The ending of The Last of Us — both the game and Season 1 of HBO’s show — is tremendously satisfying. So he rescues her, murdering the scientists in the process and kickstarting the plot of the second game (and season). Would sacrificing Ellie have saved the planet? Co-showrunner Neil Druckmann actually has an answer... even though he maybe shouldn’t. According to Neil Druckmann, sacrificing Ellie would have created a cure to the Cordyceps infection.