Death Stranding fans convinced Elle Fanning character is in for 'big twist' in sequel

Death Stranding fans are convinced they've already cracked the "big twist" that will be in store for Elle Fanning's mysterious character Tomorrow in the upcoming sequel of the action-adventure video game.

The second instalment of the Kojima Productions masterpiece, officially titled Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, will be released for PlayStation 5 on June 26th. In it, the main character, Sam Bridges (played by Norman Reedus), will continue to navigate life as a delivery porter in the wake of an extinction-level event known as the Death Stranding.

Alongside Sam and returning characters such as Fragile (Léa Seydoux) and Higgs (Troy Baker), the sequel will introduce new characters with backstories that are sure to take us by surprise as we uncover more about how other parts of the world are handling the post-apocalyptic conditions.

One of the most interesting characters we've seen so far in trailers and teasers for the game is a young woman named Tomorrow, played by Elle Fanning. She has appeared in cutscenes with Sam and seems to be an ally, but there have also been hints that she has some connection to Higgs, one of several antagonists in the first game.

But despite Death Stranding having a reputation for its very intricate (and at times, confusing) storyline that's almost guaranteed to continue in the sequel, some fans online are convinced they've already worked out what the "big twist" in her story will be.

If you played the first game, you'll remember little baby Lou, the Bridge Baby (BB) that Sam uses to be able to sense the game's monsters, known as Beached Things (BTs). At the end of the game, Sam frees the baby from its pod and, upon realising it's actually a girl, begins raising her as his daughter, Louise.

In early trailers for the sequel, Sam and Fragile are raising toddler Louise together until scenes show Fragile getting attacked by a group of masked strangers. To save Louise, Fragile uses Beach travel to effectively teleport the little girl away from danger, and as of the time of writing, we don't know what happens to her.

And in a Reddit thread shared by fans of the game, they've deduced that Elle Fanning's character actually is a grown-up Louise, suggesting she's been separated from her adopted parents ever since.

The fan who made the post shared a news article in which game director Hideo Kojima claimed that he would have had to rewrite the entire story of Death Stranding 2 if Fanning had turned down the role of Tomorrow, suggesting that her part is vital.

They wrote: "Elle Fanning's character is the most important character story-wise. And I'm afraid that I won't get it from the first playthrough because all of the hints that she's actually Louise, and obviously, Higgs is kind of obsessed with her. I think her character is going to be so complicated. And knowing Elle as an actress, she will definitely deliver with her performance."

Other commenters claimed that Tomorrow is "absolutely" the same person as Louise, but they theorised that the connection is obvious because Kojima is "hiding a bigger twist" from players.

Someone said: "She's absolutely Lou, but I think Kojima is deliberately telling us this because he's hiding a bigger twist." Another added: "I agree with the theory that she's probably Lou, but I also have a feeling she's related to Higgs in some way. Maybe a daughter or sister or something."

Kojima made his comments about casting Fanning in the role back in 2023, when he said he was "worried about her saying no".

Speaking on his Brain Structure podcast, he said: "I would have had to throw out the scenes that I had written, since she plays a major role. I really can't share much, but she's a very, very important character. And yes, I created the character with Elle in mind. So I was worried about her saying no to the offer."

Other details surrounding the plot of Death Stranding 2 are limited as of the time of writing, but players can expect just as many complicated twists and turns as they got with the first game in the series.

It has also been confirmed that the game will focus more on combat than the first game, although players can choose whether to fight enemies directly, sneak by using stealth tactics, or avoid fighting completely by navigating rougher terrain.

The game will also feature a dynamic day and night cycle which the first game did not, as well as more character customisation options, including a skill tree where players can level up Sam's combat, stealth, and his ability to deliver packages.

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach will be released on June 26th for the PlayStation 5.