After the excessive pressure and explosive motion of final week, this episode of The Final of Us slows issues down for an introspective episode that zeroes in on Ellie’s emotional journey as she balances her anger together with her grief and tries to drum up help to search out the individuals chargeable for Joel’s loss of life.
The characters and the viewers are each grieving the lack of Joel, and although he’s lifeless, his presence continues to be felt all through the episode. One explicit touching scene sees Ellie strolling round his home, crying over one in every of his shirts and all of the recollections this house holds. On the mattress is a field along with his damaged watch and his revolver inside. Her selecting to take the gun feels very symbolic of her selecting rage over peace and shifting on, setting the tone for the trail Ellie’s decided to go down.
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| “The Path” – THE LAST OF US. Pictured: Bella Ramsey as Ellie. Picture: Liane Hentscher/HBO ©2025 HBO |
I used to be very happy with her speech scene in the course of the Council as she tries to persuade Jackson to ship sixteen of their finest to Seattle after Abby and her buddies. Seth is a shocking and passionate ally however even retaining her cool and being affordable didn’t get Ellie the help she wants. In any case, Jackson continues to be recovering from the horde assault and most of the townspeople concern being fully unprotected if one other risk hits.
Gabriel Luna additionally does a fantastic job as Tommy processes his grief over Joel’s loss of life. He needs to attempt to be there for Ellie in the identical method that Joel was, attempting to guard her from getting harm but it surely appears like he’s already resigned to failure in the case of retaining her protected. Maybe his coronary heart isn’t actually in it as a result of he needs to see Abby pay simply as a lot. Tommy is a really light and protecting character, so it will likely be attention-grabbing to see how Joel’s loss of life begins to vary and have an effect on him when the Seattle motion kicks off.
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| “The Path” – THE LAST OF US. Pictured: Gabriel Luna as Tommy. Picture: Liane Hentscher/HBO ©2025 HBO |
Talking of Seattle, our first introduction is thru the Seraphites. We see a bunch of individuals with hatchets and bows strolling alongside a forest path as a person imparts a few of their Prophet’s knowledge to somewhat woman earlier than they’re compelled to cover from an oncoming risk. Outdoors of key characters, the Seraphites within the recreation had a little bit of a one-note form of portrayal, so I’m wanting ahead to seeing how their tradition and faith is delved into and explored.
This band of Seraphites can be Ellie and Dina’s first introduction to Seattle after they come throughout them massacred within the forest, a ugly and merciless exhibiting of pointless violence. It hammers house for the women that it is a harmful and unstable metropolis they’re strolling into, appearing as only a trace of the horrors which might be but to come back.
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| “The Path” – THE LAST OF US. Pictured: Isabela Merced as Dina. Picture: Liane Hentscher/HBO ©2025 HBO |
We additionally get some beautiful little bit of relationship improvement for Ellie and Dina on their travels. They flirtatiously talk about the kiss from the premiere, speaking round their emotions in a cute and enjoyable remix of an iconic scene from the sport. For me, this season is simply as a lot a romance as it’s a tragedy.
Bella Ramsey and Isabela Merced have a lot chemistry that I might watch them play off one another for hours and by no means get bored. In actual fact, Bella Ramsey is proving that she has unmatched chemistry with all of her co-stars, bringing every of Ellie’s relationships to life, a expertise that’s tremendously appreciated contemplating Pedro Pascal received’t be her major scene accomplice anymore.
My solely downside with this episode is one other instance of telling not exhibiting. I really like Catherine O’Hara, and I feel she’s doing a little unbelievable appearing, however I don’t assume the character of Gail actually provides something to the present besides as a approach to inform us all how Joel – and now Ellie – are feeling after we can merely watch the episode and see Ellie’s feelings for ourselves. Her conversations with Ellie and Tommy – whereas they make sense from a practical perspective – take away from the drama and really feel pointless and only a tad bit compelled and misplaced.
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