Ellie makes a "6-7" joke in The Last of Us Part 2, and no I'm not kidding

The last of us part 2 is known as a brutal and emotionally intense story, but looking back at some of Ellie's more light-hearted dialogue, I was shocked to find that she seemingly makes a “6-7” joke in a flashback scene. With “6-7” being one of the biggest memes of the year, I definitely wasn't expecting to hear anything along the lines of the joke in The last of us part 2but here we are.

For those who don't know, “6-7” has been one of the most popular Gen Alpha memes of 2025. If you're looking for a solid definition of the slang term, you'll be sadly disappointed. Basically, “6-7” doesn't have a single concrete meaning, but it's basically used as an inside joke. If the numbers “6” and “7” appear next to each other in any scenario, it's not abnormal to hear a group of nearby teenagers going wild. If you're in the know, then you get it, and if you're not, then it's more confusing than anything else. The last of us part 2Ellie may be a lot more serious in the sequel, but in her flashbacks she's still a pretty happy guy who loves to make jokes, one of which sounds very much like a nod to “6-7”. Of course then The last of us part 2 came out five years ago, it's obviously not a direct reference to the meme, but the coincidence is wild, especially in the context of the scene.

“6-7” may ultimately come from the Skrilla song “Doot Doot (6 7).”

The Last of Us Part 2 has its very own “6-7” joke

Over the years there have been occasions there The Simpsons has seemingly predicted future events, which continues to fuel internet conspiracy theories. However, The last of us part 2 feels like the least likely part of media to have a moment that feels like a prediction of future meme culture. The “6-7” reference occurs during the flashback scene where Ellie and Joel explore the abandoned science museum. Start at the 4 minute mark in the video to see it for yourself.

As Ellie approaches a statue of the moon, she jokes with Joel about how many times people have traveled to it.

Ellie: “You know how many times we've been to the moon?”

Joel: “Uh, twice?”

Ellie: “Six times.”

Joel: “Are you sure?”

Ellie: “Yeah, I'm sure. I'll make it seven.”

It's one of the most meaningful segments of the game, but now, looking back, there's an extra touch that feels really in-character for Ellie because she probably would have loved the “6-7” meme. In retrospect, Ellie is the exact age of someone caught up in the “6-7” hype, so it's pretty fun to imagine that even in a fictional, post-apocalyptic world, the “6-7” meme still thrives in some way. Even when Ellie says, “I'm gonna make it seven,” she switches to an almost mischievous tone that makes it sound like she's fully aware she's telling a joke. Ellie's joke entered The last of us games are an important part of her character as it shows how she sometimes uses humor to cope with her less-than-ideal living arrangement, but it's wild to think that “6-7” could now inadvertently be part of that coping mechanism.

Ellie's “6-7” joke may not have been planned, but it's a big coincidence

Unless Naughty Dog has some kind of secret access to time travel technology that no one knows about, the studio and director Neil Druckmann had no way of knowing that Ellie's dialogue could eventually become a meme reference. Honestly, that makes it even more fun. It's such an absurd inside joke that a lot has to fall into place just to make it seem like Ellie is using Gen Alpha slang.

For some, “6-7” is just another form of brain rot, but others see it as a term that binds an entire generation together. It's silly, but that's the point. With Ellie's age being in line with the generation that coined the term, it reverses this part The last of us part 2s museum level to a weird meta moment.