JJ (or J.J.) is a supporting character in The Last of Us Part II. He is the biological son of Dina and Jesse, and the adopted son of Ellie Williams.[2]
Quick Answers
Who are the biological parents of JJ in The Last of Us Part II?
How does Ellie become JJ's adopted mother in The Last of Us Part II?
What event led to Dina revealing her pregnancy to Ellie?
When was JJ born in relation to Ellie and Dina's departure from Seattle?
What was the nature of Dina and Jesse's relationship before JJ's birth?
Biography[]
Background and early life[]
Near the end of Dina and Jesse's relationship, the two had a sexual encounter that resulted in Dina becoming pregnant with JJ.[3] She revealed her pregnancy to Ellie near the end of their first day in Seattle while they were sheltered inside a theater, thus explaining Dina's recent bouts of sickness.[4] Sometime after Ellie and Dina left Seattle, JJ was born.[2]
Events of The Last of Us Part II[]
JJ is first seen in his crib inside Ellie and Dina's house on their farm. Ellie picks him up and carries him into the kitchen, where the three dance with each other. JJ accompanies Ellie during her chores on the farm, but while in the barn, Ellie suffers a panic attack from the events of Joel's death almost a year earlier, making JJ cry. Dina rushed to the barn and quickly calmed JJ down.[2]
After Ellie left the farm to track Abby using Tommy's latest intel, Dina and JJ also left the farm.[5]
Personality and traits[]
JJ appears to be a cheerful baby. He loves to dance, as shown when Ellie and Dina are dancing together in the kitchen, and he laughs and squeals when Ellie makes faces at him in the bathroom mirror.[2]
Design and appearance[]
JJ has fine, dark brown hair and brown eyes. In his first appearance, he wears a onesie with animal details. In his second appearance, he wears one in dark green. According to a letter written by Jesse's mother, JJ greatly resembled Jesse when he was that age.[2]
Relationships[]
Dina[]
Dina is JJ's mother. She loves him dearly and sees him as an extension of his father.[2]
Ellie Williams[]
Ellie is JJ's adoptive mother. She affectionately nicknamed him "Potato" and would frequently bond with him by taking him outdoors to goat herd or watch the sunset. Ellie would often cradle him and walk him around the house as well, showing him pictures of his family members and having conversations with him.[2]
Jesse[]
According to Dina, Jesse is JJ's biological father. While JJ never met his father, Dina promised to ensure that JJ knows about Jesse's legacy. Based on Ellie's journal, Dina tells JJ about Jesse regularly, and Jesse's parents have visited the farm at least once.[2]
Tommy Miller[]
Tommy shows affection for JJ and is surprised by how quickly he has grown. When Tommy confronts Ellie about her initially refusing to go after Abby, his aggressiveness causes JJ to cry.[2]
Behind the scenes[]
- JJ's motion capture is performed by American actresses and stuntwomen Michelle Lee and Amy Johnston. Marianne Hayden, an animator at Naughty Dog, posted a behind-the-scenes video on Twitter recording the process of working with the two adult actors to capture JJ's movements. Hayden, who requested to work on the level due to being a mom of two, would wrap her arms around the actresses as they mimicked baby sounds and movements.[1][6]
- JJ's full name has never been officially revealed, leading to ongoing debates among fans regarding the initialism of his name. Neil Druckmann, writer and director of The Last of Us Part II, confirmed in a tweet on Twitter that the second "J" in "JJ" does not stand for "Junior", ruling out names such as "Jesse Jr." and "Joel Jr."[7] This has led fans to speculate that the initials may stand for "Jesse Joel" or "Joel Jesse", although this remains unconfirmed.[6]
Gallery[]
The Last of Us Part II[]
Model[]
Concept art[]
Screenshots[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Hayden, Marianna [@Marianne_Hayden] (July 17, 2020). "(spoilers!!) Being a mom of 2 I requested to work on this level in #TheLastofUsPartII . Mocaping adults as babies- so fun. #BTS @Naughty_Dog #workingmom @amyejohnston @___MichelleLee @soria_sancho" (Tweet). Twitter. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 The Last of Us Part II Act 9: "The Farm", Chapter 1: "The Farm"
- ↑ "Jackson"
- ↑ "Seattle Day 1"
- ↑ "The Farm"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Sakellariou, Alexandra (July 28, 2020). "How The Last of Us Part 2's Baby JJ Was Created". ScreenRant. Retrieved April 9, 2025.
- ↑ Druckmann, Neil [@Neil_Druckmann] (June 29, 2020). "PSA: the second J in JJ is not Junior. That is all. Resume your regular tweeting." (Tweet). Twitter. Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved April 9, 2025.
