* SPOILERS * Ending of The Last of Us, what would you have done?

[The Fury]

curl-6 said:

See my above comment.

For me anyway, this was where the game lost me. Still a very good game, but not giving me the choice here meant the story usurped my gameplay experience.

Don't take it as because he's only known her for a year. Think of it differently, think of his mental state. The loss of his daughter would have been traumatic, affecting him for years to come. He attaches to Ellie because of his loss. He protects her because was wasn't able to with his own daughter.