost, who shows up? Ellie. In a final, gut-wrenching confrontation on the beach, a battered and starved Abby is freed by Ellie, only to be forced into one last fight. In a moment of profound clarity, Ellie spares her. The last we see, Abby and Lev sail away on a boat, and it's heavily implied they finally find the Fireflies. It's a bittersweet ending for a character who lost everything but found a new reason to live.

Now, let's talk about Abby's crew, one by one. This is where Ellie's path of destruction gets real.

Jordan was one of Abby's WLF buddies who helped track Joel to Jackson. Back in Seattle, he's one of the first to fall. He actually manages to capture Ellie early in her rampage, holding her at gunpoint in a theater. But he hesitates. He's scared, trying to figure out if more people from Jackson are coming. That hesitation is all Dina needs. She flanks him, creating an opening for Ellie to break free and... well, let's just say a knife to the neck ends Jordan's story pretty quickly. His death sets the tone for Ellie's mission: ruthless and efficient.

Leah is another friend who went to Jackson. When the group returns to Seattle, she's given what seems like a simple job: guard duty at a local TV station. But in this world, no place is safe. Before Ellie can even get to her, the Seraphites (the Scars) attack the station. When Ellie and Tommy finally arrive, they don't find a target for their revenge. They just find Leah's body, riddled with arrows. Her fate is a grim reminder that in Seattle, death comes from all sides, not just from the person hunting you.

Then there's Manny. Oh, Manny. The charismatic, flirty lieutenant of the WLF. He was one of Abby's most trusted friends and shared her hatred for Joel. His mistake, like the others, was letting Ellie and Tommy live in Jackson. Back in Seattle, he's on a mission with Abby when they come under fire from a deadly sniper. That sniper turns out to be Tommy Miller, Joel's brother. In a tense cat-and-mouse game, Tommy outsmarts their ambush. Manny, peeking out from cover for just a second, gets his head blown off by a high-caliber round. It's sudden, brutal, and shows Tommy is just as dangerous as his brother ever was.

The story gets even more tragic with Mel. She was a former Firefly, a medic who believed in helping people. The violence in Jackson haunted her. To make things more complicated, she was pregnant with Owen's baby. She and Owen planned to leave the WLF and all the fighting behind, hoping to find the Fireflies and start a new life at the Seattle Aquarium. But Ellie finds them first. A tense standoff turns violent. Owen tries to fight Ellie for the gun. Mel, trying to protect Owen, goes for Ellie with a knife. In the struggle, Ellie turns the knife on Mel. She bleeds out on the floor of the aquarium, her dream of a peaceful future dying with her and her unborn child. This moment is a huge turning point for Ellie—the cost of her revenge becomes unbearably real.

Nick had a relatively minor role in Jackson but was part of the crew. Back in Seattle, he was assigned to defend the Serevena Hotel. He never stood a chance. Tommy Miller, carving a bloody path of his own through the city, got to him first. When Ellie and Dina later find Nick's body, the scene is chilling. He's tied to a chair, clearly tortured for information. Ellie recognizes the method—it's something Joel taught Tommy. This moment powerfully connects Tommy's rage to Joel's legacy, showing how the cycle of violence teaches its own brutal techniques.

Nora Harris had a deep personal connection to the tragedy. She was a medical trainee under Abby's father, Jerry. His death sent her on the same vengeful path as Abby. In Seattle, she works as a WLF medical officer at the hospital. Ellie tracks her down there, leading to one of the game's most intense and horrifying sequences. Nora flees into the hospital's lower levels, an area thick with lethal Cordyceps spores. Ellie, wearing a gas mask, follows her into the toxic fog. Nora, without a mask, is already doomed. But Ellie, consumed by her need for Abby's location, doesn't let the spores finish the job. She corners Nora and beats her to death with a lead pipe. It's a low point for Ellie, a moment of sheer brutality that strips away any remaining innocence.

Finally, we have Owen. He was Abby's childhood friend and arguably her closest confidant. He was all-in on the revenge mission for her sake. But Owen had a change of heart. Learning about Mel's pregnancy made him want out. He dreamed of finding the Fireflies in Santa Barbara and building a safe life. He and Mel were at the aquarium, ready to escape, when Ellie found them. In the ensuing chaos, as described with Mel, Owen is shot in the chest. His final moments are watching the woman he loved and their unborn child be killed. Owen's story is the ultimate tragedy of good intentions corrupted by past violence. He wanted to stop the cycle, but the cycle consumed him anyway.

So, what's the final tally? Let's lay it out clearly:

Character	Fate	How It Happened
Abby	Survived	Spared by Ellie; escaped with Lev to find Fireflies.
Jordan	Killed	Stabbed in the neck by Ellie after being flanked by Dina.
Leah	Killed	Killed by Seraphite archers before Ellie could reach her.
Manny	Killed	Shot in the head by Tommy Miller's sniper rifle.
Mel	Killed	Stabbed by Ellie during a struggle at the aquarium.
Nick	Killed	Captured and executed by Tommy Miller for information.
Nora	Killed	Beaten to death by Ellie in a spore-infested hospital basement.
Owen	Killed	Shot by Ellie during the confrontation at the aquarium.

Looking at this list is depressing, isn't it? 😔 Only Abby (and Lev, who wasn't part of the original crew) made it out alive. Everyone else was killed by either Ellie or Tommy, or in Leah's case, by the ongoing war in Seattle. The game doesn't let you feel good about any of this. Each kill weighs on Ellie, and by extension, on the player.

Reflecting on it all from our perspective in 2026, The Last of Us Part 2 remains a masterpiece of uncomfortable storytelling. It shows revenge not as a glorious quest but as a corrosive, self-destructive force. Abby's friends weren't just faceless goons; they were people with relationships, regrets, and hopes for the future. Mel and Owen wanted a family. Nora was a healer trained by the best. Manny was a loyal friend. By making us play as Abby, the game forces us to see them as human beings, making Ellie's actions—actions we directly control—feel increasingly horrific.

The closure we get is messy. Abby finds a sliver of hope. Ellie returns to an empty home, having lost everything she was trying to avenge. And we, the players, are left to sit with the devastating cost of it all. The fate of Abby's crew is the engine of this tragedy, a stark reminder that in a world trying to kill you, sometimes the most destructive force is your own need for payback.