Anyone else think the story should have ended at the farm? That would have been a better ending imo to finish the game on. The epilogue felt long and drawn out by that time.

Not a big complaint though.. since we got more game time, and this will be the last ND game we're gonna get for years :P

The one thing I had a bit of a problem with story wise was with Tommy. After Joel dies, he doesnt want to go after the ones who killed him at first. I feel like he went to protect Ellie. Yet at the end in the epilogue part he expects Ellie to go and find Abby alone with god knows what could happen to her. And when Ellie doesnt want to, he acts like a schoolgirl who just got dumped by her boyfriend. It was just kinda absurd. Maybe the shot he took to the head changed his personality. I dont know. 

I prefer sadder endings, so I like the ending we got, but I absolutely see your point.

My problem with your argument is that you're simply exerting your opinion as the final word.

It's odd how people can defend Joel becoming morally ambiguous after going through apocalypse, but can't allow a hint of understanding that he also may have softened. Even if he is the exact same Joel from 4 years prior, we never have evidence of Joel being difficult to convince. Despite everyone's referencing of Henry and Sam, it literally took 1 minute for Joel to vet Henry, a person who ambushed them. Ellie offers to join up, Joel rebuts, and then Henry says "we have a hideout, we can rest up there"......and Joel says "alright, take us there".

Or consider this, Joel grew this town from 20 to 400 in 4 years. That means over 300 strangers and wanderers and survivors. Given Joel's standing in the community, it's not hard to imagine that he brought a major chunk of those people in from the wilderness. Sure he may have vetted them all in some super cautious way, but like I said, we have no evidence of that. On top of which, even the size of the town and the love and respect overly displayed towards Joel would serve as positive reinforcement to a "gather and grow" mentality, so perhaps in 4 years his priorities have changed.

But all of this is irrelevant in the long run, I could list myriad reasons. I never even considered Joel to have made some mistake because like I said earlier, these people wouldn't even have killed him before learning his name. I've even beaten TLOU a dozen times, and played it on stream twice the week before part 2 came out. To me, nothing felt out of place about him going to Abby's hideout.

I feel that all you really wanted in the story was a definitive reason as to how he would end up in that situation, but even if the writers came out and gave you the explanation and background or put it in the game as DLC, would you even be able to accept it? 

Is this what happened? I just played through this part and the very next scene, Tommy leaves a letter and goes after them, asking Maria to lock up Ellie and take her guns. Then as you play you find all these bodies that Tommy tortured. 

Tomy was a killer as Joel was, and Ellie was. Remember the first game when Joel said he played two sides of the war. Nobody is a saint in the game. Tomy continues the cycle of hate and violence and Ellie was in two minds about it. Its the path that Ellie was going in. He also knew that he was in no state to fight after his injuries and would take months if not years to recover, or maybe never. To be able to track down Abby, the kid, the infected and any left over WLFs, Scars and any other groups there are out there he would need to be in top shape. Tbh it was probably just a set up to finally settle it between the two protagonist or antagonist (however you want to see it) and closure for Ellie.

But yeah bittersweet. I still liked the ending though.

Yes. He and Ellie argues when Tommy doesnt really want them to seek revenge. Ellie says she is going. So Tommy goes and tries to make sure Ellie is safe.

Then at the end he expect her to go after Abby alone. It doesnt really fit.

I dont think it was needed. I felt like Ellie went after Abby again because she thought that would stop her nervous breakdowns. If Tommy wanted revenge he would have asked someone else. He would not put Ellie in danger like that I feel.

I think after seeing Tommy might have reminded her more of Joel (being his brother). I mean she moved out to a remote farm for a reason; to get away from it all. She was done, but had PTSD from seeing her friend and father figure brutally murdered in front of her. Who knows maybe Ellie might have just stayed in the safety out of harms way like old vets do, but still carry on the scars from the war left behind. And leave the rest open to interpretation.

I think it was a push she needed, or trigger that allowed for her selfishness to chase after and go after her friend/s killer at the expense of happiness of her family.

That might be it, but that could have happened without Tommy acting weird and bitchy. Just her looking at Tommy and seeing Joel would be enough to understand that she gets motivated to go after Abby. I dont know. Its not a big deal. Im serious when I said it could be because he was shot in the head. Maybe it affected his empathy.

Perhaps it's the 'this is your fight' trope?

Like, Tommy did everything he could to bring them to justice to keep Ellie safe, but then Ellie shows up anyway and he realizes it's not for him to prevent her from fulfilling her destiny?

It's kind of a common trope in narrative

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HelpingWouldBeKillstealing

"You are in trouble. Big trouble. It is painful — emotionally, physically, or both. You could come to harm, maybe you could even get killed.

There is this person. He has power, he is able to help you. And it's not like he's too busy to be able to spend the time on you.

But he cares about you and wishes you well. And that's why he won't help you. Because he thinks that you need the experience. Or self-confidence. Or reputation. Because he thinks that solving your problems for you would be bad for your growth. Or that showing doubts in your ability would be impolite. And so, you are on your own."