Spoilers for the newest episode of HBO’s The Final of Us, “The Path,” lie forward, so learn on at your personal discretion.
The Final of Us Season 2 is proving to be simply as entertaining as its predecessor and simply as heartbreaking amid its run on the 2025 TV schedule. Followers of the Naughty Canine online game sequence have been seemingly conscious that this season would adapt a heartbreaking second involving Joel (who’s performed completely by Pedro Pascal). Effectively, it lastly occurred, and it was simply as devastating as I imagined it could be. Fortunately, I’ve discovered a little bit of consolation within the aftermath, and that’s due to the neighborhood of Jackson, Wyoming.
On the finish of the second episode of TLoU Season 2, Joel is brutally murdered by militia chief Abby as retribution for Joel killing her father whereas taking Ellie from the fireflies years earlier. The next episode tackles the aftermath of Joel’s tragic demise and the way his family members deal with it. With that, the town of Jackson takes middle stage in a means that it didn’t in 2020’s The Final of Us Half II, on which serves as the premise for this season for the present. There are particularly two the reason why I admire this variation.
The Group Has Time To Mourn Joel And Others Misplaced Throughout The Assault By The Contaminated
Episode 2 includes a appreciable variety of casualties, as Abby triggers an occasion that by accident wakes up a horde of contaminated, who make their approach to the city. Lives are misplaced, and within the aftermath, the survivors should choose up the items. What I used to be happy to see within the third episode, which picks up three months later, is that viewers actually get to see the city grapple with what went down. A lot of its residents assist with the rebuilding course of whereas additionally reflecting on the individuals they misplaced after weeks of funerals.
A significant facet of this that I actually loved seeing was Ellie being compelled to reckon with the loss of life of Joel, her surrogate father determine. As a result of The Final of Us Half II strikes so shortly and is action-oriented, there’s not a lot time for the character to sit down in her grief. With that, I discovered it acceptable that the sometimes vivacious younger lady has to take a beat earlier than in the end searching for revenge on Abby. Joel’s brother, Tommy, and Ellie’s good friend, Dina, should additionally wrestle with the loss in their very own methods.
The shared grief results in some fantastic character moments, with one significantly affecting scene involving Tommy and native psychotherapist Gail. Shifting in the direction of extra of a macro degree, Joel’s loss of life has a bigger influence on the better Jackson neighborhood. That’s truly what leads into the second level I need to make.
Viewers See Jackson Come Collectively To Weigh The Professionals And Cons Of Avenging Joel
Some could argue that the Jackson-heavy content material in Episode 3 is solely filler, however I’m of the considering that the general public listening to is way from that. On a primary degree, it represents how democracy works within the city, although it extra particularly illustrates the various ideologies held by its residents. There’s a divide not solely in regard as to if it’d be morally right to hunt revenge in Joel’s identify, and if it is sensible from an financial standpoint.
I wasn’t shocked in any respect that the council didn’t vote to ship out a posse of 16 to seek out the WLF members, even after Ellie’s tempered speech. (Nonetheless, I’m nonetheless inquisitive about precisely who voted yay or nay.) What I used to be stunned by, although, was to be so impressed by simply how considerate sequence creator Craig Mazin and co. have been in coping with the politics and private ideologies of the individuals on this city.
After all, Ellie – with Dina in tow – is now in Seattle and intent on killing Abby. I’m each excited and nervous to stream episodes of The Final of Us Season 2 shifting ahead, that are certain to be intense. Whereas Ellie’s mission is on the coronary heart of the story, I’m hopeful that the producers proceed to develop Jackson, whether or not or not it’s via the upcoming Eugene-centric episode or by different means.
New episodes of The Final of Us air on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO, they usually’re concurrently obtainable to stream with a Max subscription.