The Last of Us Season 2 Premiere Reveals a Changed Joel and Ellie – Revenge Lurks in the Shadows

by

In a chilling start to Season 2, “The Last of Us” continues on HBO. The premiere episode, titled “Future Days,” doesn’t offer much optimism for Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey). Since we last saw them, many things have shifted. The strong bond they formed through loss and resilience is now strained by a harsh reality subtly suggested at the beginning. To make matters worse, an unaware Joel finds himself on the receiving end of a long-held vengeance. Fans of the video game, whether or not you approve of the sequel’s surprising plot twist, will find the early revelations captivating.

This article contains spoilers for Season 1, Episode 1 of ‘The Last of Us‘

Consequences Follow Joel After a Time Jump

The story of “Future Days” begins by revisiting a crucial moment from the end of Season 1, when Joel deceives Ellie by claiming he destroyed the Fireflies in Salt Lake City, Utah, as they return to Jackson, Wyoming. Three days later, in Salt Lake City, Abby (played by Kaitlyn Dever) and the surviving Fireflies lay their father to rest. They’ve heard whispers of a boy Joel took and of the perpetrator, either “Isaac” or “Joel,” a man in his 50s who might be good-looking. As they ponder their next move, some express curiosity about Seattle, where a Fireflies outpost is rumored to exist. However, Abby refuses to listen to talk of regrouping. Instead, she is determined to track down this murderer and exact a painful, slow revenge.

Five years from now, on New Year’s Eve 2029, Ellie, who turned 19 and sports a tattoo over her right forearm scar, experiences a nosebleed during combat training in a barn. She triumphantly makes her opponent submit, but feels irritated when Jesse (Young Mazino) points out that she held back on her punches. Meanwhile, residents of Jackson attend to snowy repairs and stumble upon a water pipe blocked by tree roots. Joel, the settlement’s construction supervisor, is fixing faulty breakers when Dina, Ellie’s friend, teases him about his therapy sessions. It’s also revealed that Ellie harbors anger towards Joel and has taken up residence in their garage.

A Divided Ellie and Joel

Ellie and Tommy (Gabriel Luna) take out the infected from afar, beyond the gate. He scolds Ellie for shouting about her immunity in the wind’s ear. Tommy hesitantly consents to have Ellie join him on the Alpine patrol, despite Joel’s opposition. Simultaneously, fresh refugees show up, displeasing Joel. He confides in Maria (Rutina Wesley) that “their lifeboat is overcrowded.” Maria reminds him that he too was once a refugee.

During their regular meeting, Joel goes to see the town psychologist, Gail, who is none other than Catherine O’Hara. On what appears to be her birthday, she consumes whiskey and offers a bag of marijuana as payment. Joel expresses his frustration as Ellie seems to be ignoring him. He grows agitated when Gail suggests that Ellie isn’t his daughter. She refuses to validate him, hinting at some secret lie he’s been holding onto. Eventually, Gail frankly voices her opinion. She openly dislikes Joel for killing her husband, Eugene (presumably an infected individual). Joel hesitates to admit something he fears, and in tears, he confesses that he “protected” Ellie instead of directly saying he “saved” her before storming out.

A Little Love Buzz Between Ellie and Dina

In the garage, Ellie is cleaning a pistol while listening to “Love Buzz” by Nirvana. Dina drops by to give her a lift for their run. It’s clear that Ellie has feelings for Dina, as she assists her in getting ready. Meanwhile, Jesse, Dina’s former partner, arranges the recon patrol with its guidelines. Ellie and Dina make fun of him as they set off on horseback. They come across a trail of blood on the highway, but instead of returning to report it, they decide to follow where it leads.

Dina queries if Ellie plans to attend the evening gathering later. She implies there might be someone similar (suggesting Ellie’s sexuality). The pair discover a disfigured grizzly bear, ravaged by the infected. Against Kat’s instructions, Ellie and Dina sneak into a supermarket. They ascend to the upper level. Ellie hurls an object to lure a “runner.” She leaps onto its back, killing it with a neck stab. Their joyful moment fades as Ellie plunges through the floor.

In a rush, Dina searches for steps while Ellie scans the market. A strange sounding device goes off but it acts unexpectedly. As an infected girl creeps up behind Ellie, Ellie readies her shotgun. They struggle on the ground and Ellie is bitten on her abdomen. She swiftly kills the girl and conceals the bite wound as Dina comes to help. Later, at a meeting in Jackson, Ellie shares details of her encounter with a more intelligent attacker, causing significant concern among council members.

Catch Up with the Characters One at a Time

In the crafty hands of writer/director Craig Mazin, the stage is subtly set for forthcoming harshness. The narrative pace in “Future Days” is deliberate, never hastening to provide solutions. We deduce that Ellie is aware of Salt Lake City’s truth, which explains her frosty demeanor towards Joel; we suspect Gail harbors resentment towards Joel due to her husband’s demise; by the end, it seems likely that the fungus and Abby will infiltrate Jackson. Ellie’s romantic involvement with Dina, while hinted at in season one, is not something the Jackson society will easily accept. Joel’s aggressive reactions towards anyone who endangers Ellie serve to deepen her bitterness towards him, creating a rift between them that is tearing him apart.

In “Future Days,” the key point is to separate the main characters throughout most of the episode. This strategy enables crucial explanations without needing direct dialogue. Abby, played by Dever, may have only a few lines, but she’s already portrayed as a significant danger. With the enhanced infected in play, it seems unlikely that Jackson or our favorite characters will escape unscathed. The makeup team also deserves recognition for convincingly aging Joel. He looks older and less steady, yet remains an absolute badass. Pascal and Ramsey continue to deliver impressive performances.

Here we go; this season promises to be great! The series “The Last of Us” is a collaboration between Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, and Naughty Dog among others. The second season kicks off April 13th on both HBO and MAX. You can catch it through the link provided below.

Watch on Max

Read More

2025-04-14 05:03