[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for The Last of Us Season 2, Episode 3.]
The Final of Us dives deep into grief with its first Season 2 episode post-Joel’s (Pedro Pascal) demise as adoptive daughter Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and youthful brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna) come to phrases with the key loss.
Whereas the episode opens mere hours after the bloodbath in Jackson with Tommy going to go to Joel’s physique locally’s makeshift morgue and bidding his brother adieu with a “give Sarah my love,” as Ellie is experiencing PTSD within the hospital the place she’s being handled with a chest tube, the motion finally jumps forward three months later. And Season 2’s story, which started on New Yr’s Eve, has now discovered itself experiencing springtime in Jackson.
Regardless of the months which have handed, although, Ellie and Tommy’s lack of Joel continues to weigh closely. “You understand, within the video games, they’re certain. Their bonds turn into stronger, however they find yourself being tethered collectively by a sort of poison adhesive… this thirst for vengeance,” Luna tells TV Insider. “And neither of them emerged from that,” he provides, mentioning the place Ellie and Tommy are within the wake of Joel’s demise.
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The three-month leap is marked with Ellie’s exit from the hospital as she returns to the house she as soon as shared with Joel, a makeshift memorial lining the fence. Despite the fact that she’s cleared to go away the hospital by therapist Gail (Catherine O’Hara), she hasn’t absolutely coped with the occasions that occurred with Abby’s (Kaitlyn Dever) crew that fateful January day.
Strolling by means of the home, she finds a field on Joel’s mattress that features his watch and gun, and he or she walks over to his closet, tearing up as she holds the garment shut. Dina (Isabela Merced) pulls her out of the grief-induced trance when she stops by with cookies as a “peace providing,” revealing that she is aware of the names of Abby’s crew and certain the place they’re.
Making the argument that Ellie would have tried leaving the hospital far too quickly if she knew earlier, Dina suggests they devise a plan, they usually run the idea by Tommy as a method of delivering justice for Joel’s demise. Whereas Tommy is initially reluctant to such an thought, acknowledging revenge missions aren’t his or Joel’s typical plan of action, it’s clear his personal private emotions sway his judgment on this matter. It’s determined {that a} council assembly and vote shall be held involving the city on the proposed mission, which might ship almost 20 of Jackson’s finest to seek out Abby’s WLF (Washington Liberation Entrance) staff.
HBO
“I feel it’s actually essential to see the love in that, although they’re expressing this love and this grief by means of intense violence,” Luna notes of Tommy and Ellie’s want to strike again. Ultimately, the vote is eight to 3 towards the mission, leaving Ellie to set out on her personal.
In fact, Ellie doesn’t let the result cease her from planning a solo mission, however her plans are modified when Dina as soon as once more surprises her on the door, noting Ellie will need assistance and higher planning if she expects to make it to Washington. “I feel they each have comparable views of revenge,” Ramsey says of Joel and Ellie’s approaches. “It kind of equals love or an expression of affection,” Ramsey provides, echoing Luna’s sentiments.
Ramsey sees Ellie’s method as, “Should you’ve performed one thing to harm this individual, I’m gonna go and harm you. And I really feel that that’s just like the truest show of affection, and that’s not one thing that’s very aware.” This similarity between Ellie and Joel is addressed in a dialog Tommy has with Gail as he worries she’ll act out due to the best way Joel influenced her.
Whereas Gail didn’t refute the chance that Ellie would act out, she reassured Tommy that irrespective of how Ellie was influenced by Joel, she’d all the time be the individual she is now. “Each of them have individually been introduced up and perceive this world that they’re in,” Ramsey factors out, and because of this, it “will get them into some fairly dangerous conditions.”
And evidently Ellie might be strolling into fairly a harmful state of affairs with Dina after they set out for Seattle, which is seemingly crawling with WLF troopers and different teams. Earlier than Ellie sneaks out of Jackson with Dina, although, she makes positive to bid Joel farewell at his grave, leaving a couple of espresso beans for the person she noticed as a father.
Keep tuned to see how Ellie’s mission with Dina unfolds as they method Seattle, and tell us what you consider her and Tommy’s grief journeys up to now within the feedback part.
The Final of Us, Season 2, Sundays, 9/8c, HBO and Max