Who is Sarah in The Last of Us?

Last Modified May 2, 2025 03:47 EDT
Who is Sarah in The Last of Us?
Nico Parker as Sarah Miller (Source: Screengrab from the show)


Sarah Miller is a fictional character in the American post-apocalyptic drama television series, The Last of Us. She is portrayed by the British actress Nico Parker in the series.


Sarah is the daughter of Joel Miller, one of the main characters in the series. She died after being fatally shot by a U.S. soldier when she and Joel were making an escape from the city after the Cordyceps infection broke out.


Sarah in The Last of Us


Who is Sarah in The Last of Us?
Nico Parker as Sarah Miller (Source: Screengrab from the show)


Sarah was born on July 20th, 1989, in Austin, Texas. She spent the majority of her life with her father Joel and her uncle, Tommy Miller. She participated in soccer for her neighborhood team and won multiple medals and awards. From a young age, she was also a fan of the band The Clash.


Sarah’s storyline in The Last of Us

When Sarah woke up on September 26, 2003, her father's 36th birthday, she attempted to cook him breakfast, mostly for herself, but he neglected to get pancake mix. Tommy joined them in preparing bacon and eggs instead, and disclosed that they had received an offer for a construction job that day. Before going home, Sarah demanded that Joel get a birthday cake for them.


Sarah grabbed $20 and her father's damaged watch from his drawer as she got ready to leave for school. A few of her classmates showed odd symptoms during class, such as coughing and twitching. She rode the city bus after school and went to Lone Star Watch & Jewelry to have her father's watch repaired for his birthday. The owner of the store hurried her out, telling her to go home and stay there, as a fire engine and multiple police cars sped by.


When she got home, she went to see her neighbors, the Adlers. She described how sick individuals, violent news stories, and more police officers were seen in the city, but her neighbor said it didn't sound any different from other days. Sarah stopped studying to look through the Adler's DVD collection for a DVD to deliver to Joel. She was sent home after selecting one. As she was leaving, she saw Mercy, the Adlers' dog, looking at Mrs. Adler with her mouth hanging open. She ate tainted food and, unbeknownst to them, contracted the Cordyceps brain infection.


Also Read: Who is Joel in The Last Of Us?


Who is Sarah in The Last of Us?
Sarah and Joel (Source: Screengrab from the show)


Sarah waited for Joel that night. He didn't bring home a birthday cake, but she gave him his fixed watch as a gift when he got back. After that, she watched his favorite film and then went to sleep. Tommy, who had been imprisoned for protecting a woman from an attack by a "crazy man" in a pub, called Joel while he was jailed. At about eleven p.m., Joel took Sarah to bed and went to get Tommy. Sarah was awakened by the sound of helicopters and explosives over the house at two in the morning. When Sarah went outside after realizing Joel was still gone, she found Mercy scratching at their door.


Mercy ignored Sarah's attempts to take him home, escaping the street after escaping his collar. Sarah walked inside to check on the Adlers after noticing their door was open. But when she got to the kitchen, a mad Mrs. Adler who had contracted Cordyceps attacked her. As Joel and Tommy pulled up in Tommy's pickup truck, Sarah ran out of the house. Joel used a wrench to kill Mrs. Adler to save Sarah. Another neighbor, Denise, came to observe the uproar. Sarah was instructed to board the truck by Joel, who cautioned her to do so. While Tommy drove, the Miller family ran away from the estate while the other Adlers charged the vehicle.


Sarah was informed by Joel and Tommy that there was an outbreak occurring throughout the United States and that Joel was going to take her to Mexico for protection. But Sarah suspected that the sickness was global. They passed a family that was trapped on the side of the road and Jimmy's burning farmhouse. Sarah begs Tommy to drive by the family, but her father refuses. The Miller brothers reassured Sarah that it was only in the city and that it was coming from hospitals, despite her anxiety that they were all plagued.


As they approached a congested highway, they pulled into the field to cross it. They drove into town, where residents were fleeing the sick, and were blockaded by the military. A passenger plane crashed in the streets after malfunctioning and plummeting out of the sky, colliding with the truck and toppling it. Joel dragged Sarah to safety when she injured her ankle and the streets were crowded with infected people. After being separated from Tommy by a burning barrier, they decided to rendezvous in the field around the block.


Sarah’s death

While travelling, an infected man chased Joel and Sarah. They were chased through a bar until a U.S. soldier shot it down. The soldier informed his supervisor after Joel informed him that his daughter's leg was injured. He was ordered to shoot them because he thought they were infected. When Joel realized this, he attempted to flee but was shot, sending Sarah falling out of his arms. Tommy came and shot the soldier in the head before he could kill them. Sarah had been shot in the abdomen, while Joel had been lightly wounded on the side. She passed away in Joel's arms despite his best efforts to save her.


Also Read: Who is Riley in The Last Of Us?


Who plays Sarah in The Last of Us?


Who is Sarah in The Last of Us?
Nico Parker (Source: Niko Parker's Instagram)


Nico Parker, a British actress, plays Sarah Miller in the series. She debuted in a major role in the fantasy movie Dumbo (2019). She is the daughter of actress Thandiwe Newton and director Ol Parker.



FAQs about Sarah in The Last of Us

A. Sarah Miller was fatally shot by a U.S. army soldier during the Cordyceps breakout.

A. Sarah was 12 years old at the time of her death.

A. Joel becomes an expert smuggler after losing his daughter Sarah at the beginning of the Cordyceps brain illness outbreak.

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