HBO’sThe Last of Us, a television series based on the 2013 video game of the same name, has officially taken the world by storm. Resembling the recent COVID-19 pandemic,The Last of Usrevolves around a viral outbreak induced by a highly contagious fungal infection of Cordyceps that has, so far, been incurable. At the center of the plot are Joel (played by Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (played by Bella Ramsey), navigating their way through the maddening chaos of the new world they dwell in. Of course, it comes as no surprise that the series has plenty to offer in terms of drama, intrigue, and heart. Rightly so,The Last of Ussoon became the second-largest debut series on HBO (viaDeadline).
Though Season 1 ofThe Last of Uscame to a satisfying conclusion that any gamer could have asked or thought of, there is no denying that the show’s ending had so much packed for all audiences. Truly, for anybody, it could be overwhelming to unearth in one go. And so, to make it easier, here is the ending of the first season ofThe Last of Us, explained.
What Happened in The Last of Us Season 1 Finale?
Thenail-biting final episodeofThe Last of Ushas undoubtedly sent the fans into a spiral. Apart from nudging the viewers to do a morality check on the intentions of Marlene and even Joel, Episode 8 offered a lot of food for thought. At first, the finale delved deeper into the origin story of Ramsey’s Ellie. As such, it introduced Ellie’s mother, Anna, and even shed light on the circumstances of her birth and, by extension, a possible gesturing towards explaining her immunity. As we saw, Ellie was born with Cordyceps in her system, hence making her an exception to the infection.
Further, the episode snowballs the fans with a sweet moment between Joel and Ellie, something much needed by the characters and the fans after the madness they experienced in Episode 7. Lastly, the concluding sequence ofThe Last of Usanswers the much-anticipated question: will Ellie be the cure to the pandemic?
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Frankly, the answer to this question has so far been very complicated and mysterious. In fact, there is no answer at all. After Joel succeeds in bringing Ellie to Marlene and the fireflies, he discovers the truth of Marlene’s intentions: to dissect Ellie, ultimately at the cost of her life. Naturally, Joel, who has been nourishing a new bond with Ellie, finds this decision to be unsettling to say the least. Aggravated, he takes it upon himself to bail out Ellie, becoming a dangerous killing machine that everybody should be scared of. He consequently kills every Firefly, including Marlene.
The show concludeswith the fan-favorite duo hiking to the fortified city of Jackson in Wyoming, led by Tommy and Maria. But before they step in, Ellie questions the creditability of what Joel had told her about the cure and even, in fact, offers him a chance to spill the truth — but Joel sticks to his words, reassuring Ellie that everything he mentioned is true.
What Does the Ending Mean?
To be honest, the ending ofThe Last of Usleaves the viewer with not even a speck of ambiguity. As fans can recall, the finale sees Joel confronting the Fireflies for attempting to turn Ellie into their guinea pig. Clearly, this doesn’t bode well for either of them, as in the process, many Firefly members are killed, including Marlene (the head of Firefly), who also meets one hell of a gruesome end. What’s more, Joel, too, ends up betraying Ellie, who was adamant about saving the world, by lying straight in her face. That said, Joel’s final act of rebellion against the Fireflies offers a moral contemplation, and leaves it to the audience to decide who is right — and why.
Throughout Season 1,The Last of Usrevolved around bringing the viewers closer to the answer of finding the cure to the infection. But, sadly, the finale totally crushes these anticipations. Without tests and medical procedures performed on Ellie, it is abundantly clear that there will be no concrete answer about whether she is the cure to end the viral outbreak or not.
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What to Expect in Season 2?
The new seasonwill stay faithfulto the 2020 game series,The Last of Us Part Ⅱ. As gamers are already aware, the new season will follow the story five years after the event of the first installment. It is also set to introduce some new characters, like the lead antagonist named, Abby Anderson, a villainous faction known as Wolves, and Ellie’s new companion, Jesse. Truly, there’s a whole new level of fun and drama waiting to be unloaded in the upcoming season.
