[Editor’s Note: The following review contains spoilers for ‘The Last of Us‘ Season 2, Episode 1, “Future Days.” For a spoiler-free analysis, read our full Season 2 review.]
Joel (Pedro Pascal), all the time fronting with gruff bravado to masks his inconsolable sorrow, likes to maintain issues easy. When his nephew, Benji (Ezra Agbonkhese), sits on his lap and asks concerning the maps Joel’s wanting over, Jackson’s slacking-off building foreman cheerfully quizzes the younger boy on the place he lives. “What’s that?” Joel asks, and Benji replies, “The fence!” “And what’s inside?” “Folks!” “And what’s exterior?” “Monsters.”
See? Easy. The fence protects the individuals as a result of the fence retains monsters out.
Besides all through the Season 2 premiere, “Future Days,” author and director Craig Mazin repeatedly makes clear that the monsters are shifting in, if not already right here. There’s the stretching, straining tendrils of malevolent fungus dwelling within the city’s pipes. There’s the newly advanced clickers, known as “Stalkers,” so sneaky and affected person when looking their prey. There’s an obsessive villain in Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) — the previous Firefly launched on the high of the episode, when she swears “sluggish,” brutal vengeance on Joel — who’s now shut sufficient to place Jackson in her crosshairs.
After which there’s Joel, floating between monster and man. Episode 1 begins by repeating the final scene of Season 1. 5 years in the past, Ellie (Bella Ramsey) is suspicious of Joel’s story about what occurred in Salt Lake Metropolis. Have been there actually different immune individuals who might assist the scientists discover a treatment? Was the hospital actually attacked by raiders? If not, why would Joel lie? However he did lie. His story is a lie, and he lies once more when Ellie asks him to swear to its veracity.
Even when he does, she stays doubtful, and reminding us of her reluctant acceptance to kick off Season 2 feels pointed. Positive, it’s been two years because the scene first aired. Perhaps Mazin simply needed to remind us what’s occurred. Perhaps it’s a framework for the season as an entire, reasonably than this particular episode.
However replaying the scene additionally tees up the premiere’s central, mysterious battle: Ellie is mad at Joel, and nobody is aware of why. Issues appear fairly good in Jackson. The city capabilities like a city, with electrical energy and meals, contracted staff and a city council. There’s even a New Yr’s Eve occasion with dwell music, drinks, and dancing.
Ellie has grown from a 14-year-old survivor to a 19-year-old murderer. She trains in hand-to-hand fight with males a lot larger than her, led by Jesse (Younger Mazino of “Beef” fame). She practices her long-range taking pictures along with her de facto uncle, Tommy (Gabriel Luna). She cherishes her patrol assignments, partially as a result of they get her nearer to the motion than any town-bound duties would, and partially as a result of they get her nearer to Dina (Isabela Merced), her greatest pal and full-blown crush.
Though Dina not too long ago dumped Jesse — in what’s described as an on-again, off-again relationship that’s leaning towards staying off — the couple’s flirtation is decidedly one-sided: Dina makes up jokes aimed instantly at Ellie’s humorousness; Dina strikes in for “coincidental” bodily contact whereas serving to Ellie get equipped; Dina makes her transfer on New Yr’s Eve, asking Ellie to bop after which moving into for the kiss when it’s clear her associate doesn’t consider there’s shared curiosity.
For any romantic on the market, it’s sufficient to dream that “The Final of Us” Season 2 might simply go on like this for an additional six episodes. (Sure, this season is just seven episodes lengthy — contemplate this your first warning.) Dina and Ellie go on patrol. Dina and Ellie kill a clicker or two. Dina and Ellie exit, get stoned, and fall head-over-heels in love. However clearly that’s not the place issues are headed, simply as that’s not all that’s occurring in Episode 1.
Sure, life in Jackson is tantalizingly near regular, however the monsters are knocking on the door. Or… are they already right here?
Ellie appears to assume so. When Seth (Robert John Burke) chides her and Dina for kissing at “a household occasion,” Joel is fast to knock the drunk down and throw him out of the occasion. However Ellie’s not mad at Seth. She’s mad at Joel. “I don’t want your fucking assist,” she shouts on the man who solely desires to assist her; the person who then retires to his entrance porch to repair the played-out strings on her guitar; the person (or is it monster?) who saved her life by murdering dozens of harmless individuals in Salt Lake Metropolis.
However does Ellie find out about that? The query haunts Joel a lot he can’t bear to entertain it. When he goes to examine on Ellie earlier than the dance, he bails as quickly because it’s clear issues aren’t out of the blue hunky-dory once more. When he talks to Dina about it initially of the episode, he tries to shrug off their silent feud, utilizing the recommendation he’s been given in remedy. (“I can’t maintain myself liable for one other particular person’s emotional state.”)
And, hell yeah, Joel goes to remedy! That being stated, the thrill in seeing a terse, emotionally stunted, semi-elderly man (after the time bounce, Joel is now 61 years previous) sit down to raised perceive his feelings is muted by the very fact he’s been mendacity in each session. Clearly, he’s been hoping to find another random situation Ellie is pissed about; one he might really make up for, as a substitute of his darkest, most heinous secret.
Fortunately, Gail (Catherine O’Hara) isn’t having it. Seems, not solely is the weed-smoking, whiskey-loving psychotherapist sick of Joel’s “boring” cited points, she’s additionally over-the-moon mad at him as a result of Joel… killed her husband? Even when that yet-to-be-examined wound wasn’t nonetheless recent (which it’s, since that is Gail’s first birthday with out Eugene, and she or he hasn’t even moved his boots off the entryway rug), that will be a giant hurdle for even probably the most psychologically sound of us to recover from. However Gail tries. To her immense credit score, she faces her anger by expressing how she feels. “You may’t heal one thing until you’re courageous sufficient to say it out loud,” she says, as each recommendation to herself and to Joel.
Joel can’t observe her lead. In a scene destined to be replayed any time Pascal’s title is batted about awards circles, Joel’s eyes turn out to be a blazing window to his soul. “Say the factor you’re afraid to say,” Gail tells him, and Joel’s expression cracks open, ever so barely, determined to just accept the invitation.
“Did you do one thing to her?” Gail says, and Joel musters the slightest of nods.
“Did you harm her?” Gail says, and Joel rapidly shakes his head, steering her away from any typical assumptions.
“Then what? What did you do?” Gail says, and Joel’s lips half ever so barely. His face quivers. A tear barely escapes his proper eye. After which, as if he’s already relived the second in query and arrived on the identical, grim determination, Joel’s expression hardens. His eyes go darkish, and he stands up. The person who was there a second in the past is gone, and the monster has returned. “I saved her,” he says, much less for Gail than for himself.
After the Season 1 finale, I wrote that Joel turned the villain. His actions take the type of heroism — a father doing no matter it takes to save lots of his child — however in that state of affairs, they’re egocentric, damaging, and tragic. Ellie advised Joel she was prepared to die to save lots of others. He refused to let her. It could harm an excessive amount of. Particularly, it might harm Joel an excessive amount of. Now, with the emergence of Abby and the drop-off in his relationship with Ellie, we are able to see how his selection continues to create harm, like a fungus all its personal, spreading throughout something he touches.
So is Joel a monster? Even writing the phrases “villain” and “monster” sound too harsh for a person who’s proven a lot vulnerability in making an attempt to develop as a human being, and in a present so disinterested in portray individuals in pure white or pitch black. Nonetheless, “The Final of Us” makes its personal case. When Joel will get as much as go away his workplace, he tells his nephew, “You retain taking pictures these monsters.” And Benji, bless his younger soul, takes useless intention at Joel — and fires.
Grade: A-
“The Final of Us” Season 2 releases new episodes Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.
Stray Tendrils
• For as a lot as Pedro Pascal stole the present this week, Episode 1 is arguably extra targeted on Ellie — and one second stands out: When she’s dancing with Dina, she tells her “pal” that each man within the room is observing her. “Perhaps they’re jealous of you,” Dina counters. “No motive to be,” Ellie says. “I’m not a menace.” After which Dina takes a beat. She seems Ellie useless within the eye and breaks from their playful banter. “Oh Ellie,” Dina says. “I feel they need to be fearful of you.”
Within the second, Dina is telling Ellie she is a menace to these males as a result of Dina does like her — like, she likes her, likes her. However the emphasis Mazin places on the second appears to transcend their first kiss. Ought to the lads of Jackson be fearful of Ellie? Is it as a result of she’s so reckless on patrols? Is it as a result of she’s immune? Is it as a result of she’s with Joel, who’s the explanation Abby & Co. have come calling? It’s laborious to say but, nevertheless it’s actually not simply because Ellie stole Dina’s coronary heart.
• “Are you simply going to maintain grouching on like this, each session? […] I’ve carried out this lengthy sufficient to know when somebody is leaving one thing out. […] And also you need me to validate that? No. Fuck no.” Oh man, I really like Gail. Consuming whiskey, funds in weed — how can I guide a session?
• “What do you name a grizzly’s ribs? Bear-B-Que.” With the ability of puns, Dina gained Ellie endlessly.