After the success of the first Last of Us game, Naughty Dog decided to bestow on the sequel, called The Last of Us Part 2. The second title of the franchise truly moved the limits, and it is considered darker, violent, and graphic, hence the ESRB video game rating of +18. The story continues the story of the first game, with Ellie being the main character once again, dealing with the guilt of not sacrificing herself to Fireflies for them to develop a cure for the infection.
In the meantime, Abby Anderson seeks revenge for her father’s death. Still, on her journey, she makes impactful decisions confusing some fans – particularly the one where she sleeps with Owen, her former romantic interest and friend. This article will discuss “that” boat scene where Abby and Owen get romantically involved. We will explain their relationship before the boat scene, why they sleep together, and the consequences of those actions. If you are interested, stay with us until the end.
Owen and Abby’s relationship in the Last of Us 2
Before explaining the boat scene in detail, we must establish Owen’s and Abby’s relationship until that moment. Let’s introduce both characters first. Abby Anderson is the daughter of Jerry Anderson, a surgeon who was part of Fireflies and a doctor who was supposed to operate on Ellie at St. Mary Hospital in Salt Lake City.
Owen Moore was a young member of Fireflies who was romantically involved with Abby. He was truly in love with her and one of those boyfriends who wanted to get on Jerry’s good side. The moment when everything changed was when Ellie and Joel arrived in Salt Lake City. At that time, Marlene spread the word that a young girl was immune to the infection and would be essential in developing the cure. Of course, Joel decided to protect Ellie and proceed to kill doctors, the leader of Fireflies, Marlene, and flee Salt Lake City. However, Joel doesn’t realize that his actions would kickstart the rage of a distraught daughter who wants to avenge her father.
Abby’s sadness and anger made her jaded and cold, which Owen disliked, ultimately ending their relationship. While Abby was plotting revenge against Joel, Owen distanced himself and decided to involve himself with another member of Salt Lake Crew, Mel. After Fireflies disbanded, Salt Lake Crew relocated to Seattle, Washington, where they joined Washington Liberation Front (WLF), a paramilitary organization that overthrew FEDRA.
Four years later, Abby discovers a lead that will bring her to Tommy, and his brother Joel and Owen decides to tag along on the journey to Wyoming.
Eventually, Abby violently murders Joel, with Ellie screaming for her father figure and Owen standing and watching on the side. After killing Joel, Manny, Jordan, and Mel wants to kill Tommy and a teenager that accompanied Joel’s brother, but Owen puts his foot down and decides to let them go. Let’s just say that he is visibly concerned for Abby, even after she agrees with him to let captured go.
The proof he was distraught by Abby’s and the rest of the crew’s actions in Wyoming shows when they are back in Seattle, where Owen distances himself from the group. Eventually, Owen decides to patrol with a WLF soldier named Danny. During their patrol, Owen and Danny encounter an old and exhausted Scar, a member of the Seraphite cult that WLF was at war with over territory. Danny orders Owen to kill the old man, who refuses and shows mercy.
Of course, the WLF soldier doesn’t appreciate that, which prompts Owen to kill him in self-defense. Owen escapes and hides in fear of WLF hunting him, but fatally injured Danny still manages to get the word to Isaac, the leader of WLF.
What does this mean to Abby and Owen’s relationship? Well, when they were young, they loved and knew each other well, and even after the breakup, Owen still supported Abby from afar. Abby was more complicated and was always notoriously trying to repress her feelings, which she would vent through anger, rage, and gym, where she spent a lot of time. Abby didn’t find anyone after Owen because she was too busy trying to avenge her father.
At the same time, Owen got involved with Mel, their mutual friend, who was already insecure and intimidated by Abby’s presence. Mel shows her jealousy and suspicions about Abby and Owen’s relationship from the start, and that doesn’t stop even when she gets pregnant with his child. We will explain this dynamic more when we get to the article’s next section.
We can move to the article’s main topic now that we have set the foundations for Abby and Owen’s relationship. Let’s explain the infamous boat scene, one of the most controversial parts of the Last of Us Part 2 game.
The boat scene between Abby and Owen explained
After Owen flees from WLF, Mel informs Abby that Owen hasn’t been around for two weeks. Of course, Abby knowing Owen the best sneaks out and proceeds to find him on the sailboat, just outside of the aquarium, which was a designated spot for Owen and Abby when they were together.
Abby finds Owen, who explains the situation with Danny in detail and that he cannot kill Seraphites anymore. Owen looks fed up with everything that has been happening since the Fireflies disbanded – he lost his love and saw her fall deeper into the darkness while trying to love another woman but failing.
He also tells Abby about the lead of an alleged group of Fireflies alive in Santa Barbara and that he wants to go to California as soon as possible. Abby dismisses his idea telling him it’s childish and only wishful thinking, which makes Owen snap. Now, this next moment is interesting because Owen is expressing his rage to Abby for the first time. Abby lets him vent about the family he lost because of people like WLF and Abby herself, who sought revenge for her father’s death and destroyed other people’s lives.
Although she killed her father’s murderer, Abby still has nightmares that hunt her every night. Owen and Abby get into an argument and get into a physical fight. They fight, but soon it transitions into them kissing and eventually having sex. The sex scene is one of the few controversial scenes in The Last of Us Part 2, and it stirred a lot of discussions around it. However, this scene is important because it kickstarts Abby’s change of moral compass.
The morning after, Abby wakes up due to nightmares and realizes she didn’t feel anything – nothing has changed. She is still a monster, and that bothers her deeply. Owen obviously still loves her, but Abby is detached. However, the whole situation steers her on the right path, and she decides to help former young Scars, Yara and Lev, and save them from cultists and WLF.
Owen wants to discuss the previous night, but Abby dismisses his advances. However, the night before seems to kickstart something in Abby – she goes to the dangerous territory to get medicine for injured Yara, helps Lev, and bonds with her, and ultimately, Abby finds her purpose. She wants to protect these innocent children.
Mel eventually confronts Abby and accuses her of being a “pretender” – she is helping Scars because she wants to get on Owen’s good side. Mel continues with accusations and tears Abby down with words that cut deeper than she realizes. In the end, Mel tells Abby that their friendship is over, and if she decides to go with Owen to Santa Barbara, Mel herself won’t go because of her.
This moment is the last scene between Abby and her friends, who died at the hands of Ellie.
Why is the boat scene so important in the Last of Us Part 2?
Owen and Scars’ children are the biggest catalysts for Abby’s change. Despite the sex scene being dirty, uncomfortable, and rough, Abby realizes that everything she’s done over the years only made her distance herself from the people she loves. Her path to revenge destroyed her relationship with Owen, who always had affection towards her, and who always supported her from afar.
When they sleep with each other, Owen and Abby seem to be trying to find one last connection to each other, find that spark they’ve been missing for years, but soon realize that they are too jaded and broken to revive their relationship. Abby soon finds Yara and Lev to protect them and finds her purpose while Owen dies at Ellie’s hands, sparking their conflict even more.
