In a reality where global warming has won, zombifying fungi have mutated to take over Earth and the known world has come to an end, how does humanity carry on?
Season Two of The Last of Us attempts to give its audiences an answer to this chilling question. Adapted from the Naughty Dog games produced by Craig Mazin, the show first grabbed fans’ attention in early 2023, earning itself a whopping 95 percent Rotten Tomatoes score and a rapid increase in viewership. The first season of this thriller follows Ellie, a 13-year-old girl who is miraculously immune to the deadly cordyceps virus, and Joel, a man sent to protect Ellie as they travel across North America in hope of turning the girl’s immunity into a cure. The second season picks up over two years later, and Ellie and Joel are back on home screens — only with a much bleaker path ahead of them (warning: spoilers lie ahead).
The second season premiered on April 13, with the episode “Future Days” followed by “Through The Valley.” Viewers who had played the video games knew what to expect in these first two episodes, but those who had not were likely shocked. In “Through The Valley,” Joel is brutally murdered in an act of vengeance, and Ellie is forced to watch. The scene is merciless to both the characters and audience, leaving many fans grieving. Cosette Cummins (II), who had not yet watched gameplay of Joel’s death scene but heard of it online, comments, “I really loved the character of Joel; his death was hard.” After witnessing the slaughter of her father figure and only family, Ellie, now 19 years old, decides she must find his killer and avenge him, continuing the never-ending cycle of violence.
Reactions to the show’s second season have been largely positive from critics, but mixed among watchers. As with many game-to-TV adaptations, some fans of the game have denounced the show’s integrity. Sofia Maheras Matthews (II) enjoys the show but states, “I played the game a while back, and I’m a really big fan. I started the show and thought it was good, but I feel like it just doesn’t fully live up the game.”
Many social media users have agreed with Maheras Matthews, with a few sparking heated controversies about the comparison to the game. The show, for example, splits the storyline of The Last of Us Part II game in half and makes way for a potential third season in the future. While some, like Matthews, feel that the pacing is too slow, others think that it contributes to the show’s emotional suspense. Cummins adds, “I feel like maybe it’s been a little bit on the longer side, but I think it’s still interesting.” Fans overall agree that, regardless of the standards the games have set, the show still stands firm in quality.
“One thing I like about the show,” notes Maheras Matthews, “is how they go into some storylines that weren’t really talked about in the game,” adding that the show invests heavily in the development of its side characters. Ellie’s love interest, Dina, for one, is deeply developed in the early episodes. She is shown to have a stronger connection to Joel, giving her a stronger motive for avenging his death. In fact, the relationship between Ellie and Dina is one of the most beloved aspects of The Last of Us, with many, including Cummins, citing it as one of their main reasons for being a fan.
Prior to the seventh episode premiering on May 25, many viewers were curious about what to expect in the season finale. As put by director Neil Druckman, Season Two is not all vengeance and rage: “it circles around forgiveness, including self-forgiveness. Just something to keep in mind as you head forward into the final installments, particularly during more confronting moments.” The true horrors of The Last of Us aren’t the cordyceps growing from people’s crania (though they certainly are chilling), but how humans can often become the monsters they run from and the difficulties of reconciliation. With the close of Season Two, fans should be prepared to forgive the writers for whatever comes next.