Traumatized Relationship with Violence

“What I don’t understand is the notion that one character is crueler than the other, and that if one is, it’s surely the young girl who has a personal, traumatized relationship with violence rather than a distant one” @heartimecia

In The Last of Us, violence is as normal as breathing. That‘s why I struggle with the notion that Ellie’s drive is incomprehensible. I understand the feelings of anger and disappointment with Ellie’s vengeance. After all, the game itself encourages these feelings, allowing you to choose whether to empathize with her or not. What I don’t understand is the notion that one character is crueler than the other, and that if one is, it’s surely the young girl who has a personal, traumatized relationship with violence rather than a distant one. She’s the one whose connection to violence is uncomfortable in not just its sheer brutality, but also in how it makes the player think about it.