The episode opens with chaos descending on Jackson—an infected swarm, raging like an unstoppable storm. Tommy and Maria, leading the desperate defense, underline the community’s resilience, even as the threat of annihilation looms large.
But the true horror emerges quietly from within, embodied by Abby—a newcomer whose simmering rage is directed squarely at Joel. It’s a bold storytelling gamble: Abby’s brutal vengeance comes sooner than anyone expected, arriving with gut-churning irony as Joel himself saves her life moments before she captures him.
It’s a cruel twist, rooted deeply in the show’s central themes—consequence and retribution intertwined.
Joel’s death scene is relentless, almost unwatchable—Ellie helplessly witnessing the torture of her surrogate father, Dina by her side.
The scene tears open old wounds, leaving Ellie emotionally shattered and positioned dangerously on the precipice of a darker path.
Bella Ramsey’s Ellie is breathtakingly broken here, her grief spilling raw onto the screen. Her trauma hints ominously toward a single-minded pursuit of revenge, echoing Joel’s own morally tangled choices. Ellie’s pain is magnified by unresolved tensions with Joel—words unsaid, conflicts left unresolved. It’s not just grief Ellie carries; it’s regret, anger, and an unbearable sense of loss, layered by their complicated history.
The addition of Abby—introduced in gripping fashion—is immediately polarizing. Portrayed with unsettling intensity, Abby isn’t a straightforward villain; instead, she’s a disturbing mirror held up to Joel and Ellie’s actions. Her vengeance-fueled brutality, driven by her father’s death at Joel’s hands, makes her morally ambiguous but undeniably compelling. The discomfort among Abby’s own companions during Joel’s torture injects subtle complexity, hinting at internal fissures that could explode in future episodes.
Meanwhile, Dina’s expanded role adds emotional texture and depth. Her witnessing of Joel’s murder cements her bond with Ellie through shared horror, foreshadowing Dina’s pivotal role as emotional anchor and ally in Ellie’s descent toward vengeance. Their earlier patrol scenes paint an intimate portrait of everyday happiness, cruelly juxtaposed against the horror that follows.
This isn’t just violence for shock value—it’s narrative stakes ratcheted up to maximum volume. The cyclical brutality of revenge, vividly personified in Abby’s actions and Ellie’s inevitable response, is laid bare. Joel’s death reverberates throughout the community, forcing everyone—especially Ellie—to confront the ruthless calculus of vengeance and its consequences.
The episode’s final haunting notes come courtesy of Shawn James’ "Through the Valley," its bleak lyrics crystallizing Ellie’s coming descent into vengeance-driven darkness. As the song fades, Ellie clutching Joel’s lifeless body, viewers are left stunned, mourning a beloved character and bracing for the emotional turmoil ahead.
With this single devastating episode, The Last of Us decisively shifts from survival drama to Shakespearean tragedy.
Joel’s violent end isn’t merely about loss; it’s about a world where actions are paid for in blood, where the past haunts relentlessly, and where love itself can provoke unimaginable cruelty. It leaves us not just eager for answers, but aching, unsettled, and compelled by a journey into darkness—one that seems destined to break hearts all over again.
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