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Who is Kathleen in The Last of Us? Is She A Villain?


Who is Kathleen in The Last of Us? Is She A Villain?
Credit: HBO

New characters join the band as The Last of Us Episode 4 introduces faces that will paint what comes next in the series. While most of them are familiar ones from the game, there's one that is made for the TV show -- Kathleen. Who is she and is she a villain? Find out about Melanie Lynskey's role here!

Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Last of Us. Read at your own risk!

Who is Kathleen in The Last of Us?

Who is Kathleen in The Last of Us?
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Credit: HBO
Who is Kathleen in The Last of Us?

Yellowjackets actress Melanie Lynskey plays Kathleen in The Last of Us and she is the leader of a revolutionary movement in Kansas City. While most characters in the series are from the game, Kathleen is created solely for the show.

The group, however, that Kathleen leads is one directly pulled out from the game. They are called the Hunters and they perfectly embody what it is life when humanity takes a brutal turn into being selfish, self-serving people who will do everything just to survive an apocalypse.

The game did not necessarily introduce a leader to the Hunters which makes Kathleen's character a mysterious yet terrifying take on being the head of the group that would not even flinch killing any trespasser on their territory, Kansas City.

READ MORE: The Ending of The Last of Us Episode 4 Explained: Who are Henry and Sam?

Is Kathleen a Villain in The Last of Us?

Is Kathleen a Villain in The Last of Us?
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Credit: HBO
Is Kathleen a Villain in The Last of Us?

With the way things are presented and with her affiliation and position in the Hunters, it is safe to assume that yes, Kathleen is a villain. The Hunters are ruthless survivors who would kill anyone who steps foot in their territory. They are also raiders, the same ones that attacked Bill and Frank in Episode 3.

Speaking with ScreenRant, showrunner Neil Druckmann revealed that Craig Mazin created the character of Kathleen but her role and that of the Hunters wouldn't be the same as that in the game.

Druckmann said, "Another one that Craig came up with was the character of Kathleen, who was the leader of who in the game of these guys were the hunters, and they take a slightly different role here. I love the idea that there aren't just good guys and bad guys."

Putting things into perspective, Kathleen is much like Joel in some ways. The both love their brothers so much, Joel's brother is missing so he is motivated to look for him but Kathleen's brother didn't seem lucky and may have been a casualty during their revolt with FEDRA.

Joel lives within the shadows and just doing everything to survive. Kathleen is quite the same, however, their means are different. Kathleen is brutal, and she would kill to survive whereas Joel wouldn't kill if it isn't necessary at all.

See more of Kathleen in The Last of Us, streaming new episodes weekly on HBO.

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