Saddest Deaths in Naughty Dog Games

Summary

Naughty Dog's storytelling prowess shines through in shocking character deaths that leave players in tears.
Heart-wrenching moments in games like The Last of Us showcase the emotional depth of Naughty Dog's narratives.
From Henry & Sam to Joel Miller, the impact of tragic deaths in Naughty Dog games resonates long after the game ends.

Naughty Dog truly excels at telling amazing stories. The combination of revolutionary graphics, superb acting, and immersive writing makes for compelling and real characters, and to see these characters experience all forms of pain, whether it be grief, loss, or physical, makes for some truly upsetting moments, and provides audiences with some of the saddest deaths in not just Naughty Dog gaming history, but in all of gaming.

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Naughty Dog were not always known to make such grounded and emotional stories, and their time with Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter showed a merry whimsical nature with their characters. Yet, franchises like Uncharted and The Last of Us have cemented Naughty Dog as one of the best developers out there, featuring some truly sad deaths that can bring a tear to anyone.

5 Henry & Sam

Infection & Grief Take Hold

Game Appearance	The Last of Us
Cause of Death	Sam becomes infected and is shot by his brother, Henry, who then turns the gun on himself.

Henry and Sam are a rare duo in The Last of Us, due to the fact that they are the only people that Ellie and Joel find that aren’t out to kill them or rob them, or worse. Henry and Sam are brothers, and the older brother, Henry, is constantly looking out for Sam, fighting to protect him, just as Joel does with Ellie. The two are inseparable, and their bond only grows with Joel and Ellie, leading to a great team-up, and a brewing friendship in this post-apocalyptic world.

Unfortunately, the infected always take, and a clicker manages to bite Sam. Sam hides his infection, but come morning, he’s lost himself and is now a runner. Henry is forced to kill his little brother and struck with grief, and unable to listen to Joel’s pleas, he shoots himself to be reunited with his brother, not before blaming himself with gritted teeth and tears. It’s an intense death of two beloved characters, gone too soon.

4 Victor Sullivan

A Powerful Illusion That Tricks Nate Into Seeing His Best Friend Dead

Game Appearance	Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
Cause of Death	Shot in the back by Talbot and Marlowe.

Sully is Nathan Drake’s number one partner in the Uncharted games, and through thick and thin, the duo always gets through the other side, albeit, as long as treasure is involved. Sully is a great partner, even if he acts a tad sleazy from time to time. In Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, the two celebrate the wonders of Ubar, with Nathan Drake drinking from a fountain moments prior, only to return to his conversation with Sully to find his mentor, his best friend, shot in the back and dying in his arms.

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By George W.L. Smith

His death comes so suddenly and quickly that even Sully is shocked, and only says “What?” In fear of the bullet lodged in his chest. It’s a shocking death, and players will rage on as Nathan Drake against their enemies, only to discover that it was a fakeout, an illusion. Sully may not have died, but the memory of his potential death still lingers as a fear.

3 Riley Abel

Ellie’s Best Friend & First Love

Best Friends Riley and Ellie in The LAst of us

Game Appearance	The Last of Us: Left Behind
Cause of Death	Killed by becoming infected.

Riley and Ellie were an inseparable duo in The Last of Us, and although audiences only peaked into their relationship briefly, it was clear just how much they meant to each other. The two were great friends, and running around an abandoned shopping mall, goofing off without a care in the world, adds to the charm and simplicity of their relationship, up until that first kiss.

Ellie and Riley’s first kiss showed how deep these feelings go for each other until a horde of infected came towards them. In the aftermath, both Ellie and Riley were bit, and they were given the option to lose their minds together and die in the safety of one another's arms. Except, Ellie found out she was immune, whilst poor Riley had to succumb to her horrific infection.

2 Sarah Miller

Joel’s Daughter Died Of A Gunshot Wound In His Arms

Sarah Miller daughter of Joel in The Last of Us

Game Appearance	The Last of Us
Cause of Death	Shot and killed by a U.S. Soldier trying to cull survivors of outbreak day.

The Last of Us doesn’t begin with the horrific state of the world post-outbreak. Players are thrust into day one, watching as the world descends into chaos and violence. Bare witness to the fate of Sarah, the daughter of Joel, as the two barely escape with their lives, only to be gunned down by the same soldier that saved them.

Joel doesn’t get hit by the barrage of bullets from the soldier, but Sarah does. She whimpers and cries out, drawing short and fast last breaths through pain, confusion, and fear. Joel holds her close, begging her not to leave, but it’s too late. Joel loses his daughter, and Sarah’s death haunts him decades after the outbreak and haunts players years after the scene itself.

1 Joel Miller

Murdered In Front Of His World

tlou-part-1-joel-angry-face — the last of us joel photo mode resized

Game Appearance	The Last of Us Part 2
Cause of Death	Beaten to death by remnants of the Fireflies

Joel Miller, the protagonist of The Last of Us, was someone with strong flaws, but all that aided to make him an interesting character. Fans rooted for Joel, and even though they saw the mistakes that made him who he was, they still knew at heart he was a broken man who just wanted his daughter back. His fight to save Ellie at the end of The Last of Us would see consequences and an odyssey of revenge that he could not prepare for, as he was hunted early into The Last of Us Part 2 by the daughter of the doctor he killed.

Joel is savagely beaten to death by Abby and her group of former Fireflies. Whilst they see his death as justified, it’s the torture, the screams of his demise, and the loss of this great character, that stings the most. To make matters worse, Ellie is forced to watch helplessly, and their fractured relationship is unable to heal. Grief, rage, and anxiety, all spur and mix into a toxic concoction that builds upon Ellie’s journey in The Last of Us Part 2, as it does for players who want to avenge him.