I finished my second playthrough of The Last of Us last night (about to start Left Behind again). On my first playthrough, I leaned toward supporting Joel’s decision at the end of the game, but I was still very divided on it. On a second playthrough, not as much.
Marlene’s voice recording and journal entry were very emotional and self-centered. She even mentioned that she was going to leave (the Fireflies, presumably, not just that location) because she couldn’t bear the way the others were looking at her after her repeated failures. She sounded quite desperate for something to grab onto to reboot her organization and her role in it, so her decision-making process to me seemed more emotional than logical.
What do you all think of Marlene? Regardless of whether you felt Joel’s decision was right or wrong, do you think Marlene was being logical when she made her choice at the end of the game? Do you think she was motivated by the greater good or by selfish emotion (not so different from Joel, in a way)?