HBO's live-action adaptation of The Last of Us was a massive success with critics and audiences alike. In a time where video game adaptations are usually failures, this was truly a groundbreaking moment.
The show stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as Joel and Ellie, two survivors of a zombie apocalypse who embark on a journey across the post-apocalyptic United States. Over the course of season 1, audiences learn how the world ended, who Joel and Ellie are, and how matters of the heart can sometimes outweigh all else.
Not surprisingly, the show was renewed for season 2, premiering on Sunday, April 13. What is in store for this surrogate father-daughter duo?
The answers lie in the video game The Last of Us Part II. Today, we looking at five moments from the game that we hope to see in the new season. Be warned: there are lots of SPOILERS from the video game ahead.
1. Ellie and Dina's first kiss
In season 1, it was heavily implied that Ellie and her friend Riley (Storm Reid) were beginning to have feelings for each other. Those who played the video games know that Ellie's romantic interest in women doesn't end there.
At the end of the first season, Joel and Ellie settled in Jackson, Wyoming, a community that is functioning about as efficiently as it can given the sorry state of the world. There, Ellie develops a relationship with a character named Dina, to be played by Isabela Merced.
There's one Ellie-Dina moment in particular we're looking forward to: Dina, who has been romantically involved with Jesse (Young Mazino), chooses to dance with Ellie at a big event in Jackson. At this point, the romantic tension between Ellie and Dina had been unbearable, and it is Dina who initiates the kiss.
Figuring out who you are is difficult under normal circumstances, to say nothing of when you're living under constant threat of zombie attack. For Ellie and Dina, this is the moment that changes their lives forever.
2. The truth comes out
Season 1 ended with a heart-wrenching, thrilling conclusion as Joel chooses to save Ellie over possibly saving the world. Ellie is the one person in all the world immune to the fungun infection that turns them into zombies. The revolutionary group known as the Fireflies was going to use her immunity to synthesize a cure, but it meant killing her. Rather than let that happen, Joel killed everyone in the hospital.
Joel never told Ellie, who was unconsious at the time, the truth about what happened. He spun a lie of how the Fireflies had found others who were immune. At the time Ellie didn't question it...or did she?
Well, the truth was bound to come out eventually, and when it did, the fallout was worse than anyone could have predicted. Joel and Ellie's bond is completely broken, to the point where they rarely see each other, let alone speak to one another.
For Joel, this is incredibly painful considering Ellie is the first person he was truly able to connect with since the day his daughter died. It's also extremely painful for Ellie, who had been left behind by pretty much everyone she had ever known.
In the game, this scene plays out like something out of an Oscar-nominated movie. We expect Pascal and Ramsey to step up for it.
3. Ellie's last conversation with Joel
Did we mention a lot of the moments we picked tug at the heartstrings? If you think Ellie learning the truth about what happened to the Fireflies at the hospital is powerful, how about the last conversation she ever has with Joel?
As we mentioned, their relationship becomes strained to the point they hardly speak, until one evening. While Joel is playing his guitar outside, Ellie comes over and the two have a soft conversation until they address the elephant in the room.
Ellie lays it all out for Joel, claiming she's angry that he took away her choice. She was supposed to die in the hospital in the hopes her immunity could save others and Joel took that away from her.
Joel, however, still does not regret saving her. In the end, Ellie confesses that she hopes she can forgive him, not realizing this would be the last time they speak to each other.
First look at Ellie's tattoo in #TheLastofUs Season 2 pic.twitter.com/3xnkciISTf
— The Last of Us News (@TheLastofUsNews) August 5, 2024
4. Ellie's tattoo
Ellie first finds out that she's immune to the zombie pathogen when she is bitten but doesn't turn. The bite remains on her arm, and anybody who rolls up her sleeve can discover her secret. The mark is a painful reminder of when she lost Riley, and how she will never truly fit in with the rest of humanity. She covers it up with a tattoo to minimize suspicion. Dina doesn't even find out about Ellie's immunity for some time.
Ellie's tattoo is deeply symbolic. In terms of design, the fern branches accompanied by a moth is a vivid and beautiful image, important in such dark and uncertain times. The tattoo also recalls other imagery from the franchise, such as the Firefly logo and Joel's guitar.
5. Joel's death
Early on in The Last of Us Part II, Joel is killed by a new character named Abby, to be played by Kaitlyn Dever. We'll find out her reasons over the course of the season, but the scene itself is incredibly dramatic. As much as we'll hate to see Joel meet his demise at the hands of Abby, in front of Ellie and his brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna) no less, it must be done to further the story, especially for Ellie.
When The Last of Us Part II first came out, Joel's death was incredibly controversial. The TV versiono of the scene could stir that up again. Still, if done right, this is the scene that will win Pascal and Ramsey all the awards, and will be the one people are talking about years later.
The Last of Us Part II becomes Ellie's story. But the bond between her and Joel is still at the heart of it. This scene will be painful, but necessary.
You can stream The Last of Us season 1 on Max.
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