Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett discuss Frank and Bill’s fates on The Last of Us

Episode 3 of The Last of Us threw a massive wrench into the post-apocalyptic landscape and told one of the purest love stories possibly ever shown on TV.

This episode focuses almost entirely on the characters of Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett), two unlikely lovers who find and build a life with each other for over 15 years in the midst of a zombie armegeddon. We see their good times and their bad times, and the gut-wrenching decision at the end of their lives.

At the end of the episode, Frank has come down with a Parkinson’s-like illness, and tells Bill that he wants to have one more good day with him before he commits suicide. Bill agrees, and when the time comes, Bill poisons himself along with Frank, and they die together in each other’s arms.

Nick Offerman explains why Bill decided to leave with Frank on The Last of Us

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Offerman and Bartlett discussed their characters’ final moments, and how their hour-and-20-minute epic impacted the larger story. “What it comes down to is, I think, the events in Bill’s life led him to become an isolated survivalist, and, against all odds, he ends up with Frank and they create this life together,” Offerman said. “Only then, as he lets us know, he’s discovered the reason for all of it.”

In the beginning of the episode, Bill starts off as a loner doomsday prepper who is happy that the world ends and he doesn’t have to interact with anyone again. That is until Frank stumbles into one of his traps and they develop a connection. Over time, they fall in love and carve out a pretty nice life together in the middle of an ugly world. Eventually, Bill tells Frank, “I was never scared until you came along,” showing that Frank gave him happiness and purpose.

“He realizes that what makes life worth living are the other people we care about,” Offerman continued. “So the prospect of facing the loss of Frank, of going back to being alone, in a world where the prospects are very few and far between, it’s not like he could say, ‘Well, maybe I’ll meet another perfect man.’ That transaction seems very simple to me. Bill just thought about it and was like, ‘Well, my reason for living is going away, so I might as well go with him.'”

Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett discuss the final shot of The Last of Us Episode 3

The genuine love portrayed in this episode was so unusual for a zombie show; compare it to, say, the constant bleak violence and despair in shows like The Walking Dead. It was nice to see that it is possible for two people to be happy after the world ends, even if they do die at the end. The final shot of the episode peers out the window of the room where they lie dead as Ellie and Joel drive away in a truck; we don’t actually see their bodies.

“The pieces as I recall simply refer to preserving their dignity,” Offerman said about not showing Bill and Franks’ death onscreen. “Like Bill thinks of everything – including not making anybody have to see them. One of my favorite things in the whole story is that he sets them up with components to make a battery for the truck. I agree, I get really emotional seeing the truck drive away. It says to me that these two scrappy humans found each other, found love and cultivated their garden in all these different ways. They did just enough so that they provided some hope for humanity without even knowing it.”

Offerman is referring to the fact that it would have been impossible for Bill to know about Ellie, and her supposed resistance to the fungal zombie infection. But through his efforts, Bill gives humanity a chance to survive in the long run as Joel and Ellie successfully get their hands on a truck, and continue on their path to get Ellie to scientists to develop a cure.

Why didn’t The Last of Us show us Bill and Frank’s bodies?

Murray Bartlett (Frank) also weighed in on the last frame of the episode. “Can I say one thing about that last shot? I agree with you,” Bartlett said to Offerman. “I think it speaks to what we responded to in the script. It’s incredibly romantic, but it never veers into a sugary over-the-top romance. That final moment allows you to remember all the things you’ve seen of this relationship, rather than confining it to a final image of these people. It’s a testament to the beautiful writing and crafting of this show that it gives space for this which makes it even more powerful. It leaves you with your own rumination of the story that’s been told – which is often better than anything you can ever show.”

Not showing Bill and Franks’ bodies was a good choice in my opinion. After spending over an hour with them and learning the ins and outs of their 20-year-journey together, it felt right that we don’t see their final moments.

To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.

Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels