After working with David for much of The Last of Us Part I, Chapter 9: Lakeside Resort, Ellie realizes that he isn't such a good guy after all. While he helped Ellie survive out in the field earlier, David turns out to be the leader of a gang of cannibals with his sights set on Ellie for nefarious purposes. The chapter culminates in him trapping Ellie in the resort and hunting her down, and only one of them can make it out alive.
This boss encounter begins after Ellie climbs through the cabin resort window and enters the doors to the main lobby. While Ellie is tough, David is a brutal killer who can instantly kill the player with just one blow. Furthermore, Ellie has no guns, arrows, or explosives with which to fight the beast, meaning stealth is the name of the game during this encounter.
Updated on November 7, 2024 by Robbie Robinson: The Last of Us is renowned as one of the greatest games to ever grace the world of video gaming. Its story is impeccable, compelling and heartfelt. It's also incredibly gritty and somber. The game wouldn't be what it is without Ellie. Naturally, fans were excited to get to play as her in the Winter chapter, but no chapter churns gamers' stomachs like that one. This article has been updated to include more information about Ellie's playstyle, to reflect on HBO's adaptation of the Winter chapter and to get this article up to date with CBR's current formatting standards.
Taking On the Role of Ellie Is Far Scarier Than Playing As Joel
Players Finally Realize Just How Much They Take Joel For Granted
While all gamers were beyond excited to step into Ellie's shoes during the Winter section of The Last of Us, what gamers found was a much more intense battle for survival. Unlike Joel, Ellie is a young girl who lacks both the physical power that Joel has and his years of experience. NaughtyDog portrays this exceptionally with Ellie. Players can literally feel how different it is to play as her. Even when Ellie does sneak attacks on enemies, the animation is much longer, as Ellie has to jump up, grapple them and stab multiple times. Players can't just charge in shooting like they do with Joel, as Ellie can easily get grabbed and overwhelmed. The game forces players into stealth in a way that perfectly exemplifies that not every person has the benefit of raw strength on their side.
This mechanic is also seen in the second game. As players switch between Abby and Ellie, the game makes it very clear that the two characters have different body types and, by default, different strengths. When playing as Abby, players can run and punch to their heart's content. However, when in Ellie's shoes, players don't feel that same dominating physical strength that Abby carries. Ellie's lack of physical strength is exactly what makes the Winter chapter so horrific and, sadly, a little too relatable and traumatic for some players. Ellie can't overpower David even if she wants to - she has to be smart and calculated. This battle with David forces players to experience Ellie's same horror and potential feelings of hopelessness and fear.
Breaking Down The Fight Against David
Players Should Prioritize Stealth and Wariness of David's Clever Tactics
The method for defeating David is quite simple—Ellie must stab him with her knife three times. The challenge is getting close enough to him each time without him sensing her presence and attacking. The player must not let him see Ellie coming, but not being heard is the bigger issue. David's ability to listen for oncoming threats is just as developed as Ellie's, so sneaking around quietly is a must. David is smarter and far more terrifying than any of The Last of Us' Clickers.
Furthermore, there are broken plates and glass scattered about the floor, and stepping on them will draw David's attention. If the player isn't careful, David will hear where Ellie is and instantly rush the player. There is a chance that running and hiding from him will work, if he's far enough away at the time, but if he catches the player, it's game over. Despite the infected and monstrous mutated creatures, David's intelligence and the real life anxieties of this fight make this battle easily one of the scariest moments in The Last of Us. Though, David is also particularly frightening because he teeters on the edge of, well... seeming like he's just a little too interested in a child.
Strategies To Defeat David
Being Aware of One's Surroundings Is a Necessity
There is a nice opportunity to get a quick first stab at the beginning of the fight. Hide behind whatever's closest and wait for David to approach. When he has his back toward Ellie, go in for the cut. Then, get away and wait for the next opportunity. The good thing about this battle is that the game autosaves after each slice Ellie takes out of David, so there's no need to worry about having to repeat the entire process over and over again.
Another good strategy is to use the bottles and bricks strewn about the environment to the player's advantage. Pick them up and toss them to draw David into your line of sight. If you chuck one past him, it will focus his attention away from Ellie and get him to turn his back again for another strike.
The second time Ellie stabs David, his strategy will change. Instead of openly strolling around the space, he will start using some stealth himself. David begins to run from one spot in the room to another, then he hides for a bit before repeating the process. Ellie can hide and wait for him to run to a spot close enough to attack, or she can try to use the bottles and bricks to lure him out. Either way, the player must carefully get close enough to David to get in that third stab. Once this is done, the enemy will be vanquished, and Ellie will be safe to continue her journey with Joel in The Last of Us' engrossing story.
How To Defeat David On Grounded
Stay Strong and Determined, Players
Grounded mode is naturally going to make things more difficult in any section. David is a good example of how standard humans can make a post-apocalyptic game terrifying, and this setting raises the stakes. Players don't have the privilege of being able to hear enemies through walls, they'll have limited resources, and enemies are more likely to spot Ellie or Joel. Boss levels can be harder than regular sections on The Last of Us' normal or survivor mode, but are aggravating to pass on Grounded.
Tips for David's Fight on Grounded Difficulty
- Find hiding spots that have an unobstructed view of David, like the kitchen or office.
- Be extra slow as David is incredibly sensitive to any sound.
- Only step on plates as a distraction method, and run away from David when he hears them.
- Use the white counter in the kitchen to hide and flank David.
- Only try to stab David when his back is completely turned against Ellie.
Thankfully, if Grounded players have gotten this far, they have a good sense of how the difficulty level works and have passed a couple of boss fights already. The most trouble players will encounter with David on Grounded is that there aren't any checkpoints. So, even if they get a few good stabs in, they could be set back to the beginning of the encounter if David catches Ellie. And David has the ears of a bat on Grounded, so the chances of getting caught are high. Given this, the best way to kill David is to approach the encounter with patience and strategize Ellie's moves.
The broken plates scattered on the floor are Ellie's best friend in this encounter. Players should step on the plates at the nearest booth the level starts at, and sprint toward the kitchen behind the white counter. David will eventually make his rounds that way, so creep up behind him and stab him the first time. An alternative method is circling the booths to flank David as he continues his search. It also helps to occasionally make Ellie visible to David while also avoiding his line of fire. That way, players can manipulate David's route and make it easier to flank him.
There's no set developer-intended way that makes it easier to kill David in this mode. However, the best tips to keep in mind are to hide in the kitchen and office for an unobstructed view of David, stand directly behind David to stab him, and remember that David will crouch into stealth mode after a while. With good eyes and a few tries, players can defeat The Last of Us' sickest villain once and for all.
How Do Speedrunners Beat David?
The Speedrunner strategy for Defeating David Is Rather Nifty
The Last of Us is one of the most fascinating games to watch speedruns for. With unpredictable Infected and difficult situations, it's ever the wonder how easy speedrunners make The Last of Us look, even on Grounded. The remake even has a speedrun mode for expert and aspiring speedrunners, which was also included in The Last of Us Part II Remastered. Whichever version of The Last of Us players play, there's a fun strategy for defeating David on Grounded. As a prerequisite for the remake version, have a Med Kit and a bottle on hand. The bottle must be acquired before entering the restaurant, due to the lack of them in Grounded, and the Med-Kit can be found in the restaurant kitchen. Do not have a gun in your possession, either. Having a gun isn't necessary in the section prior, anyway.
To best explain these strategies, it's worthwhile to paint a picture of the scene. At the beginning of the fight, Ellie is between two sections of restaurant booths. Ellie is hanging at the front of the right section of booths. For the first phase, both the PS3/PS4 strategy and the PS5 strategy work the same way. Players should back up and go around the left section of booths. David will begin walking up between them, allowing players to sneak attack.
At the start of the second phase, Ellie is at the front end of the right section of booths. Head to the left from here, and walk over the broken plates. In the original and remastered versions, loop around the right section of booths and attack David from behind. It's best to get to David before having to walk on the broken plates a second time. For the remake, hide in the back of the right section of booths instead and equip the Med Kit. David will follow but will turn around after walking over the broken plates himself—this is where players should attack him.
For the final phase of Naughty Dog's original PS3 version and its PS4 remaster, run back around the right section of booths and attack David one final time while he's trying to recover. For the PS5 console-exclusive remake, step back to give some space between Ellie and David, wait for him to start charging, equip the bottle, throw it in his face, and stab him while he's stunned for victory. The reason for the Med Kit is because, normally, Ellie loses the bottle entering the third phase. Equipping the Med Kit at the end of the second phase and not having a weapon prevents this. This strategy can work for all versions of the game, but it's the most reliable strategy in the remake thanks to A.I. improvements. It's also fitting to defeat David thanks to a throwable object.
David and Ellie In the HBO Show
How Does the Fight Translate to the Screen?
The Last of Us might have one of the best video game to tv show adaptations ever. Naturally, longtime fans of the games were incredibly skeptical. Really, the game is so immersive and fleshed-out, that it doesn't actually even need a screen adaptation. Fans have been pleasantly surprised by the ways the show has expanded on areas of the game in incredible ways - most notably is Bill and Frank's story. Bella Ramsey has absolutely dazzled fans with their performance as Ellie. They have managed to capture her character in a way that gamers thought wasn't possible. Seeing the Winter chapter adapted brings a new medium of terror to the scene.
While there's no room for drawn out stealth mechanics in a television show, The Last of Us does an excellent job of incorporating as many bits from the game as possible. Ellie lights the place on fire and then immediately runs from David to hide as he walks around, spouting his eerie lines about needing to give her a father and teach her a lesson. When she finally attacks him and he throws her down, the scene hits home harder than the game: this is likely due to it being acted out with real life people. As David pins Ellie down, Scott Shepherd and Bella Ramsey deliver a chill-worthy performance. Though the show must make massive cuts to scenes, the show manages to up-the-ante in a way that leaves all viewers squirming in their seats.
