HBO’s The Last of Us season 2 amped up the excitement to a ten in this episode. First, the show introduced the idea of spores infecting people and turning them into vessels for cordyceps. This is something that fans of the video game knew about, but it wasn’t brought into season 1 of the TV series. With the spores being an important part of Nora and Ellie’s confrontation, it was a great idea to introduce them in the beginning of this episode, and how they did it was brilliant.
As important as that was, the reveal that Ellie knows that Joel killed the Fireflies in Utah was the part that will shock people. And, when you get to the end of the episode, it looks like you’ll see exactly how she finds out. Because the moment this writer has been waiting for is undoubtedly coming in season, episode 6. It's time for Ellie's birthday surprise.
The fifth episode ends with Joel going into Ellie’s room. As we know, Joel died in episode 2. So, either Ellie is having a mental breakdown and imagining Joel, or this is a moment from the past. It’s easy to guess the latter since we haven’t seen the first three years from The Last of Us Part II.
*** WARNING! POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR SEASON 2, EPISODE 6 OF HBO’s THE LAST OF US! ***
What happened in The Last of Us Part II and it could play into the series
The first flashback in The Last of Us Part II was Ellie and Joel on a trip for Ellie’s birthday. It starts with her guessing what her surprise is. The funny thing is that her first guess is a dinosaur. It’s outrageous, but she’s right. Joel is taking Ellie to the Wyoming Museum of Science and History. In this part of the campaign, Joel and Ellie have one of the best moments of their lives. Sadly, it was one of their last.
The next flashback came a year later. During this scene, Tommy takes Ellie shooting. This is where we learn that Ellie has become distant from Joel. Tommy tries to reconcile things by sending them on a trip to get guitar strings. This turns into an eventful trip where Ellie and Joel find two missing teenagers from the Jackson community. One of them is dead, while the other was infected
This likely won’t take place in the series because Tommy took Ellie shooting in the season 2 premiere. That’s not to say something similar won’t happen, but year two will be different. And then, year three is where everything changes.
Lastly, we come to year three. Ellie goes back to the hospital in Utah and learns the truth. Joel catches up with her, and Ellie gives him an ultimatum. Ellie says to tell her the truth or he'll never see her again. If he’s honest, then she’ll return to Jackson. Joel confesses. He's honest, but Ellie says she’s done with him.
No matter how this happens in the series, viewers will be devastated. People know there's a reason for the animosity between them on the show, but knowing and watching it happen are two different things. Take it from someone who’s played The Last of Us Part II, you aren’t ready to see this moment adapted on the show. I'm not sure I am either.
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