Who Are Henry and Sam in The Last of Us?

The Last of Us on HBO has been breaking our hearts weekly with explorations of different memorable characters from the original games. Joel’s tragic experiences with Outbreak Day, his time with Tess, and his interactions with Frank and Bill demonstrate the powerful emotion and bleak world of the story. But now Joel and Ellie are alone, or at least they thought they were, waking up at gunpoint to 2 young males. These characters are Henry and Sam as they appeared in the original game for The Last of Us.

The Last of Us on HBO: Who Are Henry and Sam and When Do They Appear?

Henry and Sam are brothers in The Last of Us and are introduced at the end of episode 4, despite Joel’s best efforts to stay alert of intruders. Henry and Sam are from the Hartford QZ in the original game, leaving it after the military abandoned them. Henry is the older brother, fiercely protective of Sam as they evade the dangerous and violent inhabitants of Pittsburgh, where they met Joel and Ellie in the game. They desired to go west to join the Fireflies, something they had in common with the protagonists. Be warned, possible spoilers ahead if you’ve not played the game!

In The Last of Us on HBO, they wind up in Kansas City, Missouri, where they encounter Joel and Ellie in an abandoned apartment building. However, their interaction is not a happy one as viewers will soon find out. It’s another case of an uneasy trust, with them initially believing Joel and Ellie to be the enemy. It’s another demonstration of familial love that Joel will develop for Ellie as a surrogate daughter, and the haunting implications if anything were to happen to her.

If it plays out similarly to in the games, Sam will tragically become infected and executed by a devastated Henry, before blaming Joel and Ellie and taking his own life. But given how other side characters have been changed, there’s always a chance for this to end differently.

What Other Roles Have Henry and Sam Actors Lamar Johnson and Keivonn Woodard Had?

Lamar Johnson, who plays Henry, was the star of Canadian teen drama The Next Step, had a recurring role in Showtime’s Your Honor as Kofi Jones, and played Match in Dark Phoenix. He is joined by Keivonn Woodard, a newer actor on the scene, whose previous credits include Seeds of Hope: The Andrew Jackson Foster Story, and it’ll be interesting to see their dynamic. Henry and Sam had one of the most dramatic stories of the supporting cast in The Last of Us so it’ll be interesting to see it put to the screen.

The Last of Us premiered on January 15, 2023, on HBO and HBO Max, and will air weekly every Sunday. International viewers can catch this series on Sky Atlantic and Crave.