It’s common knowledge that gender representation is an issue in video games. Women are under-represented in the medium overall, according to the research, and that’s not just in terms of playable characters. In the age of digital platforms, trans representation has progressed considerably, expanding beyond the confines of traditional television to other types of audiovisual media, like video games. A lot of people have been gushing about the strong female characters in The Last of Us ever since the game came out. Indeed, these female characters aren’t sexualised or idealised like the ones in a lot of games. The things they’ve endured continue to plague them. They have mixed feelings and are compassionate. But it’s challenging to see how just showing women as human beings merits any acclaim.

“Trans TV” is how Mareike Jenner describes Lev and Ellie from The Last of Us Part II. Her definition of “Trans TV” encompasses both the visibility of transgenderism in popular culture and the evolution of television programming for new digital platforms. Among the most intriguing aspects of “The Last of Us Part II” is Lev’s appearance. Naughty Dog’s newest marks a dramatic shift in tone and story as a young transgender guy flees an intolerant community. Jenner’s idea of “transfandom,” in which gamers are invited to form close connections with marginalised identities through personalised storytelling, is congruent with Lev’s journey. However, being one of the sole trans characters in AAA games makes his presence complicated for trans audiences.

Much earlier gaming tales integrated heteronormative norms, but Ellie’s out gay status undermines that. The relationship with Dina lines up with Lotz’s claim that diversified representation is made feasible by the internet-distributed platform since it was deep and intricate. But the stakes are higher in Part II of The Last of Us because of the emotionally raw dialogue and cutscenes that immerse players in Ellie’s life. Aesthetic breakthroughs of queer TV are reflected in the game’s cinematics, particularly in the delicately shared dance scene between Dina and Ellie. It’s a little like the montage scenes in Sense8 that seamlessly connect queer lives. On top of that, Abby and Lev’s connection is very similar to Joel and Ellie’s in the first game. Beyond expanding the found-family and mentorship theme beyond conventional gender stereotypes, this narrative diversion imposes an expectation on the player that they had not anticipated. By combining other novel audiovisual approaches with transgressive or boundary-clearing storylines, it opens new ground in media inclusion.

REFRENCES-

“An Uneven Partnership – First Person Scholar.” First Person Scholar – Weekly Critical Essays, Commentaries, and Book Reviews on Games, 9 July 2014, http://www.firstpersonscholar.com/an-uneven-partnership/.

Beeler-Beistad, Lauren. “The Last of Us Moving on from Abby Would Add Insult to Injury.” Game Rant, 27 Oct. 2024, gamerant.com/last-of-us-tlou-abby-story-character-arc-important-why/. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.

Muncy, Julie. “Perspective | the Trans Narrative in “the Last of Us Part II” Is Compelling. There’s so Much More to Be Done.” Washington Post, 21 July 2020, http://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2020/07/21/trans-narrative-last-us-part-ii-is-compelling-theres-so-much-more-be-done/.

“The Last of Us and Grading on the Gender Curve.” GameSpot, http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-and-grading-on-the-gender-curve/1100-6411051/.

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