“Chilly Ice Queen”: Kaitlyn Dever Talks About Abby in The Last of Us Season 2

The Last of Us Season 2 has premiered and after months of anticipation, viewers got to see Kaitlyn Dever’s version of Abby. While online reactions are positive thus far, the actor knew what she was signing up for when she realized how hated the character was in the game- The Last of Us Part II. 

The in-game character was hated for multiple reasons, but there were mainly two things that irked players- one was her build. Many faithful followers of The Last Of Us franchise believed that Abby was unnaturally bulked up. Another reason was because she killed Joel, one of the two protagonists of the gaming franchise. 

Dever revealed how she interpreted the character that a large portion of the gaming fanbase hated passionately. 

What does Kaitlyn Dever Think of Abby?

In an interview with THR, Kaitlyn Dever revealed what she thinks of Abby. The actor said, “The way into Abby is knowing how grief feels and how loss affects you, especially in the immediate aftermath. There’s just this shock and this desire to make it all go away.”

She also tagged Abby as a “chilly ice queen,” saying, “She just needs something to make it all better and in that moment (after learning that Joel has killed her father), the only thing she can think about is revenge. She’s heartbroken, she’s sad, she’s lost, and she’s trying to pick up the pieces.”

She further explained, “When she walks into a room, she comes through with this intense strength. It’s what makes her scary and intimidating. But it’s all because of how much pain she’s gone through.”

Why does Abby hate Joel?

At the end of the last season we saw Joel wipe out multiple members of the Firefly resistance group when they were going to perform an operation on Ellie that would have ended her life, but could have potentially created a cure for the cordyceps infection. One of the members present there when Joel was going on his rampage was Abby’s father. 

So, he became a casualty, and from this stems Abby’s intense anger toward Joel. Viewers get a glimpse of her hatred in the season opener when she says with venom in her voice, “Slowly, when we kill him, we kill him slowly.” At its core, The Last of Us is about the bond between fathers and daughters. It shows the extent one can go when their loved one is threatened. 

Where can you Stream The Last of Us Season 2?

The Last of Us season two is now streaming on HBO and Max. New episodes air weekly on Sundays. The second episode will premiere on April 20, 2025.

Read More: The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 1: All the Easter Eggs and Game Changes you Might have Missed