Most of the third episode of HBO’s The Last of Us season 2 was changed from the source material. It was the only way that viewers could enjoy what was going on because, unlike the game, you’re not entertained with strictly violence. You need to know a character’s motivation. The video game does a brilliant job with character development and getting us to care about the protagonists, but the show does it better.
In the recent episode of The Last of Us Season 2 Podcast, host Troy Baker (who voices Joel in the game), co-creator Neil Druckmann, and director Craig Mazin explain why certain moments were changed from the source material. They also discuss what Ellie’s mental state is before she goes after Abby and how it affects things going forward, and how Joel’s death impacts the people who cared about him.
*** WARNING! POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR SEASON 2, EPISODE 3 OF THE LAST OF US!
Nothing's ever the same again
The first parts of the podcast episode are usually the most important because it does more than talk about the first parts of the current episode. They get into what happened at the end of the previous one. In this case, it’s Joel’s death.
So far, Joel’s murder is the most important part of this season. In the game, the focus is on Ellie and Tommy’s next steps. As Neil Druckmann, Troy Baker, and Craig Mazin explain during each of their episodes, the creative team behind the show takes the opportunity to expand certain moments. In this case, there's Joel’s death. However, while his passing hit the fictional characters the hardest, fans of the show and game were hurt too. This is why the decision was made for Tommy to have a moment with his brother’s body. It wasn’t just for him. It was for the viewers as well.
"We knew that Joel’s death was going to impact the audience in a profound way; it certainly impacted us in a profound way. And it seemed to us that these first moments needed to show a kind of respect for the character and needed to acknowledge what had happened here."Craig Mazin
Neil Druckmann points this out by talking about the opportunity presented to them by not having to get right back into the action. He said, “You get to sit with these characters who are grieving.” This is why Ellie spent time in the hospital healing as the people of Jackson, Wyoming, community rebuilt their town. There's an entire town of people who are impacted by every decision made.
"But your final moment with someone doesn’t define your whole time with them."Bella Ramsey as Ellie
Craig also brings up that this was a chance to have Ellie, “sit there in her grief and her despair and her anger.” This way, the rage, anger, and determination you’ll see in Ellie going forward will make more sense. Whether it's in the video game or the HBO show, her motives are understandable. However, when you have to sit with something so traumatic for months without the means, knowledge, or ability to do anything about it, you're negative emotions will fester and make you do things you normally wouldn't. Although it's pointed out that it's different with Ellie.
Ellie and violence
For lack of a better term, Ellie was baptized in violence. Her mother was bitten by an infected person while she was about to give birth to her. She was treated terribly by the kids and staff at the FEDRA school. And, since then, Ellie’s continuously had to experience “final moments” from the people around her. Riley, Tess, Henry, Sam, and now Joel have all died in front of or protecting her. It’s not shocking that she’s ready to kill Abby and do it with or without the help of the town council’s approval.
"What matters to Ellie is the gun."Craig Mazin
Craig Mazin points out Ellie’s history with violence and how it connects to Joel in a way that people may not have noticed. When she was going through Joel’s things, she went right past the watch to get to his gun. The watch meant something to Joel because it was given to him by his daughter, Sarah, but Ellie couldn't care less. That’s not how she knows Joel. Craig Mazin said it best that their relationship is "cemented in violence.”
Yes, this world is violent, but think about everything that happened. Ellie knows what the watch represents and breezes past it for something that kills. As a fan of the video game, it’s an easy way to see that this was the moment when darker clouds started to form. I guess it's a good thing she has her gun.