I didn't hate Abby when she killed Joel. Did I like her or what she did? No. I had no idea what to make of that cold-blooded murder. It was very shocking for a moment but then I just wanted to unravel this mystery. Why did they kill him? They knew who he was. At first I suspected Tommy, since they let him live. But that suspicion didn't last long. Abby was set up to be disliked. The first time I saw her I thought "she looks like a trans woman". But then she kills Joel, and that didn't stir any hard feelings towards her, I mean, I was shocked, but then I was intrigued about why do that. Then I play as Ellie and track her down, Ellie does a couple of questionable things on the way, but hell, it's revenge time and it's a savage world, I'm not questioning Ellie's actions, as gruesome as they get.
She eventually finds Abby who kills Jesse and it's about to kill the rest of their friends, and her, and then the story flips sides and I'm playing as Abby. Abby as a young girl. It was totally unexpected. It was. I liked that, though I was more worried about all my equipment and upgrades being lost (LOL, honestly!).
Not to make this a complete retelling of the story, but as I played with Abby I started to get to know her, her friends, her life. I'm still not a fan of hers. And I say, that's OK. I don't have to be a fan of the character. I grew fond of her when she showed compassion to Lev and his sister. Maybe she's not bad, maybe she just really hates the people who, well, killed her father and other colleagues, and who knows how many more. The sharpshooter scene was for me the first nail in the coffin. When I realized it was Tommy, and he fights Abby, that's was just a prelude of what was to come. I felt the clash of emotions, but it was brief, it was intense, but I was shocked again, I didn't want to Kill Tommy, but a little part of me wanted to. And I didn't want him to kill Abby. That was quite a moment.
Finally I come to what seemed to me at the moment as the final showdown. I'm like, wait...Ellie's the final "boss"? This can't be right. I have encountered emotions and it's all cool I'm now on the other side watching Ellie being sneaky and beating the crap out of me (I played on very hard all settings except supplies), but I'm not sure I like where this is going. When I first get to the point where I get to choke Ellie, I'm expecting a choice or a command prompt or a cut-scene. I couldn't bring myself to do it and Ellie beats me. But the fight resets and it dawns on me: these fucking writers! They want me to kill Ellie. I mean, it's not like she doesn't deserve it. She definitely does. But, it's not like Abby is any better. This is not the end I want for this story, it can't be like that. I finally bring myself to press square all the way to the end. I had never in my life felt so disgusted by pressing a button continually. I just wanted it to end. Then she stops. Abby spares her life. Wow. That was intense. The game could have ended on that note and it would have been great. But it wouldn't have been fair to Ellie. You see, when Abby spares her life, that didn't bring peace to Ellie. Abby now had lost her friends, but she was the better one, because she decided to put a stop on the cycle of revenge. But Ellie had done many wrongs and she didn't get peace or find redemption.
Ellie returned to Dina and she was seemingly happy, but then she can't find peace and chooses to follow revenge once again. Now I really don't like Ellie. Leave Nina and her son, to go searching for Abby once again. Ellie was broken, she just couldn't put it behind her, even with the prospect of a new family and someone who loves her. I think Ellie was still lost within herself, and she felt vilified. She couldn't accept the killer of Joel had gotten away, and was disgusted at this "compassion" she showed her. I think she hated that. In the end Ellie redeems herself by letting go of Abby, letting go of grief, hate and revenge. She looked at Lev and saw herself and Joel. And then the final flashback to Joel, that conversation they had that night. I finally understood. She never got to make peace with Joel. Abby robbed her of that. Now she finally let go of Joel. Though I don't think she found peace. It was a perfect ending, and I don't think any other game has been as cleverly written or more gutsy in its approach.