'The Last of Us' Finale: Recap and Funniest Reaction Memes (March 13, 2023)
The Last of Us season finale is here! Most of us couldn't be more horrified.
Prepare for spoilers:
Players of the game knew what was coming. A high-stakes, intense, and controversial ending that left the player confused about their own moral stance. Even after having beaten the game way back in the day, I was nowhere near prepared for what was in store. The television adaptation not only stays loyal to the game's finale, it utilizes some of that "movie magic" to go above and beyond in creating a tense and gripping climax.
To kick things off we're greeted with a flashback of Ellie's pregnant mother, Anna, sprinting through the woods. But she's not out for some routine apocalyptic cardio training. She's running for her life and the life of her unborn child. Alone and terrified, she makes it to an abandoned farmhouse. But things go from bad to worse as her water breaks. Out of options, she locks herself in an upstairs room. The single infected that had been trailing her bursts through the door, attacking her. In what can only be called an incredible last stand, she takes the infected out. But her victory is short-lived, as she discovers a fresh bite mark from the scuffle. Powerless and exhausted after birthing Ellie, all she can do is sit and wait. Marlene, leader of the Fireflies, eventually makes it to her. Anna knows there's no surviving this. Her only request from Marlene is that she takes care of her daughter and finish her before she turns. Marlene agrees.
Absent from the games, this gives us a better understanding of Ellie's immunity. As well as the relationship between her and Marlene. There's no way the show would give us this scene without allowing it to be an assumption of Ellie's immunity. Her mom was bitten and then gave birth to Ellie. Marlene was her mother's close friend and vowed to take care of Ellie.
How someone might feel about this added pretext may be subjective. I sort of enjoyed the ambiguity of the game's interpretation, leaving gamers to fill in the holes with their own ideas. But that isn't to say the show hasn't brought out the best in our beloved characters with the new additions and changes.
Heading back to current happenings, Joel and Ellie are heading towards a hospital, which they suspect houses the Fireflies. Ellie is aloof and seemingly troubled. Joel attempts to connect with her but is met with increasingly distanced interaction. That is until they encounter the local wildlife.
In what was directly aped from the game, Ellie notices the escaped zoo giraffes and spends a minute feeding them leaves with Joel. In full candor, the CGI giraffes were very, very noticeable. I didn't expect them to get real giraffes, of course. But it was a little bit corny. Despite that, it was a meaningful bonding experience for the two.
They make their way toward the hospital. Joel tells Ellie the truth. After his daughter, Sara, died, he tried to commit suicide. A genuine moment that fully explains his connection to his surrogate daughter. He doesn't want to lose her. And he most certainly won't.
Joel and Ellie make it to the Firefly base of operations. Or rather, the Fireflies spot them first and abduct them. At first, the Fireflies relay good news to Joel. Ellie can, in fact, use her immunity to bring about a cure. However, this will come at the cost of her own life.
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Even more spoilers below:
Indeed, Joel does make a decision. One that comes as an inevitable reaction, but one that most people wouldn’t agree with from an outside perspective. He proceeds to slaughter every single Firefly in the hospital. It appears he can only see red as he rampages through the entire facility without a cent of mercy. Even the doctor who is trying to attain a glimpse of hope for humanity is not spared. All of this killing, all of this mayhem to save the last person he truly cares about, Ellie.
Even Marlene cannot escape his wrath, and the dreadful irony sets in that she had once seen Joel as a potential savior. We see a flash forward to his interactions with a now-awakened Ellie. Joel lies, not only to cover up his actions but to bring Ellie closer to him. She tells him what he wants to hear, but it’s clear she has her suspicions.
Thoughts:
An incredible season for not only fans of the game, but people who are new to the title. As both a player and viewer, I felt this season was not only truthful to the game series, but elevated so many of those moments. Seeing Joel as a bystander, not the player, showed his absolute brutality as an individual. Mowing down Fireflies as a player felt wrong, but it was your objective in the game. Here, you’re just horrified by Joel’s actions. As a player, you are now the bystander. The roles are reversed, and all you can do is witness the brutality toward a group of people trying to save humanity. This might be the best setup for the events of next season.
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Audience reactions/thoughts on the episode/season:
- Well, despite the absolutely horrific display in tonight’s episode, it seems that people just can’t stop thirsting over Pedro Pascal's depiction of Joel. Keep on keeping on, internet!
- The last of Us (HBO) was, in my opinion, the greatest video game adaptation I’ve ever witnessed. Every change they made (i.e. the story of Sam’s character and the entirely secluded episode of Frank and Bill) served the world so much better.
- I’m glad a select few people chose to highlight Joel’s massacre. Not a super “Daddy Joel” look to murder a nearly unarmed surgeon.
- As I said, the CGI giraffes didn’t do it for me.
- Whether you're a player of the games or a viewer of the show, I can guarantee Season 2 is going to be jaw-dropping!
Here's what the internet had to say about the finale:
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