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 for being a brutal and emotionally intense story, but looking back at some of Ellie's lighter dialogue, I was shocked to find her seemingly making a “6-7” joke in a flashback scene. With “6-7” being one of the biggest memes of the year, I certainly wasn't expecting to hear something along the lines of the joke in The last of us part 2but here we are.

For those who don't know, “6-7” is 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. “6-7” basically doesn't have a single specific meaning, but is basically used as an inside joke. If the numbers “6” and “7” appear next to each other in any scenario, it's not unusual to hear a group of close-knit teenagers freaking out. If you know, then you understand, and if you don't, 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 kid who loves jokes, one of which sounds an awful lot like a nod to “6-7.” Since then of course The last of us part 2 came out five years ago, 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 Skril's song “Doot Doot (6 7).”

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

Over the years there have been cases where The Simpsons seemingly predicted future events, which continues to fuel Internet conspiracy theories. However, The last of us part 2 It feels like the least likely medium to have a moment that feels like a prediction of future meme culture. The “6-7” link takes place during a flashback scene where Ellie and Joel explore an abandoned science museum. Start at 4 minutes into the video and see for yourself.

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

Ellie: “Do 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 can make it seven.”

It's one of the most meaningful segments of the game, but now that I look back, there's another touch that's really typical of Ellie, because she'd probably love the “6-7” meme. In the flashback, Ellie is the exact age of someone involved in the “6-7” hype, so it's pretty funny to imagine that even in a fictional post-apocalyptic world, the “6-7” meme still somehow thrives. Even when Ellie says, “I'll make it seven,” she goes into an almost mischievous tone that makes it sound like she's fully aware she's telling a joke. Ellie jokes The last of us the games are an essential part of her character, showing how she sometimes uses humor to cope with her less-than-ideal living arrangements, but it's wild to think that “6-7” could now be inadvertently 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 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 end up becoming a meme reference. Honestly, that makes it even funnier. It's such an absurd inside joke that a lot had to go in to make it look like Ellie was using Gen Alpha slang.

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