Unpacking the Meaning Behind Ellie‘s Symbolic Tattoo in The Last of Us - 33rd Square (2024)

Ellie‘s understated tattoo may seem like a minor detail, but this poignant moth and fern design has become a key emblem of her character and her emotional journey in The Last of Us games. Let‘s trace the rich significance this body art holds for Ellie and for fans through a deep dive into its symbolic roots.

The Story Behind the Tattoo‘s Design

The tattoo was crafted specially for The Last of Us by tattoo artist Natalie Hall, invited by the developers at Naughty Dog to design something meaningful for Ellie‘s character. With clients including major celebrities, Natalie Hall has cultivated a distinctive style featuring bold graphic linework with delicate stippling shading.

When Hall visited Naughty Dog‘s offices, the team talked her through the major themes and narrative arcs surrounding Ellie. As Hall explained to the Washington Post:

"I took in the whole context of her character and tried to think of an image that fit within the whole narrative they had described to me…I liked the idea of putting something really delicate with something that has darker, heavier symbolism."

This feedback from the game‘s creators gave Hall crucial insights into Ellie as a character – her central relationships, the trauma she endures, her personality and background. It enabled Hall to craft a custom tattoo design carrying multilayered significance.

The Moth – A Symbol of Transformation and Intuition

A moth may seem like an unconventional choice compared to more common tattoo imagery. But this nocturnal insect has potent symbolic meaning in many cultures tied to its mysterious nature and remarkable metamorphosis.

• In many Native American tribes, moths represented faith, spiritual guidance and the allure of the night. Moth motifs appeared frequently in Navajo sand paintings, Hopi pottery, and jewelry.

• Ancient Aztec culture viewed moths as spirits of deceased warriors or signs of hidden knowledge.

• Victorian era artists and occultists became fascinated by the moth‘s magical connotations, featuring them in paintings imbued with psychedelic qualities.

• In Japanese folklore, moth spirits were believed capable of shape-shifting, similar to kitsune or fox spirits.

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• Celtic mythology considered moths highly intuitive creatures with ability to detect lies and cross the veil between worlds.

So across many civilizations, the moth signifies concepts like transformation, clairvoyance, and the cycle of life and death. Their metamorphosis mirrors themes of transitions, change, and concealed wisdom that illuminates the darkness.

Fern Leaves – Representing Resilience and Rebirth

The fern leaves grounding the moth in Ellie‘s tattoo also carry natural symbolism:

• Ferns have an ancient, primordial aura as one of the most primitive plant species on earth. They inhabited the planet over 150 million years before humans emerged.
• Many folktales depict ferns blooming with magical spores on the eve of Midsummer.
• Greek mythology associated ferns with Dionysus, god of rebirth and the life-death-rebirth cycle.
• With their unique sporulation reproduction system, ferns represent the endless cycle of regeneration.
• As a hardy plant that thrives both independently and symbiotically with other species, ferns signify resilience.

So like the moth, ferns encompass themes of transformation, endurance, and the mystical order underpinning nature. These layers of meaning amplify the tattoo‘s significance.

The Tattoo‘s Personal Meaning for Ellie

On a personal level, Ellie‘s tattoo carries several meanings:

• It conceals a visible bite mark on her arm – hiding the wound her immunity originates from.
• Her friend/love interest Cat drew the initial sketch of the tattoo to cover Ellie‘s scar.
• Ellie later reinforces the tattoo as a symbol of her quest for revenge after Joel‘s brutal murder.
• The same moth motif gets engraved on Ellie‘s guitar, a beloved gift from Joel representing their father-daughter bond.

As Ellie reflects in her journal in Part II while seeking Joel‘s killers:

"I want to make sure no matter what happens, I get the rest of my tattoo finished. It‘s time."

So for Ellie, the moth and leaves signify her connection to family, her resilience to keep enduring loss, and her drive to complete her quest for closure.

Ellie‘s original tattoo design sketched by her friend Cat

Analyzing Fans‘ Tattoo Theories

The minimalist moth and fern motif has inspired some intriguing theories among The Last of Us fans:

• The immunity theory – The moth represents the Cordyceps fungus already present in Ellie‘s system since birth that scientists speculate makes her immune. Its metamorphosis mirrors the growth of the fungus.

• The LGBTQ relationship theory – The ferns symbolize Ellie‘s ability to thrive independently or in relationships as she navigates her sexuality and romances with Riley, Cat, and Dina.

• The duality theory – The light, innocent moth juxtaposed with the imposing fern depicts Ellie‘s central character conflict between her peaceful side and her capacity for violence.

• The Scoiotabella theory – The moth species is actually a Scoiotabella libatrix which has medicinal significance and ties to ancient druidic clans with woman leaders. Fans argue this foreshadows Ellie‘s mysterious immunity.

These creative interpretations further reinforce how much dimension is contained within even a small, subtle tattoo. For fans, unpacking its symbols provides a window into analyzing Ellie‘s complex persona.

The Tattoo as a Character Symbol Across TLOU Media

Ellie‘s moth and fern tattoo remains a vital emblem of her character and her emotional journey across The Last of Us media, including:

• The tattoo appears in a pivotal cutscene of The Last of Us Part II after Ellie has embarked on her quest for revenge.
• The detailed tattoo design was revealed during Outbreak Day 2020 celebrations.
• Fans instantly recognized Bella Ramsey as Ellie in the HBO show from the tattoo peeking out in her first official photo.
• The body art is faithfully depicted across Ellie merchandise like collectible statues and Funko Pops.
• Fans regularly share photos of their own real-life recreations of Ellie‘s tattoo as the ultimate tribute.

As a recognizable throughline across The Last of Us universe, this delicate graphic motif distills Ellie‘s essence – her relationships, motivations, and emotional journey.

Why This Tattoo Resonates with Fans

As someone who loves analyzing game lore and characters, I find Ellie‘s tattoo incredibly powerful in its subtlety. Its minimalist design is brilliant because it invites personal interpretation and analysis. Players can unpack surprising depth from this simple moth and fern emblem.

By letting the tattoo‘s meaning evolve over time along with Ellie‘s arc, the storytellers allow it to accrue more significance. It starts as just a cover up of her infected bite mark, but gradually becomes infused with deeper sentimental value about Joel, Ellie‘s quest, and her own growth.

The tattoo‘s ambiguity makes it relatable – it reflects how our identities can transform through time, loss, revelation, and perseverance. We keep discovering new facets even in symbols that have defined us for years.

Ultimately, it represents Ellie‘s incredible character complexity through a deceptively minimalist package – just like The Last of Us games themselves. This avant-garde body art will continue to inspire fans and spur thoughtful interpretations as Ellie‘s saga continues.

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