if need be". Gross noted that a goal of the writers was to "create the most multifaceted characters you've seen in games". She particularly wanted to explore the multifaceted behavior of Ellie, showing her power as well as her insecurities. She wanted the story to show that "there are no heroes or villains". Druckmann found that all three playable characters—Joel in the first game, and Ellie and Abby in Part II—mirror each other as they are all suffering with overcoming trauma and "quietening their demons". Druckmann recalled the team's excitement to explore Ellie's character further as a protagonist, particularly developing the loss of her innocence, comparing it to the feeling of the writers of Breaking Bad (2008–2013) when given the opportunity to explore Walter White. The team discussed creating a sequel without Ellie and Joel, but felt that they were less interesting. For her portrayal as the primary playable character, Johnson took lessons she learned working with Baker on the first game. Johnson considered her own experiences with anxiety, and researched the effects of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with Druckmann. Ellie's excitement for astronomy was based on Johnson's own interests, while her obsession with comics is based on Druckmann's childhood. Lead character artist Ashley Swidowski designed Ellie's eyes to demonstrate a somberness not present in the first game, which used wider eyes to reflect her childlike nature. Ellie's tattoo of a moth was designed by California-based artist Natalie Hall after the team struggled to settle on a design. Hall drew the tattoo on a developer's arm so the team could visualize it. When Swidowski added the moth design to Ellie's guitar, the team created a connection between it and the tattoo. Druckmann felt that moths' obsession with light mirrored Ellie's obsession throughout the game, as well as giving her a reminder of Joel. Ellie's clothing in the game is designed to wrinkle authentically. Ellie's journal was a late addition to development, intended to allow further insight into her mindset. The game's flashback sequences of Ellie and Joel served as a way to contextualize the former's motivations and remind the player the reason behind her journey. The writers ensured that the flashbacks featured some conflict to avoid their relationship remaining idle; the writers felt that avoiding the consequences of Joel's actions at the end of the first game would be a "disservice" to the themes of Part II. Druckmann recalled that