New episodes of Season 2 of The Last of Us are rolling out on HBO each Sunday night. Kyle Orland, a fan of the video games, and Andrew Cunningham, who is new to the series, will be providing commentary every Monday morning. These discussions will contain significant spoilers, so viewers are advised to watch the latest episode before reading.
Kyle: I want to extend a warm welcome to Andrew and those who haven’t played The Last of Us Part 2 as we revisit the summer of 2020, a time when the gaming community was stunned by a shocking character death that rivaled the impact of Final Fantasy VII.
Before we explore the changes made to Joel’s pivotal death scene in the television adaptation, I’m eager to hear your thoughts as it all unfolded, both during and after the episode.
Andrew: This experience should affirm my status as someone blissfully unaware of what lies ahead.
My initial reaction is, “Wow, Kyle let me speculate about so much last week even though he knew what was coming!” I approached the season opener expecting the establishment of a new narrative arc to unfold gradually. Instead, we were thrust into a rapid tutorial reminiscent of a video game, right before calamity ensues.
I was genuinely shocked by what happened to Joel. Not only did I not anticipate it, but losing one of the core characters we developed all through the previous season alters the show significantly. I can’t say I’m a fan of this narrative choice.
Kyle: I found it challenging not to hint at what would happen last week, yet it was fun to let you enjoy your moments of innocence. I share your sentiment that Joel’s abrupt absence negatively impacts the remainder of the story. Still, given the storytelling elements we’ve seen so far, it wouldn’t surprise me if we witness some flashbacks…
Back in 2020, I came across leaks that spoiled this shocking moment for me before I had a chance to experience the game firsthand.
In the adaptation, the show somewhat lessens the impact of “the moment” by clarifying Abby’s motivations over 1.5 episodes leading up to it. In the game, players briefly step into Abby’s shoes without much backstory before Joel’s rescue, making the subsequent twist feel more like a sudden shock during a brief cutscene with minimal exposition. The game holds back on the rationale until much later, enhancing the emotional punch. Perhaps the showrunners decided it would be challenging to keep audiences guessing when the game is already accessible…
Andrew: The extended monologuing was a bit jarring and touches on my primary concern. I won’t delve too deeply into a story I could easily look up, but I’m not particularly excited about Ellie pursuing an angst-filled, new character. Does the series now rely on these recently introduced characters from Jackson Hole? None of these developments intrigue me as much as the dynamic between Joel and an adult Ellie.
Kyle: It’s no secret that the relationship between Joel and Ellie was the heart of the first game, and now it appears that Ellie’s quest for revenge will carry the second. This transition seems rough and arguably diminishes the narrative of the second installment.
The game goes to great lengths to immerse players in Abby’s perspective, which makes her revenge arc feel more justified. In contrast, the show seems to be more direct in conveying her backstory upfront to rationalize her actions toward Joel.
I’m curious if you found yourself able to sympathize with Abby at this point.
Andrew: Without a doubt, what Joel did to the Fireflies is horrific, possibly unforgivable. Aside from deceiving Ellie, he may have prevented humanity from discovering a cure for the ongoing apocalypse.
However, I do not sympathize with Abby! Her motivations seem overly simplistic, and her brutalization of Joel, who just saved her life, pushes away any potential empathy. If the series aims for viewers to feel for her, it has done everything possible to ensure we don’t.
Objectively, what Joel did is likely worse, but we spent an entire season understanding his character, guided by Pedro Pascal’s charm. We haven’t been afforded the same opportunity with Abby.
Kyle: Perhaps saying we are “supposed to sympathize with her” is a stretch, especially at this stage in the story. Yet, the show does seem to be attempting to make her actions appear somewhat justified. It will be interesting to see how her character is developed further, as her revenge quest currently feels over-the-top.
This episode also featured a significant zombie horde battle that interrupted the calm atmosphere in Jackson Hole. The scene played out reminiscent of a video game mission, leading me to question whether I had forgotten a critical firefight in the game. But it turns out this was an original creation for the show.
I believe this segment effectively reminded us of the fragility of human civilization while also providing a spectacle of special effects. For a moment, I even thought the show might take the unexpected route of eliminating Tommy, creating a moment of tension even for those familiar with the game.
Andrew: While Abby may develop further, she seems to be repeating Joel’s mistake by leaving witnesses.
I thoroughly enjoyed the zombie battle. The imagery of a sea of zombies emerging from beneath the snow was both creepy and impressive. Kudos to the show and HBO for successfully staging a winter zombie conflict without echoing Game of Thrones.
Again, I won’t speculate too heavily on where the Jackson Hole storyline is heading, as I’m unsure how much time will be spent on rebuilding the world or if that even occurs, considering potential further societal collapse. I did ponder during the flamethrower scene whether the roasted zombie resembled something edible or if the inhabitants of this world could enjoy mushrooms at all.
Kyle: Consuming a normal mushroom in The Last of Us universe could be akin to indulging in a hallucinogenic mushroom in reality—an unlikely choice reserved for risk-takers who wish to appear open-minded.
Andrew: While I recognize my lack of foresight regarding future events, we certainly have unresolved threads to explore in the next episode. How will Jackson Hole residents confront the fungus in their plumbing? How many will attempt to dissuade Ellie from her vengeful journey before she embarks on it anyhow? How will the intelligent zombies we encountered previously reemerge to create chaos? And how many more flashbacks involving Abby am I in for?
Above all, I’m curious how the show will keep players like you guessing as we move forward.
Kyle: Last season, we experienced a surprising and unexpected narrative turn with Nick Offerman’s story, which I hope the show will replicate following Joel’s death this time. I wouldn’t necessarily expect a dramatic, illogical return of Offerman’s character, but if that were their choice, I would welcome it.
