If you’re reading this, you have just watched the last episode of The Last of Us Season One, and you’re feeling a sense of disappointment, just like I did. It was the shortest episode of the season, and that was a bummer. After all that suspense, I expected an hour-long extravaganza, but what did we get? A mere 43 minutes of drama left me wanting more.
However, there’s no denying that it was a powerful episode. It opens with Ashley Johnson, the original actress who played Ellie in the games, portraying Ellie’s mother. The scene shows the moment Ellie is born and the horrifying event that takes place as her mother is being chased by an infected and attacked while giving birth. The scene was so heart-wrenching that it left me feeling protective of baby Ellie, and when Marlene was about to fire her gun, I was like, “Cover that baby’s ears,” but sadly, she didn’t.
As the episode progresses, we see Joel and Ellie getting closer to their destination, and Joel finally accepts Ellie as a friend he cares about. The shift in their characters is impressive, with Joel being talkative and Ellie being quiet. Ellie’s fear of their journey ending is palpable, and when they overlook the city, she tells Joel that she’ll follow him anywhere. It’s a beautiful moment that shows the depth of their bond.
The episode also features the famous giraffe scene that all fans were excited to see. Moments like this make The Last of Us stand out as a story. Watching Joel look at Ellie with absolute joy on his face as she feeds the giraffe, you can see that there’s a part of him that is remembering what happiness feels like.
However, the real emotional gut punch comes when Joel finally reaches the Fireflies with Ellie and learns that the procedure they’re planning will kill her. Joel is faced with a choice, save Ellie, or let her die and potentially get a cure for humanity. It’s a thrilling sequence reaffirming Joel’s status as not your everyday hero. He brutally murders almost everyone in the building to save Ellie, and it’s a reminder that he’s not a good guy; he just has a good heart. The episode does a fantastic job of hammering this point home.
The episode also stays true to the game, right down to the ending and the dialogue being verbatim. Ellie admits to Joel that Riley, the girl she loves, is the first person she ever killed. It’s a confession that would not have been in the game and a decisive moment that shows how far Ellie has come.
In conclusion, The Last of Us Season One Finale was a rollercoaster of emotions. It was short, but it packed a punch, and it stayed true to the game. The show did an excellent job showing us the depth of Joel and Ellie’s bond and the lengths that Joel would go to save Ellie. However, it also reminded us that Joel is not a hero and will make viciously wrong choices to survive. It’s a powerful message that will stay with you long after the credits have rolled.
