Perry is a supporting character in the first season of HBO's The Last of Us. A former soldier, he was a survivor who served as a rebel commander in a former quarantine zone in post-apocalyptic America that has been ravaged by the Cordyceps brain infection.[2]
Biography[]
Background[]
Perry served in the U.S. military at some point.[3] He survived the Cordyceps brain infection outbreak and lived in the FEDRA-controlled quarantine zone in Kansas City. However, Perry decided to join Michael Coghlan and his group of revolutionaries who fought against FEDRA and the military's rule in the city. He grew close to Michael, believing he and his soldiers loved Michael as their leader. After Michael's death, Perry turned his loyalty to Michael's sister, Kathleen, continuing the war against FEDRA under her command. After successfully defeating them, he became one of Kathleen's closest followers.[4]
On the night that the resistance celebrated their victory, Perry was stationed in the defunct FEDRA detention center, holding several known FEDRA collaborators prisoner. When Kathleen arrived, Perry listened as she interrogated them for information regarding Henry Burrell's whereabouts. When one collaborator revealed he was living with Doctor Edelstein, Kathleen ordered Perry have the collaborators executed and have his militia find Henry. Perry challenged Kathleen's order, suggesting they instead secure control of the entire city first and post guards around the perimeter and starve Henry out of hiding. Kathleen disagreed, questioning if Perry did not prioritize finding FEDRA's biggest collaborator. Perry dismissed her suggestion and agreed to begin the hunt for Henry.[5]
Events of HBO's The Last of Us[]
Over the next ten days, Perry's militia failed to find Henry, though they did find Edelstein. Perry had the man brought to the detention center so Kathleen could question him. When a platoon returned and reported a lethal confrontation with intruders, Perry informed Kathleen that potential mercenaries, an older man and a little girl, from outside the zone had overpowered and killed Bryan's group guarding the city entrance. He noted that the invaders were strong, especially the man, given they had access to a well-equipped truck. He then listened as Kathleen ordered Perry have his soldiers spread out across the city and raid homes to find the mercenaries.
Perry then went with Kathleen to the ambush site and found where Henry and his brother, Sam Burrell, had been staying. He showed Kathleen an attic crawlspace covered in handmade drawings of Henry and Sam and littered with the remains of canned food. Perry then took her to the basement and showed her a sinkhole that appeared to be moving, with groaning noises heard beneath it. With FEDRA defeated, the infected beneath the city were no longer secured. Both were shocked at the discovery and quickly backed away. Perry urged her to tell the others, but Kathleen dismissed him, stating they should focus on finding Henry first and to seal off the building in the interim.[4]
The next day, Perry went searching for Kathleen to update her on the search's progress. He spoke to Kathleen's mother, learning she was in her childhood home and bedroom. Perry arrived and listened as Kathleen talked about her childhood with her brother. Seeing Kathleen's resolve and determination to have Henry killed, Perry swore his loyalty to her and insisted he would ensure all of the resistance supported her cause.
That night, he drove Kathleen to the suburbs where Anthony had radioed that he found Henry and the older man in the suburbs. Upon arriving, Perry watched as one plow truck crashed into a house and exploded. He then exited his truck and ordered his soldiers flank the man sniping at them in the house down the street and surround Henry's position. He then watched as Henry surrendered and Kathleen prepared to shoot him. Although, an eruption from the ground interrupted them. An entire horde of infected then flooded into the streets. Perry moved to Kathleen, guarding her as he used his assault rifle to shoot the infected charging at them. A large bloater then emerged from the hole in the ground. Recognizing it, he ordered Kathleen to run as he confronted it. His bullets did not deter the infected, which then tore Perry's head from his body, killing him.[5]
Appearance[]
Perry had shoulder-length grey hair with a long thick white beard. He was equipped with military equipment, notably FEDRA body armor, a flashlight and assault rifle.[4]
Personality[]
Perry had a reserved persona, only talking to Kathleen when necessary.[4] He held a commanding presence, leading the soldiers in the armed resistance, able to capably direct them in combat both against people and infected. He was a logical man, suggesting ideas to wait Henry out and secure control over the city rather than spend time and energy trying to find and lure him out by force. He was also fiercely loyal, committing himself entirely to Kathleen's cause despite showing reservations about her priorities.[5]
Relationships[]
Kathleen Coghlan[]
Perry was loyal to Kathleen, following her orders and desires to find Henry even though he personally did not see it as the most logical way to manage their people's time and resources. He was also protective of her, prioritizing her safety during the infected horde attack in the suburbs and even sacrificed himself to give her a chance to escape.[5]
Michael Coghlan[]
Perry was a loyal follower of Michael when he led their resistance. He professed that he loved him and thought him a great leader. However, he noted Michael was a charismatic speaker more than a man of action, and that his efforts did not bring any true change for life in the zone.[5]
Behind the scenes[]
- Perry is portrayed by American actor and voice actor Jeffrey Pierce, best known for providing the voice and motion capture for Tommy Miller in the video game series.[1] According to Pierce, his character "has huge implications for things" that occurred in the game.[6]
- Perry's death by the bloater is identical to how the infected kills its victims after grabbing them in the first game.
Quotes[]
- Kathleen: "Okay, I want our people going door to door until we find him."
- Perry: "Now?"
- Kathleen: "Oh, I'm sorry. How long do you think we should wait? Should we wait a day or two? Should we wait a week? Oh, fuck it, lets give him a month."
- Perry: "I'm not saying we do nothing. We already got a perimeter around the city, we can wait him out. Door to door will take a lot of men and we got a long of things that-"
- Kathleen: "He's not my seventh priority Perry. Is that what he is to you?"
- Perry: "No."
- Perry: "Michael was a great leader. We all loved him. But he didn't change a thing. That was all you."
- Perry: "He's up there."
- Joel: "Fuck."
- Perry: "Two and two. Round the back and take him out."
Gallery[]
Official stills[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Petski, Denise (July 15, 2021). "'The Last Of Us': Jeffrey Pierce, Murray Bartlett, Con O'Neill Join HBO Series Based On Video Game". Deadline. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
- ↑ 'Last of Us' series work in progress at HBO, The Hollywood Reporter, (Retrieved March 5, 2020)
- ↑ The Last of Us | Inside the Episode - 4 | HBO Max, YouTube (Accessed 2023)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 HBO's The Last of Us episode 4: "Please Hold to My Hand"
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 HBO's The Last of Us episode 5: "Endure and Survive"
- ↑ Bellingham, Hope (July 21, 2021). "The Last of Us TV show actor says that the scripts are "breathtaking"". GamesRadar+. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
