‘The Last of Us’: Why does Kathleen want to kill Henry?

To no great surprise, HBO’s post-apocalyptic spectacle The Last of Us continues to trend upward as one of the hottest shows in modern-day television history. From the initial jump, the powerful series evoked a particular sense of emotion, dread, sorrow, and anxiety. Through the first five episodes, eagle-eyed viewers have indulged in the chaotic madness surrounding Pedro Pascal’s Joel Miller and Bella Ramsey’s Ellie Williams as the pair travel across the United States in an attempt to create a cure for the grueling Cordyceps fungus.

And while there’s certainly no denying that Joel and Ellie are the central focus of the pulse-pounding narrative, an influx of intriguing characters have aided in the series’ overall story. Many of these characters are straight from the video game by Naughty Dog — of course — and they all undoubtedly bring plenty of energy. Two of these characters in particular would be Kathleen (Melanie Lynskey), a Kansas City resistance group leader, and Henry (Lamar Johnson), a survivalist and collaborator, whose rivalry goes way beyond finding supplies amid a disastrous world.

Why does Kathleen want to kill Henry?

After the duo’s initial introduction in episode four, it is revealed in the fifth episode that Henry gave up the identity and location of Kathleen’s brother and the former leader of the resistance group to FEDRA in order to obtain a specific medicine. The aforementioned medicine proved to be necessary in helping Henry’s younger brother Sam, who was diagnosed with leukemia and eventually lost his hearing due to the disease. As a result, Kathleen’s brother Michael was eventually killed and the blame was firmly placed upon Henry for selling Michael out to the government.

In the aftermath of Michael’s demise, Kathleen immediately sought vengeance for her brother’s death and vowed to find Henry and kill him. And while it might appear as though it is nothing short of a protective and grieving sister seeking justice for the loss of her brother, there’s no denying that Kathleen is surely a war criminal and a ruthless leader who finds solace in the destruction of others.

The Last of Us airs weekly on Sunday nights on HBO.