spoiler warning! The following includes information from the Season 2 finale.
“The Last of Us.”
For some reason, circumstances have deteriorated further for Ellie.
The lead of
HBO’s “The Last of Us,”
played by
Bella Ramsey
, has had a challenging season on the post-apocalyptic zombie series. Her stand-in dad, Joel,
Pedro Pascal
) confessed to murdering numerous individuals under her orders, before being swiftly slain by the offspring of one of his targets, with Ellie witnessing the event. Throughout the remainder of Season 2, Ellie embarked on an enraged quest for revenge.
Joel’s killer,
Abby (Kaitlyn Dever), leading her and her best friend/crush/girlfriend Dina (Isabela Merced) to the battle-scarred remnants of Seattle.
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In the final episode airing on May 25, Ellie’s quest for vengeance seemed hopeless as Dina lay injured. Caught in the conflict between the Washington Liberation Front/Wolves—a faction associated with Abby—and the Seraphite sect known for their extreme practices, Dina was struck by an arrow during battle. Not only did this happen, but she also suffered through torturing one of Abby’s companions and received unclear clues regarding Abby’s whereabouts. Meanwhile, Jesse (played by Young Mazino), along with her stand-in guardian Tommy portrayed by Gabriel Luna, arrived in Seattle aiming both to save her and to criticize her actions. However, despite these setbacks, her pursuit didn’t cease there.
Here’s all that happened in the (literally) soggy and tumultuous season ender, and how it could impact the storyline heading into the series’ third installment.
Ellie shares with Dina information about Joel and the Fireflies.
Dina, who was pregnant, accompanied Ellie on her journey to Seattle due to her affection for Ellie (which goes beyond friendship, as we’ve come to realize), along with her connection to Joel. However, following Ellie’s torture and killing of Abby’s companion Nora,
Tati Gabrielle
After coming to terms with the situation, Ellie decides it’s time to confess both hers and Joel’s misdeeds. She discloses to Dina how Joel had eliminated several members of a group called Fireflies in Salt Lake City during Season 1. This admission toughens up Dina, making her more determined to return to their house in Jackson, Wyoming, though she remains steadfastly supportive of Ellie. As a token of good fortune, Dina hands over a bracelet to Ellie before staying put at the theatre where they have been taking refuge. Meanwhile, Ellie sets off alongside Jesse to track down Tommy.
Ellie leaves her friends behind once more to pursue revenge.
As Ellie and Jesse search for Tommy, they catch a transmission on Ellie’s pilfered WLF walkie-talkie mentioning a sniper. Jesse believes this must be Tommy. Eager to confront him right away, Jesse sets off towards the source of the signal. However, Ellie suddenly grasps what Nora had previously hinted at regarding Abby’s location—they deduce that Abby is likely holed up in an aquarium situated on a pier. Dismissing Jesse with expletives due to her frustration with his self-righteous demeanor, Ellie commandeers a boat and ventures toward the aquarium through treacherous weather conditions.
Certainly, the teenager who spent their formative years within the walls of Boston and later in a land-locked town in Wyoming has little experience with sailing. She finds herself washed onto a small island almost immediately after setting out, only to be seized by the Seraphites, who mistakenly think she’s part of a group called the Wolves. As she pleads for mercy, they start hanging her from a tree, but an actual assault by the WLF frightens them off. They abandon her choking on the ground, with the ropes still wrapped tightly around her throat.
Finally, she reaches the aquarium, finding Owen (Spencer Lord) and Mel (Ariela Barer), who are two of Abby’s acquaintances, locked in an argument over their missing leader. The area is littered with blood-soaked bandages and various medical tools, yet their conversation regarding Abby remains unclear. Undeterred, Ellie points her firearm at them, insisting they disclose Abby’s whereabouts. In response, Owen attempts a hurried shot at Ellie, which fails; however, his attempt prompts Ellie to retaliate, striking both him and Mel. While Owen collapses immediately, Mel lingers for several moments as she hemorrhages and admits to being pregnant. With her final breaths, she pleads for Ellie to perform an emergency cesarean section to save her unborn child. Overwhelmed and emotionally shattered, Ellie cannot decide how to proceed, leading to the tragic loss of Mel and her infant. Ultimately, this encounter does not reveal Abby’s location either.
Shortly after Jesse and Tommy arrive to save Ellie once more, the trio returns to the theater.
What goes down at that theatre with Abby and Ellie?
At the theater once again, Ellie discusses things with Tommy and Jesse, finally accepting that she needs to let go of her desire for revenge and head back home. She makes amends with Jesse as well, and the trio shares an affectionate moment realizing just how deeply they value their friendship. Suddenly, they hear commotion from another part of the building and rush into the theater’s lobby. As they push open the door, Jesse gets hit, dying instantly, while Abby stands over Tommy holding a firearm.
Ellie pleads with Abby to let Tommy live, claiming responsibility for murdering Abby’s friends. As Ellie yells, Abby aims her weapon, and a gunshot echoes before the scene goes dark.
What implications does the ‘Last of Us’ final episode have for season three?
In the final scene, we find Abby safely situated within a Washington Liberation Front (WLF) facility. The on-screen text then reveals that we have shifted back three days, to when Ellie and Dina initially arrived in Seattle. This suggests strongly that Season 3 will centre around Abby, echoing the storytelling approach used in the video game. As such, this implies minimal appearances from Ramsey’s portrayal of Ellie, with Pascal likely not reprising his role.
HBO hasn’t announced a release date for Season 3 yet.
The article initially appeared on USA TODAY:
Everything you need to know about the ‘Last of Us’ Season 2 finale:Deaths and survivors revealed.
