Highlights
A fan noticed a small mistake in The Last of Us involving Sarah Miller not writing down Joel's birthday on her calendar, which doesn't make sense for her character.
Sarah plays a crucial role in the game and her demise serves as a pivotal moment that influences Joel's motivations throughout the storyline. Although not all players may catch this oversight, a few enthusiasts have devised theories to elucidate the absence of Joel's birthday on the calendar.
A keen-eyed fan of The Last of Us has spotted a discrepancy in Sarah Miller's actions within the game that seems out of character. Though this oversight is small and easily overlooked, many fans of The Last of Us believe it to be a potential mistake on the part of the developers.
Sarah Miller, the 12-year-old daughter of Joel, the game's main protagonist, may not have a significant presence throughout the story, but she holds immense importance in The Last of Us. The game begins with Sarah gifting Joel a new watch for his birthday. Players then assume the role of Sarah, experiencing the initial outbreak of the zombie apocalypse. Near the end of the opening sequence, Sarah is tragically shot and killed, leaving an indelible emotional impact on Joel and driving his motivations for the remainder of the narrative. Throughout the entire game, Joel wears the watch Sarah gave him as a constant reminder of her.
In a post on The Last of Us subreddit, Reddit user Woody7367 shared an image revealing that Sarah had forgotten to write down Joel’s birthday on her calendar. This oversight comes to light during the game's opening sequence when players control Sarah. The calendar in her room includes various events such as her soccer camp from the 7th to the 13th, practice days on the 16th, 23rd, and 30th, and even her friend Kate's birthday party on the 27th. However, Joel's birthday is noticeably absent, which is peculiar considering the significance Sarah places on gifting him a new watch in an earlier scene. This raises questions about why Joel's birthday isn't marked on her calendar despite her long-term plans to replace his watch.
While this error may have gone unnoticed or mattered only to dedicated fans of The Last of Us, some fans in the Reddit post comments devised their own theories. According to one fan, Sarah purposely omitted her father's birthdate from the calendar to surprise him. Another fan speculates that Joel himself updated the calendar and intentionally left his birthday out, so as not to burden Sarah with the expectation of a gift. Additionally, some fans presumed that Sarah had Joel's birthday committed to memory, rendering its inclusion unnecessary.
The first installment of The Last of Us is currently accessible on PC and PS5.