"Hey there pepperhead, legal isn't super exited about this tweet"

When I saw this scene as a child I assumed that the reason why Hammon said that is because he was the host and Ellie was the guest.. I still thought it was bit weird in a survival situation, but I find interesting how sexism is not a thing in a kid’s mind

Same, though I thought he meant he knew the way! I understood it after the conversation was finished but I always thought it was kinda odd because if it should be him going, then why isn’t he just going, why didn’t he say anything until now…and then it hit me. He’s OOOOLD. He knows he’s old. And I love this scene so much because it’s sexism fighting against common sense within one really charming character. Hammond knows Ellie is the one who should go because she’s competent, physically fit and good in a crisis. Muldoon can’t go because he’s less expendable as the de facto leader. He’s not even offering, Hammond isn’t even suggesting him as an alternative even though he could be the perfect proxy for his sexism. Ellie is the logical foot soldier here. But Hammond still feels like he’s gotta pay dues to the sexist gentleman’s code. The way he says it…he’s not convinced. He knows how stupid it is! But his conditioning just won’t let go. Ellie could have said ‘Yeah and you’re old and walk with a cane’ which would have implied that were it not the case Hammond would have obviously gone, but she didn’t, she called out the sexism instead and that plus Hammond’s hesitation is what gives the viewer much more food for thought than some fight for dominance would have.