| “ | A gentleman never tells.
―Manny talking to Abby Anderson[1]
|
” |
Emanuel "Manny" Alvarez is a supporting character in The Last of Us Part II and a playable character in the No Return mode.[2] A close friend of Abby Anderson, he was a member of the Washington Liberation Front and a former member of the Fireflies.[1]
Biography[]
Background and early life[]
Manny grew up in Mexico with his father. Sometime after the Cordyceps brain infection outbreak, he joined the Fireflies, and by 2034 was stationed at St. Mary's Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah.[3] He and Owen Moore survived Joel Miller's rampage through the hospital, and they were first to discover Jerry Anderson's body. When the Fireflies disbanded after Joel killed Jerry and Marlene, Manny chose to join the Washington Liberation Front with Abby Anderson, Owen, Mel, and Nora Harris in Seattle, Washington. The group were referred to by the rest of the WLF as the "Salt Lake crew" and were known for their close bond.
Manny and Owen find Jerry Anderson's body.
While serving with the WLF, Manny eventually rose to the rank of lieutenant and was made second-in-command of Abby's squad. The WLF's leader, Isaac Dixon, considered Manny and Abby his two best soldiers.[1]
Events of The Last of Us Part II[]
When Abby received a lead from two former Fireflies that Joel's brother, Tommy Miller, was living in a settlement in Jackson, Wyoming, Manny agreed to help Abby (alongside the rest of the "Salt Lake crew") find him to get revenge on Joel for robbing the Fireflies of their only hope of a cure.
When Abby brought Joel and Tommy to the lodge Manny and the others were staying at, Manny helped Nick pin Joel against the wall while Mel put a tourniquet on his leg. He then watched as Abby tortured Joel, and then spat on his corpse once he was killed. He turned to kill Ellie, who had snuck in, but Owen stopped him, believing killing her would make them just as bad as Joel was. Manny resisted but, when Jordan pointed his gun at Owen, saw sense and stood down. Abby then declared their mission was done and they returned to Seattle and the WLF.[4]
Manny and Abby get breakfast before leaving for the FOB.
A few weeks later, Manny asked Abby if she could sleep in a different room so that he could spend the night in their shared suite with a WLF weather scientist. Abby agreed. The next morning, Manny found Abby asleep in the WLF's library and took her down to get breakfast, thanking her for letting him have the room. While Abby went to collect the food, Manny talked with his father, who requested Manny get him some medicine for his shaky and weakened hands. Seeing Abby in the line, Manny walked over and collected their food, using the excuse that the pair were being called to the WLF's forward operating base and needed faster service. When Abby questioned why he had three burritos, Manny explained that Mel was coming, too (despite being heavily pregnant) and he wanted the pair to talk, because they'd been avoiding each other since killing Joel.
While out in the field, Manny drove their truck so that Mel and Abby could talk in the back. However, they were attacked almost immediately by Seraphites on horseback, who destroyed the truck, forcing the trio and their dog Alice to make it to the FOB on foot. While traveling there, they were ambushed by more Seraphites, but were saved by WLF soldiers from the FOB.
Manny and Abby check on Mel.
Once at the base, Abby and Manny checked up on Mel in the medical bay, as she had been shot, and found her doing well. Within the tent, Nora approached them and took them to their morgue. She revealed that a WLF soldier, Danny, had been shot by Owen, leading Isaac to order Owen's execution. Abby became worried, but Manny assured her that Owen could take care of himself while hiding out in the city.
Manny and Abby meet with Isaac
The pair then met up with Isaac in the apartment complex. Inside, Manny expressed relief that he no longer had to torture Seraphite prisoners in the building. Isaac took the pair up to his office and expressed gratitude that Abby and Manny killed many Seraphites on their travels, something that was becoming a rarity for the WLF. Isaac revealed the WLF were losing many battles in Seattle, leading him to decide to launch an all-out invasion on the Seraphites' island. He informed Abby and Manny that they would in command of the WLF troops, and ordered them to begin planning the assault. However, Abby refused to do so unless she was allowed to find Owen, a request Isaac denied.
Manny helps Abby sneak out of the FOB.
That evening, Manny helped Abby sneak out from the FOB to find Owen, wishing her luck. While doing so Abby found a love letter in one of Manny's hideouts written by someone whom he slept with. The note amused Abby, but Manny snatched it away, claiming it was private.[1]
When Isaac found out Abby had escaped, he questioned Manny on her whereabouts, but Manny did not reveal anything.[5]
Two days later, Manny and his platoon were sent to the marina to secure boats for the planned invasion. However, Tommy was there searching for Abby. Tommy began a shootout with Manny and his platoon, eventually killing all of them except for Manny and a squad member whom Manny sent away to call for backup. Abby arrived, leading Manny to request her help in killing Tommy. The pair successfully advanced up the street and through a parking garage, even killing the infected inside, and eventually cornered Tommy in a cruise ship terminal. However, just as Manny was about to sneak into the room Tommy was hiding in, Tommy rushed out from the other side and shot Manny through the head, killing him instantly.[6]
Personality and traits[]
Towards his enemies, Manny was cruel and brutal, as shown by his torture of Seraphites and spitting on Joel's corpse. It is worth noting that Manny's use of brutality was somewhat practical, only wishing to kill Ellie and Tommy to prevent them following them to enact their own revenge.[4]
To his allies, Manny was kind, loyal, and approachable. He viewed his friends from the Fireflies as his family, and did his best to repair the rifts that had formed between them after Jackson. Even in serious situations, he found ways to cheer up those around him and respected authority.[1]
He also cared for his ill father, making an effort to ensure he received the best medical care available. In his free time, he liked to watch anime and drink beer in his barracks. He was also a womanizer, having sexual relationships with several women among the WLF.[1]
Regarding his hobbies and interests, Manny was a fan of action films, notably having a poster of Kage No Katana hung up on the wall in his room. He was also a fan of automobiles, having several posters of sports cars hung up on his wall as well. However, he wasn't a tidy individual, his bed space left in a mess at the WLF base and his own father complained that he let his beard grow to an untidy length.[1]
Skill and abilities[]
Having trained under both the Fireflies and WLF, Manny was a proficient marksman and a capable hand-to-hand combatant. Over the years, he successfully killed several infected and Seraphites while serving in the WLF. He was so capable that the WLF's leader, Isaac, considered him one of his best soldiers. Manny was also a skilled leader, commanding his own platoon and was deemed good enough that Isaac wished for him to co-command the WLF's planned invasion of the Seraphites' island with Abby. Abby also acknowledged his skill in combat, remarking while searching the infected-filled basement in the Seattle hospital that she wished Manny was with her because of his capabilities in killing infected.[5]
Manny could be sloppy, however, as he carelessly turned his back toward the direction of Tommy's last known position, allowing the other man to surprise him and successfully kill him in the fight.[6]
Beyond his combat skills, Manny was also fluent in both Spanish and English. He could also capably drive a WLF truck, even able to out-maneuver several Seraphites trying to kill him, Abby and Mel in an ambush.[1]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 "Seattle Day 1"
- ↑ Dornbush, Jonathon (December 5, 2023). "The Last of Us Part II Remastered: Exploring the Roguelike Survival Mode, No Return". Naughty Dog. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
- ↑ "The Park"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Jackson"
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Seattle Day 2"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Seattle Day 3"
