We may earn a commission when you buy through links in our articles. Learn more.

The Last of Us TV series – why is Ellie immune to cordyceps?

In the The Last of Us there's no known cure for the cordyceps infection but some people believe Ellie is immune and may just be the key to a vaccine

The Last of Us TV series - why is Ellie immune?

Is Ellie immune to cordyceps in The Last of Us? Warning spoilers ahead. The last of Us takes place in a world that’s been ravaged by a deadly fungus known as cordyceps. This malevolent mutated mould gained the ability to seize control of the human brain, transforming the majority of people into ravenous zombies.

In the TV series, it was thought for the longest time that there was no cure for becoming infected, yet The Fireflies don’t believe that to be true. They believe that Ellie (Bella Ramsey) is somehow completely immune to the infection and tasked Joel (Pedro Pascal) with delivering her to a research station out west that can develop a cure.

But are The Fireflies right? Is Ellie immune? Or is this just one in a number of false hopes The Last of Us characters have had to endure? We’ve dug into the lore of the videogame to get to the bottom of this particular mystery. Warning spoilers ahead!

Is Ellie immune to cordyceps?

Yes, Ellie is immune to cordyceps. The TV series has not revealed why Ellie is immune to the cordyceps brain infection. That’s how she can survive being bitten by a Clicker.

That said, if the show sticks to a similar plot to the videogame, we can probably quite accurately predict why Ellie’s immune to the fungal infection that ended the world.

YouTube Thumbnail

Why is Ellie immune to cordyceps?

In the videogame, Ellie is immune thanks to a unique mutation in her brain, which prevents the cordyceps from taking over her body.

The exact origin of this mutation isn’t explained. However, The Fireflies believed by examining her brain, they could manufacture a cure against cordyceps and stop the infected.

It’s worth pointing out that, at the moment, these events aren’t canon to the horror series, and writers Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann may have altered Ellie’s story for the small screen.

If you want to know what we thought of the show, check out our The Last of Us TV series review. We’ve also got an article breaking down The Last of Us cast. We’ve also got you covered if you want to know how to watch The Last of Us, quick read it before FEDRA comes.