We’ve arrived—the eagerly awaited Episode 2 of The Last of Us Season 2 has finally been released. Its availability has sparked discussions and breakdowns. I find this episode to be a masterclass, and for good reason. Chiefly, the sheer number of infected within the storyline is striking, especially as it features an assault that deviates from the original video game narrative. Additionally, we see Tommy’s character gain depth, allowing his fighting prowess to shine, beautifully portrayed by Gabriel Luna with commanding screen presence. Then there’s that scene—an infamous one familiar yet feared by fans. Let’s gear up and analyze this pivotal shot…
Broadcast on April 21, 2025
Duration: 56 min – Directed by Mark Mylod
Remember how Episode 1 concluded with a cordyceps vine ominously emerging from a drainpipe in Jackson’s heart, foreshadowing the chaos to unfold within this seemingly impenetrable fortress? A sequence created exclusively for the television adaptation, yet fitting seamlessly and intelligently into the storyline, bolstering another pivotal scene that we’ll return to shortly. Let’s start at Episode 2’s impactful opening, which viewers familiar with the game will recognize—Abby making her way down the hallway leading to the operating room. Originally occurring later in the game, this moment reintroduces Abby and the trauma she endured years earlier. Enhanced by Neil Druckmann, Craig Mazin, and Halley Gross is an added hallucination, featuring an elder Abby who is fully aware of the scene awaiting her. The show diverges from ambiguity, highlighting the gruesome details of the deceased surgeon—Abby’s father. Emphasizing this brain matter on the floor underscores Abby’s profound emotional turmoil, sparking unrelenting hatred. What’s more gut-wrenching than losing a loved one in such a violent and unjust manner?
ON THE GREEN
Awakening from a nightmare, Abby reconnects with her intro scene from the game when we first assume her character. She is seen with friends in a mountain chalet, miles from Jackson. Naturally, this prompts discussion of actress Kaytlin Dever’s appearance, seemingly delicate compared to the robust Abby in the game. While I’ve always maintained that performance triumphs over physical resemblance, subtracting Abby’s muscular build seems to detract from her core character traits and that aura of invulnerability. In the game, Abby stood out as a character substantially different from Ellie, capable of dispatching infecteds with sheer brute strength. Why Kaytlin Dever didn’t bulk up remains unclear—it might stem from her own reluctance, perhaps conflicting filming schedules, or simply the challenge of rapidly losing weight post-shooting. Officially, it’s unknown. But this leads to a discrepancy, particularly in scenes with Joel, which I’ll touch upon shortly…
In contrast to the video game, where Abby’s initial confrontation with the infected served as a tutorial, the series skips this direct conflict. Instead, it opts for an intense chase scene culminating in that now-iconic fence sequence. Here, the mesh walls give way more easily than in the game, with the infected appearing far more vicious, fingers grasping at Abby, and a harrowing shot of a hand nearly mutilated in pursuit—a visceral experience just in its articulation. Subsequently, we witness Abby’s struggle with a pursuing infected, requiring Joel’s intervention to ensure her survival.
MULLIGAN GRANTED
From this episode onward, my viewer’s heart clenched as familiar sequences unfolded, leading to the anticipated, unavoidable moment. But how would it transpire? Would the execution mirror the video game or introduce changes? It’s logical to ponder this, given the show’s bold deviations. For instance, here, as Joel rescues Abby, he’s flanked not by his brother Tommy, but by Dina, significantly altering dynamics. Tommy is instead occupied defending Jackson from a surprise snowstorm incursion. The narrative juxtaposes each brother’s survival struggle, adding compelling duality, suggesting Tommy can’t rescue Joel. Fortunately accompanied by Dina, is Joel’s survival plausible? Or might it be Dina facing the ultimate sacrifice, sparking Ellie’s hatred? Questions were rife, and understandably, the possibility was real. Yet, adhering to the game’s narrative, the series spares Dina with a tranquilizing injection, and Joel meets his end under Abby’s blows. His demise, eerily close to the game’s depiction, employs the notorious golf club iconically showcased by the camera, this time Abby weilds one keenly bladed and lethal.
The torture scene closely aligns with the game, punctuated with subtle variations. There’s the knee’s shotgun blast and tending for survival’s sake, yet missing from the game are club hits on the perforated knee. When Ellie arrives, Abby’s assault takes a more personal turn—foregoing the club in favor of fists. Joel, his face battered and swollen, meets his end not by club to the temple, but by a piece sheared from it, driven deep into his neck.
The scene is brutal, graphic, and undeniably shocking, though in my view, the game’s portrayal remains superior in impact—a sudden gut-punch few anticipated at first viewing. However, where the series excels is an emotional depth captured when Ellie cradles Joel’s body, tenderly stripping away the lodged club fragment, clasping his hands tight—an intimacy absent from the game, which finds Ellie rendered unconscious by a kick. Furthermore, the visual of Jesse, Dina, and Ellie departing Jackson, Joel’s corpse wrapped and dragged by horse, wrenches the heart but seeks to evoke impactful emotions within viewers.
AIR SHOT & BACKSPIN
So, indeed, Season 2 remains steadfast to this critical narrative juncture, further amplifying its dramatic weight with the infected assault on Jackson, intensifying the storyline’s gravity. Just as Joel loses his life, others fall prey to relentless, enraged zombies, crashing against Jackson’s wooden defenses despite a skillful, well-led defense by Tommy, magnificently portrayed by Gabriel Luna, exuding tough charm in every frame. The intense showdown between Tommy and a bloater, whom he provokes to protect Maria, is staggeringly tense, featuring a flamethrower wielding striking imagery but restricting Tommy’s movement. Tommy’s attempted retreat mirrors scenes reminiscent of The Last of Us Part 2’s “No Return” mode added to its remastered PS5 edition.
In essence, Mark Mylod’s craftsmanship turns the episode into a masterpiece, a predictable excellence given his work in iconic series like Game of Thrones and Succession…
