HBO’s The Last of Us is facing a major behind-the-cameras change ahead of Season 3. Just after the Season 2 finale in May, the video game-based show underwent a creative shake-up as both Neil Druckmann and Halley Gross announced their departures. The pair contributed extensively to Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us Part II, which is set to continue to serve as the source material for The Last of Us Season 3 as the series shifts narrative focus to Kaitlyn Dever’s Abby. As fans continue to express concern for the future of the series amid the surprise exits, Isabel Merced, who portrays Dina, the girlfriend of Bella Ramsey’s Ellie, expressed trust in the process.

“Halley was a big part of the game, and the reason why Dina was such a fleshed-out character, and why that love between Dina and Ellie was so beautiful. And I was really looking forward to working with them more, but I understand that they have their own projects,” Merced told TVLine in a recent interview. “I don’t know the full story, but I know that I trust in the team, and that they’re making the best decisions, cause at the end of the day everyone just cares about this.”

Druckmann and Gross announced their exits from the show in separate statements on July 2, 2025. Gross served as a writer on The Last of Us series, while Druckmann was attached as writer, showrunner, and co-director alongside Craig Mazin. The departing duo were also both co-writers on The Last of Us Part II, with Druckmann also serving as director on the video game.

The upcoming third season of the HBO show will continue to adapt the second game, putting an increased focus on Abby and her motivations behind her killing of Pedro Pascal’s Joel, a creative choice that was met with mixed reactions in the video game. The shock exits of Druckmann and Gross, cutting two major connections to the show’s source material, have led to concern that The Last of Us will lose authenticity, with any deviation from the game potentially facing even harsher scrutiny in a seasons that is already set to adapt one of the most polarizing elements of the game. Merced, however, expressed her faith in Mazin guiding the show solo.

“Moving forward, I’m going to keep in touch with them. I’m definitely going to keep in touch with them, so if I have any concerns as a fan of the game, originally, I would definitely bring them up,” she said. “I’m not involved with the behind-the-scenes of it all, I wish I was, cause I’m a control freak, but I trust in Craig.”

The Last of Us Seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream on HBO Max. Season 3 is not expected to premiere until 2027.

The post The Last of Us Star Responds to Season 3’s Big Change appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The year isn’t over yet, but some incredible seasons of TV have already graced our screens in 2025. A few of the most critically-acclaimed TV shows of recent memory have already released follow-up seasons in 2025, including The Last of Us, The White Lotus, and Severance, while a number of new TV shows have also quickly become firm favorites. There are far more brilliant TV shows from 2025 than what can be featured on this list, but these ten are the cream of the crop.

Whether a case-of-the-week detective mystery series, a dark comedy-drama, a post-apocalyptic video game adaptation, or an animated Marvel extravaganza, these TV shows have captured audiences imaginations in 2025. They became instant classics, and will be worth rewatching time and again for years to come. 2025 is far from over, and some more exciting shows are still to come, including Alien: Earth, Wonder Man, Wednesday, Chad Powers, and more, but these ten TV shows have already stolen our hearts.

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10) The Studio

Starring co-creator Seth Rogen as Matt Remick, the new head of the floundering film production company, Continental Studios, The Studio premiered on Apple TV+ on March 26, 2025. Joined by an all-star cast and a host of unexpected and incredible cameos, including from the likes of Martin Scorcese, Charlize Theron, Zac Efron, Steve Buscemi, and more, Remick struggles to balance the studio’s corporate aims with his own desire to make good-quality movies. Offering an authentic yet hilarious perspective on the Hollywood studio system, The Studio isn’t just entertaining, but also educational and insightful in regards to the filmmaking business.

9) Black Mirror

Charlie Brooker’s beloved sci-fi anthology series, Black Mirror, returned with its seventh season in April 2025, which also included the series’ first ever direct sequel. Season 7 brought Black Mirror back to its roots, presenting some of the most thought-provoking and emotionally-resonant stories of the entire series. “Common People,” “Hotel Reverie,” and “Eulogy” stand out as the strongest episodes of the season, with the latter being considered one of the best Black Mirror episodes of all time. Black Mirror season 7 is the series at its best, delivering powerful and poignant performances with the show’s trademark unexpected twists.

8) Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man

Marvel Studios has already released several TV shows in 2025, and a few more are coming down the pipeline, but while Daredevil: Born Again and Ironheart have been well-received, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man stands out from the crowd. The animated Multiverse Saga series delivered an original, authentic, and entertaining Spider-Man origin story – something we hadn’t previously seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Hudson Thames’ voice performance is brilliant, and Colman Domingo brings a sense of prestige and gravitas to the show. With a second season coming in 2026, the future is looking very bright for this fantastic Spider-Man series.

7) Hacks

Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder returned as stand-up comedian Deborah Vance and comedy writer Ava Daniels in Hacks’ fourth season in April 2025. Season 4 keeps Hacks fresh by pitting Vance and Daniels against each other, bringing something new to the series that has received critical acclaim time and again. Performances from Smart, Einbinder, and more are remarkable, while the exploration of complex themes and the inclusion of some brilliant guest stars keeps the audience on its toes. Hacks is considered one of the best TV shows of the decade, and its fourth season continues this streak.

6) The Four Seasons

Released on Netflix in May 2025, The Four Seasons is an adaptation of Alan Alda’s 1981 movie – Alda guest stars as Don, Anne’s (Kerri Kenney-Silver) father. The Four Seasons saw Kate (Tina Fey), husband Jack (Will Forte), couple Danny and Claude (Colman Domingo and Marco Calvani), divorcees Nick (Steve Carell) and Anne, and Nick’s new, younger partner, Ginny (Erika Henningsen), embark on a series of getaways and holidays following Nick and Anne’s divorce after 25 years of marriage. Simultaneously hilarious, relatable, heavy-hitting, and emotional, The Four Seasons is one of the most heartfelt and accessible shows of the year.

5) Poker Face

The second season of Natasha Lyonne’s Poker Face released on Peacock in May 2025 to critical acclaim, repeating the immense success of the first season. Lyonne stars as Charlie Cale, an amateur detective who utilizes her ability to tell when people are lying to solve mysteries across the United States. With an impressive roster of guest stars including the likes of Cynthia Erivo, Giancarlo Esposito, Kumail Nanjiani, Justin Theroux, and many more, Poker Face season 2 doubled-down on the winning formula of its freshman era, and continued the series’ charm, confidence, unique tone, and existential focus perfectly.

4) The Last of Us

Based on the video game and adapted for the screen by Craig Mazin (Chernobyl) and Neil Druckmann (Uncharted), The Last of Us became one of the most celebrated, acclaimed, and beloved TV shows ever. This continued with 2025’s season 2 – albeit with slightly more criticism. Season 2 continues the story of Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) in the wake of their arrival in Jackson and Joel’s lie. Season 2 pushed the series into some uncomfortable complex places, which polarized the audience, but the season still stands out as one of the main events of the year.

3) The White Lotus

Continuing Mike White’s character-focused anthology series, The White Lotus season 3 took us to Thailand and introduced a slew of new characters, while the returns of Natasha Rothwell’s Belinda and Jon Gries’ Greg created some brilliant moments of conflict. Released in February 2025, The White Lotus season 3 was a slower burn than previous seasons, and produced some darker storylines, especially in its controversial finale, but the season offers some incredible performances from the likes of Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Carrie Coon, and guest star Sam Rockwell. Season 3 expands the series into new and interesting places.

2) Adolescence

Released on Netflix in March 2025, British psychological thriller Adolescence very quickly became one of the most important TV shows of the year. The four-part miniseries received critical acclaim, notably because of performances from Stephen Graham and Owen Cooper in his remarkable screen debut, and the technique of presenting each episode as one continuous take. You’d struggle not to binge-watch Adolescence, which sees 13-year-old Jamie Miller (Cooper) arrested and questioned after the murder of a girl in his school. Adolescence can be a difficult watch, but its stylistic delivery and astounding performances ensure it won’t be forgotten anytime soon.

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1) Severance

The second season of Severance premiered on Apple TV+ in January 2025, three years after the first season – which was an incredibly long three-year wait. Severance season 2 captured the imaginations and attentions of audiences across the world, becoming one of the most culturally-significant and all-encompassing TV events of the decade. Dan Erickson’s psychological thriller series stars Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Zach Cherry, and John Turturro as four “Severed” employees of the mysterious Lumon who start to seek independence and kick-start a revolution. The second season provided important backstory and delivered one of the most shocking finales in recent memory.

It’ll be hard for any upcoming TV series in 2025 to top the impact, conversation, and popularity of Severance season 2. The series will be returning for a third instalment, picking up after its dramatic season finale, which presented an impossible choice for Mark S. (Scott). Severance’s stylistic tone, slow but jam-packed narrative, and unwrapping mystery make it a must-watch for fans of psychological thrillers, character-driven dramas, and science fiction adventures, and ensure it’s one of, if not the, best TV shows of 2025 so far.

What have been your favorite TV shows of 2025 so far? Let us know in the comments!

The post 10 Best TV Shows of 2025 (So Far) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

I’m a sucker for great storytelling and The Last of Us has just that. But don’t get it twisted: it’s only a masterpiece as a video game. What made this game so profound and impactful was that there was absolutely nothing like it at the time of its release back in 2013. Now, we’ve had strong narratives in choice-based games like Until Dawn and entertaining stories with Uncharted, Red Dead Redemption, and God of War. Still, none of these stories were set in the zombie-hunting hemisphere. Restricted to hack-and-slash, zombie games were purely about fighting off hordes. The Last of Us offered a cinematic experience that was accompanied by the thrill of killing zombies.

The Last of Us universe showed me what video games are capable of from a narrative point of view. This is true storytelling, delivered with beautiful and realistic cutscenes that sold its powerful story. You could argue it plays more like an interactive movie like Until Dawn, Telltale’s The Walking Dead, or any Quantum Dream title, but The Last of Us evenly splits its cutscenes and gameplay so you get the best of both. Although the gameplay is rather outdated now, especially with enemy pathing and AI (both enemy and companion), it’s an easy game to pick up and quickly get engrossed in. But the reason to keep playing is its story.

Where it gets more divisive is with its sequel, The Last of Us Part II, but the storytelling gave me the same chills, tears, and standing ovation that the first game repeatedly pulled out of me. I found the choice to make us play as the “villain” for half of the game was brilliantly innovative, as it showed multiple perspectives on how humans love, lose, grieve, and battle with acceptance. It forced us to see the complexity of the human mind, the nuance in relationships, and how, rather than viewing everything in black and white, right and wrong, we could see the world had far more depth.

But here is where TLOU doesn’t translate as an adaptation: there is nothing special about The Last of Us as a TV show. It isn’t doing anything different from The Walking Dead, which was peak television back in the early 2010s. What’s worse is that the cast literally makes no sense. The dystopian and fictional world built by Naughty Dog felt so real that anyone cast to play Ellie and Joel other than Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker struck a nerve for all the wrong reasons. To me, Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal are so far from their characters, it’s absurd. From Episode 1, I already don’t believe in what I’m watching, therefore I cannot invest in the characters I already aligned with and empathized with from the game.

RELATED: 7 The Last Of Us Storylines Cut From Season 2

I have the same take on the Uncharted film, which starred Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg, two terrible choices, where neither embodied their characters. Instead, Naughty Dog’s adaptations feel like a cash grab to pre-existing fans who are willing to purchase every remaster and remake. It’s disappointing because, to me, there’s nothing like The Last of Us, but what made it so outstanding has since been diluted by its adaptation.

Sure, The Last of Us TV show expanded on the previously subtle and tiny plotline of Bill, exploring the romance between two men in the heart of an apocalypse. But most of the show makes changes from the source that appear to be there just to please a portion of gamers who criticized the original. I thought the writing in both parts was fantastic, and yet certain elements were missing from the adaptation as if there was something wrong with it. The game’s script should be easily transferable to various media, yet it was altered to include the occasional (but terrible) comedic moment that lessened the seriousness of this morbid world and narrative. Ridiculously long monologues and mediocre acting completely changed the meaning of vital moments like Joel and Ellie’s porch scene.

RELATED: The Last of Us Should Repeat Season 1’s Best Episode to Expand the Franchise Beyond Its End

It’s a real shame because we’ve seen what a near-flawless adaptation looks like with Arcane, which I adore immensely, even though I’ve never played League of Legends (and likely never will). I guess the difference is the limitless capabilities of an animated show that is free to do whatever it wants, and is capable of creating a fantastical world that you can believe and invest in. Arcane offered escapism with excellent storytelling, characters, and worldbuilding. The Last of Us is set in an altered reality of America, yet it’s as realistic as a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie.

I sadly don’t think The Last of Us Season 3 will change my mind on how I view the show, because I believe an adaptation wasn’t needed in the first place. It’s just another apocalypse now, and I’ve gone mad watching it unfold.

The post The Last of Us Tells One of the Best Stories Ever (But Only as a Video Game) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Fans of HBO’s The Last of Us will have to wait a little longer before the show returns for Season 3. In a new interview with Variety, HBO and Max content chairman Casey Bloys confirmed that the show’s third season will take a significant amount of time to reach the screen. This update comes alongside the acknowledgment that the series’ creative team is still determining its structure following the departure of co-creator Neil Druckmann. Despite its critical success, with Season 2 of The Last of Us receiving 15 Emmy nominations, the show’s second season ended on a massive cliffhanger, leaving audiences in suspense as the story heads toward its most divisive chapter.

“The series is definitely planned for 2027,” Bloys revealed. “Craig is still working it out whether it will be two more seasons or one more long season. It hasn’t been decided yet, and I’m following Craig’s lead on that.” The decision to leave the final season count open suggests that even the creative team is uncertain how to best adapt the dense narrative of The Last of Us Part II, especially after the recent creative overhaul behind the scenes. Furthermore, Bloys’ latest comments go against what the creative team has discussed in the past, when they indicated The Last of Us would stretch to Season 4.

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“Obviously, it was great to have Neil involved in the beginning,” Bloys stated regarding Druckmann’s exit. “The whole reason that I wanted to do Last of Us is after Chernobyl, I said to Craig, ‘what do you want to do next?’ And Last of Us was what he wanted to do. It was fantastic to have Neil involved. A lot of people don’t realize that Neil has a full-time job creating video games and running Naughty Dog. It’s a really big job that he’s got. So I understand why he needs to focus on that. But I believe he’s given us a good blueprint with the show. And obviously Craig is a pro, so I think we’ll be in excellent shape. I’m not worried at all.”

What Will Season 3 of The Last of Us Be About?

The upcoming third season of The Last of Us is set to adapt the most polarizing segment of the video game source material, pivoting its focus almost entirely to Abby Anderson (Kaitlyn Dever). Co-creator Druckmann previously confirmed this narrative shift, revealing that the show would mirror the game’s boldest structural choice by sidelining Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) journey to immerse the audience in Abby’s perspective. This means Season 3 is expected to rewind the clock, showing the events in Seattle from Abby’s point of view as a member of the Washington Liberation Front (WLF). The storyline will provide crucial context for her actions, including her motivations for hunting down Joel (Pedro Pascal), and will explore her complex relationships and struggles for survival.

This creative decision is a massive gamble, as it asks viewers to invest deeply in the character responsible for the death of the show’s original protagonist. The showrunners have expressed a commitment to seeing this controversial vision through, believing it is essential to the story’s core themes of grief and the cyclical nature of violence. In addition to following Abby, the season is also expected to significantly expand on the war between the WLF and the Seraphites, a conflict that serves as the brutal backdrop for the events in Seattle. Druckmann and co-creator Mazin have confirmed that audiences will get a much deeper understanding of the factions, their leaders, and their motivations than the game provided. This expansion will likely serve to build a richer story as the series heads towards its violent climax.

The Last of Us Seasons 1 and 2 are currently streaming on Max.

Do you think The Last of Us can succeed in Season 3 without Neil Druckmann’s direct involvement? Join the discussion in the comments

The post The Last of Us Season 3 Update Is Not What Fans Wanted to Hear appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Last of Us Season 2 earned a whopping 15 nominations for the 2025 Emmy Awards, including six for the cast alone. The leading duo Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal were both recognized, along with four guest stars, but fans already feel like one supporting star was left out unfairly. Isabela Merced joined the series this season as Dina, Ellie’s (Ramsey) girlfriend, and her performance was well-received by fans and critics alike. Some wondered why she didn’t make the cut for the Emmys, and debated which category she would have landed in. Still, for a cast of this size, six nominations is an impressive feat.

Pascal is nominated for outstanding lead actor in a drama series for playing Joel on The Last of Us Season 2, while Ramsey is nominated for outstanding lead actress for playing Ellie. The other four are nominated for outstanding guest actor or actress in a drama — Joe Pantoliano for playing Eugene, Jeffrey Wright for playing Isaac, Kaitlyn Dever for playing Abby, and Catherine O’Hara for playing Gail. The show’s nine other nominations are for production design, casting, picture editing, contemporary makeup, prosthetic makeup, music supervision, sound editing, sound mixing, and special visual effects.

It’s an excellent haul for a season that finished up just before the Emmys’ eligibility deadline. The award show recognizes shows that aired between June 1, 2024 and May 31st, 2025. The Last of Us Season 2 may also have been hampered by its shortened season with just seven episodes. On the other hand, it definitely had a lot of buzz before the season started thanks to its lauded premiere back in 2023.

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As for Merced, she has plenty of other wins to celebrate right now, including her DC Universe debut just this weekend as Hawkgirl in Superman. She is expected to reprise that role next month with an appearance in Peacemaker Season 2, premiering on HBO Max on August 21st. She is also fresh off a huge year in 2024 that included roles in Madame Web and Alien: Romulus.

Overall, geek culture was strongly represented in this year’s Emmy nominations, including the Marvel Cinematic Universe, DC’s Elseworld’s label, Star Wars, and other sci-fi hits like The Last of Us. It’s a strong refutation of the “franchise fatigue” discourse, proving that quality work stands out regardless of the IP or continuity. It’s a conversation that will undoubtedly crop up again when the Emmys air live on September 14th on CBS and Paramount+.

The post The Last of Us Earns Six Acting Emmy Nominations (But Not For Everyone’s Favorite Character) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Done with Squid Game Season 3 and looking for your next great binge? Finding yourself mindlessly scrolling through streaming options but coming up blank? Whether you’re in between seasons or just in the mood for something short and unforgettable, HBO Max is home to some of the most binge-worthy TV ever made. From apocalyptic thrillers and prestige dramas to superhero satire and pirate rom-coms, this list has something for everyone. Each show below is perfect for devouring in just a few days, or stretching across a long week if you want to savor the show.

Here are 10 of the best HBO Max shows you can binge in a week or less.

1) The Last of Us

HBO Max’s The Last of Us isn’t just one of the best video game adaptations of all time, it’s been hailed as one of the most emotionally powerful series on the platform. Anchored by incredible performances from Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, Season 1 explores love, loss, and survival in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by an evolved infectious fungus. The attention to world-building, the devastating storytelling, and the faithful-yet-elevated game adaptation have all earned it widespread critical acclaim.

Season 2 continues the heart-wrenching journey, adapting key moments from the second game with bold creative choices and new cast additions. With each season clocking in under 10 episodes, it’s an intense but manageable binge.

And good news, Season 3 is confirmed, but it won’t be out for another two years, so you’ve got some time to get both seasons under your belt. Though sooner is always better than later. Besides, the sooner you watch it, the more time you have to forget it and watch it again by 2027.

2) Peacemaker

But if you’re planning on binging The Last of Us, it might be worth you following it up with something more lighthearted and a bit wacky, John Cena’s Peacemaker may just be the thing. Though it started as a spinoff from The Suicide Squad, it quickly carved out its own identity as one of HBO Max’s funniest and most irreverent series. James Gunn’s signature blend of humor, ultraviolence, and surprising heart shines in this tale of redemption, alien conspiracies, and awkward dance numbers.

With Season 1 being only eight episodes long and featuring standout performances (especially from Danielle Brooks and Freddie Stroma), it’s an easy show to slip into. The tone is wild, the action hits hard, and yes, that opening dance sequence is unskippable, no matter how many times you rewatch. Season 2 is officially in the can, with a release date of August this year, so time is ticking to get caught up before its return.

3) Band of Brothers

An oldie but a goodie, this iconic 10-part miniseries produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks is still one of HBO Max’s crown jewels. Based on real-life events during World War II, Band of Brothers follows Easy Company of the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division from D-Day through the capture of Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest.The cast includes now-iconic names like Damian Lewis, Michael Fassbender, and Tom Hardy, all delivering powerhouse performances in a narrative grounded in interviews with surviving veterans.

It is gripping, emotional, and incredibly well-acted. With a single, self-contained season, this is ideal for history buffs or anyone craving a gritty, grounded war story with real emotional weight. The practical effects and raw cinematography make it as immersive today as it was at release.

4) The White Lotus

Looking for a glamorous escape with a dash of scandal and the added bonus of smugly judging the wealthy? The White Lotus delivers in spades. With luxury hotels, beautiful vistas, and biting satire, each season of this anthology series takes place at a different resort — from Hawaii to Sicily, and now Thailand — diving into class tensions, personal secrets, and the absurdity of the ultra-rich.

Each season has a different cast (with a few delicious recurring characters like Tanya, played by Jennifer Coolidge) and can be binged separately or back-to-back. You’ll find yourself laughing, cringing, theorizing, and questioning your moral compass.
The blend of comedy, mystery, and social commentary keeps you hooked until the final frame. And the best part is that each batch of episodes ends with a murder, but it’s the psychological tension — not the whodunit — that steals the show. For Jennifer Coolidge fans, this is a must watch.

5) Succession

If you missed the Succession phenomenon, now is the perfect time to binge all four seasons. This Emmy-winning powerhouse follows the toxic Roy family as they claw for control over their global media empire, Waystar Royco. Led by the merciless patriarch Logan Roy (Brian Cox), each family member jostles for power with betrayals, backstabbing, and business moves so cold they could freeze a glacier. It’s Shakespearean drama disguised as a corporate satire, with razor-sharp dialogue and unforgettable one-liners.

The performances are magnificent with standouts from the likes of Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook, and Kieran Culkin, and the show only grows more addictive as the stakes spiral. Expect power plays, awkward boardroom tension, and some of the most hilariously uncomfortable moments ever put to screen. With the series officially wrapped, Succession is a completed story from beginning to end, making it perfect for a concentrated binge without the pain of waiting for a new season.

6) Chernobyl

Created by Craig Mazin (who you may now know for his work on The Last of Us), Chernobyl is a masterclass in tension, storytelling, and historical dramatization. This five-episode miniseries recounts the harrowing true events of the 1986 nuclear disaster in the Soviet Union — from the initial explosion to the chilling government coverups and the unsung heroes who sacrificed everything.

What sets Chernobyl apart is its visceral realism. The cinematography, sound design, and haunting score pull you into the grim, toxic atmosphere. Jared Harris, Emily Watson, and Stellan Skarsgård all deliver devastatingly good performances that ground the story in emotional truth. It’s a global horror story, a political drama, and a human tragedy all rolled into one. With a total runtime of around five hours, it’s perfect for a quick binge. And as it’s based on real events, it stands alone as a haunting, must-watch story with no sequel required.

7) The Penguin

Spinning out of the gritty world of Matt Reeves’ The Batman, The Penguin brings Oswald Cobblepot’s rise through Gotham’s criminal underworld into the spotlight. Starring Colin Farrell who is unrecognizable under Oswald’s prosthetics, the series picks up pretty much straight after the events of the 2022 film, exploring the mob world’s power vacuum left behind in the wake of Carmine Falcone’s death.

Farrell’s performance in The Batman was widely praised for adding nuance and menace to the iconic DC villain, and The Penguin gives him the space to truly take over. The series has a dark, grounded tone and plays out more as a gritty crime saga in the style of Scarface and The Sopranos than your average superhero fare. With Lauren LeFranc (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) showrunning, and Reeves producing, this is one of HBO Max’s most compelling character dramas, and one not to miss.

8) Watchmen

Damon Lindelof’s Watchmen is not a reboot or re-enactment of the 2009 movie, it’s a bold sequel to the classic comic series. Set decades after the events of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ story, this one-season wonder blends superhero deconstruction with racial justice themes and sci-fi weirdness.

The 9-episode run is dense with detail, clever writing, and some of the best performances HBO Max has put to screen. Regina King and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II are both unforgettable. No second season is planned, which makes Watchmen an ideal one-and-done binge.

9) Our Flag Means Death

Now, we have hit you pretty hard with some dark and intense series to watch, so lets calm it down. This pirate comedy-romance from creator David Jenkins and executive producer Taika Waititi took viewers by surprise with its heartfelt story and inclusive humor. Our Flag Means Death follows the real-life-inspired character of Stede Bonnet played by Rhys Darby. Though this version is very much fictionalized as we watch Bonnet become an aristocrat-turned-pirate, and his budding relationship with the infamous Blackbeard (Waititi).

It’s equal parts absurd and adorable, with slapstick moments sitting comfortably alongside beautifully sincere emotional arcs. Both seasons are under 10 episodes each and deliver a unique blend of quirky laughs and poignant emotional beats. While the show was canceled after Season 2, its fandom continues to grow, making it a beloved and easily bingeable gem.

10) Barry

Bill Hader’s Barry starts off as a dark comedy about a hitman who wants to become an actor… but quickly becomes something far more ambitious and unsettling. Across four seasons, Barry evolves into a meditation on guilt, violence, and the desperate, often futile, search for redemption. The tone oscillates masterfully between laugh-out-loud moments and soul-crushing despair, often in the same scene.

Hader, who not only stars but also directs much of the series, demonstrates an incredible eye for visual storytelling, tension, and psychological depth. The cast, including Henry Winkler and Sarah Goldberg, delivers stunning performances that only get better season by season. With just 8 episodes per season, Barry is an addictive binge that never overstays its welcome. And since the series wrapped in 2023, you can watch the entire saga unfold with no cliffhangers, no delays, just pure storytelling from start to finish.

The post 10 Best HBO Max Shows You Can Binge In One Week appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Even in the futuristic reaches of science fiction, death can be final and brutal. While not every death in sci-fi TV means the character is gone forever, most of the most brutal ones in our cultural memory are. Sci-fi also allows us to ask questions about the nature of death, as well as making us wonder how horrific we can get as a species. Even though sci-fi is often idealistic and optimistic at its core, that doesn’t mean some truly haunting deaths can’t come up on the small screen.

Some sci-fi shows, of course, rely on brutal and horrific deaths and injuries: The X-Files was one of the first, while The Walking Dead appropriately continued that trend, adding a certain horror flair. On the other hand, brutal deaths pop up in sci-fi shows you might not expect: Star Trek is often a hopeful franchise, but characters can and do go out in unexpected and often frightening ways. These are the top 10 most brutal deaths in sci-fi TV history. As this list deals with character death, spoilers for multiple sci-fi TV shows will be included. Tread carefully!

10) The “Death of Personality,” Babylon 5

Babylon 5 actually stayed away from gore; character deaths weren’t always final, and most of the leads of the show survived to the final season finale (and even to the actual series finale, “Sleeping in Light.”) However, one of the more futuristic concepts that came up was the corporal punishment “Death of Personality” — essentially, a mindwipe. The “Death of Personality” hard reset a human being who had committed a crime that would normally mean the death penalty or a life sentence in our time.

“Passing Through Gethsemane” was an early Season 3 episode which featured a murderer who had gone through the “Death of Personality” and been turned into kindly space monk, played by Brad Dourif. While his life seems more peaceful at the start of the episode than it ever was before the mindwipe, that is, of course, a fallacy. He still has the face of a killer, and even a mindwipe isn’t perfect: Brother Edward (Dourif) begins to remember his terrible past throughout the episode, and he ends it as dead as his victims, thanks to their family members’ revenge. The “Death of Personality” was clearly created as a merciful alternative to the death penalty, in the B5 timeline, but in reality, it was just a brutal continuance of pain and suffering.

9) “F. Emasculata,” The X-Files

The X-Files didn’t shy away from brutal deaths throughout its long run, but a Season 2 episode, “F. Emasculata,” is their entry on this list because how eerily real it was. It centers a mysterious disease brought back to the States by a pharmaceutical researcher, carried by a parasite. It’s definitely more a ‘monster-of-the-week’ episode than anything else, but the special effects are over the top and gruesome, as pustules erupt out of people’s faces and eventually burst. It also, of course, feels maybe too real, as the disease spreads mainly because of people’s carelessness: that’s a common trope in contagion-related media, but that’s because it’s an effective trope, and one that our own experiences with disease often echo.

8) Juliet Burke, Lost

There were a lot of deaths on Lost; at some point, it became the driving engine of the show. Juliet’s death, though, is probably the most brutal, because it comes near the end, and it’s also somewhat confusing. In the Season 5 finale, she’s left to detonate a fission bomb all by herself, already grievously injured, in the hopes of ‘resetting’ the timeline and avoiding the plane crashing at all on the island. She manages to detonate it, at the cost of her own life, but all she really succeeds in doing is getting herself and the group she’s with sent from 1977 to 2007. The plane still crashes, and she dies, in Sawyer’s arms, so there’s that at least. While she gets her happy ending in the flash sideways, her death still seems brutal given how futile it initially seemed.

7) Jadzia Dax, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Jadzia Dax’s death on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was ultimately more emotionally brutal than anything else. She was the only lead to die permanently on the show, and it was only because contract negotiations between Terry Farrell and the producers broke down. While her death led to Ezri Dax’s appearances in the final season, the idea that Jadzia got so close to the end of the Dominion War, and a happy life with her new husband, Worf, has never sat right with fans. That she’s in the Bajoran temple when Gul Dukat targets her, giving thanks to them for potentially helping Dr. Bashir help her conceive a child with Worf, makes it even worse. Worf gets to say goodbye, and the symbiont Dax is saved to be transferred to another host, but Jadzia’s sudden death so close to the end of what had been a terrible fight for the whole DS9 crew is still difficult to watch.

6) Tasha Yar, Star Trek: The Next Generation

Tasha Yar, above Jadzia Dax on the ‘brutal’ ranking? Well, yes; at least Jadzia got six seasons of airtime. Tasha couldn’t even make it through Season 1 of The Next Generation; this was, admittedly, because Denise Crosby was disappointed by how little development her character was getting. That is, ultimately, a true and decent complaint, and she left on good terms, which did mean an alternate timeline Tasha would appear later on, and that alternate Tasha would have a half-Romulan daughter named Sela, who has continued to pop up in the franchise, even playing a major role in Star Trek Online.

At the time, though, Tasha’s death struck fans as a lost opportunity; it left just two remaining women crew members on the Enterprise-D, Beverly Crusher and Deanna Troi. Tasha was also notable because she was the Chief Security Officer, which felt like an improvement for representation of women crew members in Trek. Her backstory, too, was more interesting and complex than say, Troi’s was. Tasha, though, gets killed by an angry tar pit, in the end, one of the many casualties of TNG‘s rocky first two seasons.

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5) Joel Miller, The Last of Us

Joel Miller’s death was pre-destined from the moment The Last of Us tv show was greenlit. Although fans wondered if the show would divert from the story as established in both Last of Us games, it quickly became apparent in Season 2 that that wouldn’t be the case. Joel gets captured by Abby, and he dies in the show even more graphically than how he died in the game: brutally beaten to death by a golf club and, ultimately, stabbed through the neck. Joel’s death is both physically brutal and emotionally brutal; even though fans of the game knew it was coming, no one likes to see Pedro Pascal leave a series that violently (…and, of course, that had happened before, in Game of Thrones).

4) Glenn Rhee and Abraham Ford, The Walking Dead

There’s a lot of bludgeoning deaths in these two entries: The Walking Dead, while primarily a horror show, does have sci-fi elements, so it earns its place on this list with the deaths of Glenn Rhee and Abraham Ford in the Season 7 premiere. Negan, of course, delivers the killing blows with his famous bat. Glenn dies as he does in the comics, while Abraham becomes collateral damage in the episode. Abraham’s actor, Michael Cudlitz, even said on the Talk Dead to Me podcast that he thought the show went too far in how brutal the deaths ultimately were. Both characters were fan favorites; Glenn, especially, was mourned. Critics, too, were disappointed, generally agreeing that Negan’s killings in the episode were a bridge too far in a show that often strained believability.

3) Ianto Jones, Torchwood: Children of Eden

Most TV deaths, even sci-fi TV deaths, don’t end with the character getting a real-life shrine. Ianto Jones is the exception; he really does have a ‘shrine’ in Cardiff, Wales, at the Mermaid Quay. Fans have posted notes, left tributes, and even made pilgrimages to mourn the beloved dead boyfriend of the immortal Jack Harkness, who was a shock death towards the end of the already brutal miniseries Torchwood: Children of Earth. Despite the Who franchise’s love of timey-wimey changes, Ianto never has returned to the show: a very final death for a franchise that tends to eschew that sort of thing.

2) Tracy and Gordo Stevens, For All Mankind

When you’re retelling the history of the Space Race, and changing a lot of that history, people are going to die, just like they did in the actual Space Race. For All Mankind has a lot of deaths one could judge brutal — space exploration is not easy — but the deaths of two beloved lead characters at the end of Season 2 land as brutal because the deaths are so consequential, and because, we ultimately learn they could’ve been prevented.

Tracy Stevens was one of the first female astronauts in the show’s timeline, and Gordo was her husband, who was already an astronaut. They had their shares of ups and downs (by Season 2, they’re divorced), but they get a chance to do something heroic (and kind of stupid) together, and by God, they take that chance. Wrapped in improvised duct-tape space suits, they stop a secret nuclear reactor from melting down at Jamestown, the Moon settlement in the show. They’re told, and we’re told that they likely won’t survive — they might not even prevent the meltdown — but they do manage to prevent it and even make it back inside the station. They don’t survive after that, but there’s a glimmer of hope where maybe, the almost superhuman astronauts of For All Mankind manage to escape death and live another day. They left behind two young adult sons, and their deaths mean that those sons cause all kinds of mayhem over the course of the next season.

1) Julie Mao and everyone else on Eros, The Expanse

The final entry on the list has a death count in the hundreds of thousands, and it’s actually worse in the books The Expanse is based on. Rebel-aligned Julie Mao unwittingly becomes the carrier for what seems like a brutal infection when she carries the protomolecule from one of her missions onto Eros Station, which is set on an asteroid. The protomolecule is one of her father’s many experiments, and his company ultimately uses her and the rest of the station as a biological testing ground. While Julie gets the last laugh in the end (kind of), the experimentation of the people of Eros Station shocks the wider solar system, and sets off a wild chain of events.

The TV series actually tones down just how awful the protomolecule infection is; in the books, it’s some of the best sci-fi horror writing ever. Still, the show does emphasize just how terrible the “Eros Incident” is; the oppressed Belters ironically remix the last transmissions of the dying Eros denizens into dance music.

The post 10 Most Brutal Deaths In Sci-Fi TV History, Ranked appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Since the dawn of television, the small screen has been home to a variety of monsters designed to terrify viewers and boost sales for nightlight manufacturers. These foul beasts come in every shape and size. Some covered in fur, others dripping with slime, but all doing their best to delight horror fans and scar children too young to be watching. But while some monsters take a paint-by-numbers approach to scaring — glowing eyes, sharp fangs, and wicked claws — others are more creative. These creatures aren’t content to hide in the closet and yell “Boo!” but would rather employ more inspired tactics.

We’ve put together a list of the most imaginative of these TV terrors. Whether mutant parasites or fungus-stuffed revenants, these ghouls delight in finding new and unique ways to scare viewers. So turn off the lights, and cozy up to the screen as we present the 10 most creative monsters to ever possess a television set.

1) Tooth Child – Channel Zero

Syfy’s Channel Zero was a horror anthology for the creepypasta generation. While the series lasted for four seasons, each based on a different online ghost story, its lasting legacy is Season 1 antagonist the “Tooth Child.” Candle Cove, based on a creepypasta of the same name, introduced the world to a horrifying golem crafted from thousands of children’s teeth.

You may not remember Channel Zero, but chances are you’ve seen the Tooth Child once or twice. The dental demon still lurks in a liminal internet space, waiting to pop up and scare the life out of anyone not careful with their Google image searches.

2) Gulper – Fallout

The Fallout video game series is home to some gruesome mutations, but Prime Video’s Fallout streaming series might have it beat. The Gulper is a human/salamander hybrid large enough to swallow a human whole. On the outside, his grotesque beast resembles a bus-sized axolotl covered in long, fleshy tendrils. Inside is somehow worse — a large gaping maw lined with human fingers all the way down its throat.

Being eaten by a large predator is already scary enough, but the thought of thousands of fingers grabbing at you and slowly dragging you into oblivion is the stuff of nightmares.

3) Mouse Monster – Creepshow

For four seasons, Shudder’s Creepshow has been doing its part to fill the same niche that Tales from the Crypt once occupied. This campy, lowbrow horror anthology is more concerned with having a bloody good time than scratching a cerebral itch like The Twilight Zone or Black Mirror. Nothing represents this unserious but still horrifying tone like the Mouse Monster from Season 4’s Twenty Minutes with Cassandra

The Mouse Monster — a human-sized manifestation of a mouse the main character caught in a glue trap — isn’t super creative on the outside. The horror makeup, while expertly done, resembles any hairy, werewolf-style monster. What earns the mouse monster a place on this list is its penchant for philosophical discussion in lieu of physical violence. While the monster turns out to be a physical representation of an internal fear, taking the hulking chatterbox at face value is a surreal and fairly unique experience.

4) Flukeman – The X-Files

The X-Files may have ended up an alien conspiracy show, but early seasons followed more of a monster-of-the-week format. The best — or should we say, worst? — of these weekly ghouls was Flukeman, a Chernobyl-born cross between a man and a parasite. Flukeman only appeared in a single Season 2 episode, but it was enough to make an impression. To this day, the mutant worm-man stands out as one of the creepiest monsters to plague Agents Scully and Mulder and proof that X-Files creator Chris Carter has a sickness deep within his mind that no amount of therapy can ever cure.

5) Weeping Angels – Doctor Who

While not a horror show in the traditional sense, Doctor Who has been terrifying viewers since the first Dalek raised its toilet plunger in anger. Though many frightful villains have menaced The Doctor over the years, The Weeping Angels are easily the scariest of all. These statue-like creatures subvert the childlike belief that as long as you don’t look at the monster, it can’t hurt you by presenting a monster that can only be held at bay by staring directly at it.

The minute a potential victim stops looking — even if it’s a momentary blink — the Weeping Angels strike. Not content to simply kill their prey, the Angels banish them to the past and consume the potential energy they would have exerted over a lifetime if left alone. Weeping Angels aren’t just creative, they’re scary as hell, making them the definitive Doctor Who monster of the modern era.

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6) The Gentlemen – Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Despite the title, Buffy the Vampire Slayer often featured non-vampire monsters, one of the most unique being The Gentlemen. Bald Demons with rictus grins and tailored suits, who floated inches above the ground rather than walking, the Gentlemen were fear incarnate. The Gentlemen had only one weakness — the human voice. To get around this, the silent villains would steal the voices of all their victims before surgically removing their hearts.

Dressed to the nines with a permanent shark’s grin, the Gentlemen are not only one of the weirdest monsters on the list but also one of the creepiest.

7) The Moving Finger – Monsters

Monsters was a late ’80s horror anthology that flew under most people’s radar. So there’s a good chance that you’ve never seen, or even heard of, the Moving Finger. Based on a short story by Stephen King — admittedly not one of his best — “The Moving Finger” was the very last episode of Monsters to ever air, which may have been why it was allowed to be so weird. The Moving Finger is just that, a finger, albeit one discovered poking out of a sink drain.

When poor Howard Mitla finds the finger in his bathroom sink, he first tries to dissolve it with drain cleaner. Unfortunately, that only seems to make the finger angry as it snakes its way out of the drain and attacks Mitla. Man and finger do battle until Mitla takes a hedge trimmer to the offending digit. Covered in blood with no finger in sight, Mitla can finally relax … until a four-fingered hand pops out of his toilet.

8) The Crypt Keeper – Tales from the Crypt

Tales from the Crypt was home to many entertaining monsters over the years, but none of them could hold a candle to the one hosting the show. The Crypt Keeper as a concept may have come from the original Tales from the Crypt comic book, but it was the TV series that made the character the beloved horror icon he is today. Originally a wrinkly old man in a cloak, HBO decided to turn the Keeper into a wisecracking puppet designed to look like a rotting corpse.

It’s hard to decide which of the Crypt Keeper’s origins is crazier. In canon, he’s the offspring of Enoch, the two-faced man, a sideshow attraction, and a 4,000-year-old mummy. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, the Crypt Keeper puppet was rumored to be constructed from the remains of a discarded Chucky animatronic. Either way, the Crypt Keeper is one of a kind in the world of TV monsters and deserves to make a comeback.

9) Clickers – The Last of Us

After decades of the same, bite-infected, shambling undead, zombies as a monster were in desperate need of a reboot. Enter the fungus-covered clickers. The Last of Us took the zombie apocalypse trope and added mushrooms for a new and, oddly, more realistic take on the walking dead.

Infected by a parasitic fungus known as cordyceps, clickers have lost all but the barest traces of humanity. Clickers’ faces are entirely covered in fungal growth, blocking their eyes and forcing them to develop a crude form of echolocation to catch their prey, hence the name clickers. While the Last of Us video games may have introduced the clickers, it was the HBO series that truly brought the grotesque creatures to life, resulting in a uniquely horrifying television oddity.

10) Demogorgan – Stranger Things

The Demogorgan took the eyeless horror of Xenomorphs to the next level by presenting a creature whose whole head is one giant mouth. Unlike most of the monsters on this list, the Demogorgon hails from a different dimension, explaining why it looks like nothing else on Earth. The coldly alien design, coupled with the beast’s ferocity and increased durability, makes the Demogorgon a surreal horror and one of the most creative TV monsters of the 21st century.

What do you think of our list? Agree, disagree? Let us know in the comments.

The post 10 Most Creative Monsters in Horror TV appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Pedro Pascal rewatched several of the biggest moments of his career in a new retrospective interview with Vanity Fair, but he declined to rewatch his final scene with Bella Ramsey. Pascal quickly asked the producers of the interview to turn the scene off, saying, “Oh, I don’t want to see it, now.” He offered, “I could talk about it,” and then explained candidly that it was emotionally gut-wrenching for him to revisit this particular scene, because he felt like he was saying goodbye to Ramsey and the show. Pascal offered a lot of insight into the scene, especially considering that he claims he has never seen the final cut.

“This was one of the hardest and easiest — that’s impossible to understand — one of the hardest and easiest days of work I’ve ever had,” Pascal said, chuckling at himself. “We did this scene all day long, and I know the context of things coming to an end, as far as getting to play Joel alongside Ellie. And then of course, what the actual story is, and the confession, and all the walls coming down completely in front of Ellie, and finally saying the worlds that have been impossible for Joel to say. Telling the truth, basically. Recognizing the truth, and recognizing that the truth will, like, mean that Joel loses here — loses Ellie for good — but that he loves Ellie so much. He can’t lie to her again.”

The scene in question comes from The Last of Us Season 2, Episode 6, “The Price,” in which Ellie confronts Joel and learns the truth of his actions at the end of Season 1. She can’t forgive Joel in that moment, and while she wants to try, they both recognize it as a parting of the ways. For Pascal knowing he was leaving the production, it hit a little too close to home.

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“This was towards the end of all my shooting for The Last of Us, and Bella and I… It was just really f—ing intense,” he said. “And not like — it was an easy day of shooting, we were beautifully taken care of by Neil Druckmann, who wad directing the episode. Bella and I are like linked souls, and this was the ultimate manifestation of that, as scene partners on this porch. We took such good care of each other, and just kind of like lived in the pain of it the entire day. I remember just being absolutely emptied out by the end of that day.”

“The context of it was all in that I knew that it was ending — that my run on the show was coming to an end — and then you think about what the story is,” Pascal went on. “It was just sort of like living the story out and having all the nuance of what my relationship to my scene partner was in the experience of doing the show. And the idea of just hurting them, the idea of losing them, those things just broke my heart. It was a very surreal feeling of having the safety of this relationship, and that safety kind of like opening all of the channels in your heart. That’s how it felt. I don’t know what the cut is, which is why I don’t want to see it.”

The Last of Us Season 2 is streaming now on HBO Max. Pascal will be in theaters later this month when The Fantastic Four: First Steps premieres on July 25th.

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HBO’s The Last of Us is facing a major creative shake-up as Neil Druckmann, the co-creator of the acclaimed television series and the primary creative force behind the video games that inspired it, has officially announced he will be leaving the show ahead of Season 3. Druckmann is stepping away to focus on his next major video game project at Naughty Dog, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, a massive storytelling endeavor that demands his full attention. However, while Druckmann’s departure from The Last of Us TV show is reportedly amicable, the news is nonetheless concerning, as he is the architect of this world, the man who shaped the complex, brutal, and emotional journeys of Joel and Ellie from their inception. Druckmann’s partnership with co-creator Craig Mazin was seen as the perfect fusion of the games’ soul with prestige television expertise, and his absence creates a vacuum at the heart of the series at the most critical juncture.

This news would be unsettling under any circumstances, but it arrives when confidence in the series is already shaken. The second season, which adapted the first portion of the notoriously divisive game The Last of Us Part II, failed to recapture the universal acclaim of its predecessor. While still a significant draw for HBO, viewership was down, and the online discourse was fractured. Critics and fans alike pointed to a host of problems, from a meandering pace that diluted the source material’s relentless tension to controversial narrative changes that left some of the game’s most powerful moments feeling hollow. 

To make things worse, the decision to split the second game’s story across multiple seasons, with long two-year gaps in between, is a risky strategy that tests audience patience. Season 2 ended on a massive cliffhanger, leaving the show’s most challenging narrative beats for a third season that was already on precarious footing. From that perspective, Druckmann’s exit now feels less like a simple crew change and more like an admission that the ship is taking on water.

The Last of Us Season 2’s Narrative Problems

The most immediate concern with Druckmann’s departure is the unresolved mess Season 2 leaves for the remaining creative team to clean. The second season of The Last of Us was plagued by structural issues, most notably a clumsy pace that undermined the game’s brutal momentum. For starters, a three-month time jump after Joel’s (Pedro Pascal) death drained the immediate rage from Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) quest, and her subsequent journey with Dina (Isabela Merced) often felt more like a road trip than a desperate mission for revenge. These changes significantly blunted the impact of Part II’s core theme about the all-consuming nature of violence, leaving Ellie’s character arc feeling underdeveloped and her moments of guilt less earned.

These pacing problems were compounded by significant changes to key characters, creating a domino effect that will complicate Season 3. As an example, the show completely rewrote the arc for Tommy (Gabriel Luna), Joel’s brother. In the game, Tommy is consumed by a vengeful fury that rivals Ellie’s, acting as a grim cautionary tale. The show presents him as a far more tempered leader, a decision that removes a crucial piece of the story’s thematic puzzle. As a result, the writers of Season 3 must now construct an entirely new trajectory for him or awkwardly retcon his motivations. 

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Druckmann was a leading voice of these controversial changes, and now the responsibility of justifying them and making them tie together into a satisfying narrative falls to others. He leaves behind a foundation that is not just shaky but actively working against the power of the original story.

The Last of Us Season 3 Just Lost Its Authenticity Anchor

Beyond inheriting a tangle of narrative threads, the show is losing its most important connection to the source material at the worst possible time. Even when The Last of Us made changes, Druckmann’s presence on the series served as an implicit guarantee of authenticity, assuring a large segment of the fanbase that these decisions were made in service of the original vision. He was the guardian of the lore, the one person who could definitively state the intent behind every character beat and story choice. With him gone, any future deviations from the game will be judged more harshly.

This loss of an authenticity anchor is especially dangerous given the confirmed direction for the upcoming seasons. Druckmann and Mazin have stated that Season 3 will pivot almost entirely to Abby’s (Kaitlyn Dever) perspective, mirroring the game’s boldest and most polarizing choice. Asking a television audience, already waiting two years between seasons, to abandon their established protagonist Ellie in favor of the character who murdered her father figure is an immense creative gamble. This narrative shift requires an incredible amount of trust from the audience, a trust that was bolstered by Druckmann’s co-stewardship. Without his guidance to navigate this delicate storyline, the risk of alienating viewers completely has grown exponentially.

The first two seasons of The Last of Us are currently available on HBO Max. There’s still no release window for Season 3, but since the series has yet to start filming, the next episodes are expected for 2027.

Do you think The Last of Us can succeed in Season 3 without Neil Druckmann’s direct involvement? Join the discussion in the comments!

The post I’m Really Worried About The Last of Us Season 3 Now appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Last of Us Season 3 will see a major creative shake-up as series co-creator Neil Druckmann will leave the show. Video game developer Naughty Dog is one of the most respected studios in the industry thanks to its work on Uncharted and The Last of Us. A big part of its success (though his haters might argue this) is because of Neil Druckmann, who has risen the ranks of the studio from a regular developer to game director to head of the company. His creative success on The Last of Us eventually allowed him to partner with TV writer/director Craig Mazin to bring the games to life via an acclaimed HBO series.

HBO was bullish on the future of the series as it announced that The Last of Us Season 3 was already in the works ahead of Season 2’s premiere. Although reviews were more mixed and viewership was down from Season 1, it was still a big draw for HBO subscribers and will likely continue to be a big show. Unfortunately, Neil Druckmann, credited for some of the better episodes of the show, will not be returning to work on Season 3.

Neil Druckmann released a statement confirming his departure from The Last of Us Season 3, noting that he wishes to focus his efforts on his next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet and future video game projects.

According to The Ankler’s Lesley Goldberg who initially broke the news, Druckmann had been involved in breaking the story of Season 3 with Mazin, so it seemed like he intended to work on Season 3 early on. Despite this seeming a bit sudden, Druckmann’s departure was amicable and was not the result of any sort of dramatic conflict. The report also notes that Naughty Dog’s Ryan James will represent the developer in some capacity for the TV show and will join Mazin in the writers room along with Alexandra Cheng. Mazin will write all episodes of Season 3, but James and Cheng may be credited as co-writers on some episodes.

“It’s been a creative dream to work with Neil and bring an adaptation of his brilliant work to
life on HBO. I couldn’t have asked for a more generous creative partner. As a true fan of
Naughty Dog and Neil’s work in video games, I’m beyond excited to play his next game,”
Mazin said in a statement to The Ankler. “While he focuses on that, I’ll continue to work
with our brilliant cast and crew to deliver the show our audience has come to expect. We
are so grateful to Neil and Halley Gross for entrusting the incredible story of The Last of Us
Part II to us, and we’re just as grateful to the millions of people around the world who tune
in.”

Some are hoping that this means that Neil Druckmann is shifting focus to The Last of Us Part 3, a game that Naughty Dog swears it isn’t working on right now. Of course, Intergalactic is its primary focus, but there is a secret second game in the works at Naughty Dog. Some believe it’s a new Uncharted, but we’ll just have to wait and see. Either way, maybe this will free Druckmann up to finally put pen to paper on a story for The Last of Us 3.

The post The Last of Us Co-Creator Neil Druckmann Exits Series Ahead of Season 3 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The evolution of Cordyceps in The Last of Us has presented many challenges to the survivors of the fungus-infested world, but one problem already has a very obvious solution that nobody has mentioned. The Last of Us Season 2 recently concluded with a massive cliffhanger, as Ellie (Bella Ramsey) finally tracked down Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) on her mission for revenge for Joel’s (Pedro Pascal) murder, but Abby turned the tables. While there are many twisted human survivors to handle, The Last of Us also hasn’t forgotten its seemingly-unbeatable fungal villain.

The Last of Us Season 2 examined the father-daughter relationship between Joel and Ellie in the weeks after Ellie works out that Joel had been lying to her about what happened in Salt Lake City in Season 1’s finale. Ellie’s immunity to Cordyceps made it possible for a Firefly doctor to create a cure from her brain tissue, but this would have killed her. Joel saved her by killing almost all the Fireflies, including the doctor, Abby’s father, which apparently made it impossible for a cure to now be made – but this isn’t the case.

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The Last of Us has put a lot of stock in Ellie being the only immune individual, and the only candidate to be the source of a possible cure for the Cordyceps infection. However, the way in which Ellie became immune means that any newborn baby could also become immune, should the mother be infected during labor. Of course, this would be truly tragic in another sense, as it would be a very controversial choice to have new mothers be killed in order to immunize their babies, but this would be a clever and surefire way to ensure herd immunity.

Ellie’s birth was shown in the opening moments of The Last of Us Season 1’s finale, “Look for the Light.” In the sequence, Anna (Ashley Johnson – who portrayed Ellie in the video game) was bitten by an infected while giving birth, and cut the umbilical cord after the bite. This meant that Cordyceps had been growing in Ellie’s body from birth, which made her insusceptible to new infection. This surely wasn’t a one-off event, so there must be other individuals out there who are also immune, and this creates a way for new individuals to be immunized, too.

Of course, we’re not condoning the murder of mothers simply to immunize the population from the Cordyceps infection – but Ellie is living proof that it works. Since Dina (Isabela Merced) is pregnant in The Last of Us Season 2, it’s possible, however tragic it would be, that she could be bitten while in labor, delivering a new immune resident of Jackson. In the video game, Dina gives birth to a baby boy whom she names Jesse Jr. after his deceased father, but the futures of Ellie, Dina, and the baby might not be so clear-cut in the live-action HBO adaptation.

Do you think Joel should have left the Fireflies to make a cure in The Last of Us Season 1? Let us know in the comments!

The post The Last of Us’ Biggest Problem Has A Solution So Obvious, I Can’t Believe Nobody Is Saying It appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The cast of HBO’s The Last of Us has included several veteran stars from various Marvel movies and TV shows, both in and out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Many of the most popular, bankable, and successful actors around today have appeared in projects developed by Marvel, bringing dozens of vibrant, complex, and powerful characters from Marvel Comics to life. The fact that so many stars have appeared in Marvel’s movies and shows means it would have been hard to cast the live-action adaptation of The Last of Us without including some Marvel veterans.

The Last of Us hit our screens in 2023 as a live-action adaptation of Naughty Dog’s critically-acclaimed video game from 2013. The series saw Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) take Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across the United States, 20 years after an outbreak of a mutated form of Cordyceps fungus, to seek a cure for the infection that has taken control of much of the world’s population. The Last of Us Season 2 released in 2025 to continued critical acclaim, spotlighting Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) and the Washington Liberation Front’s battle against the Seraphites, and Season 3 is in development.

Over two seasons, The Last of Us has featured a total of 11 actors who have also appeared in various Marvel media. These stars have appeared in projects including The Avengers, Runaways, Agents of SHIELD, What If…?, and more, while Pedro Pascal will soon be debuting in the MCU’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps. While some of these actors have only had brief roles in both their Marvel projects and The Last of Us, others have been crucial to the development of both, and this list will surely expand as both franchises develop.

1) Ashley Johnson as Beth & Anna

Ashley Johnson holds a special role in The Last of Us’ history, as she not only appeared as Ellie’s mother, Anna, in Season 1’s finale, “Look for the Light,” but she also provided the voice and motion capture for Ellie in the original video game and its 2020 sequel. Before any of this, however, Johnson made a brief appearance in 2012’s The Avengers as Beth, who was saved by Steve Rogers’ Captain America (Chris Evans) during the Chitauri attack. Beth appeared in a news report thanking the Avengers, acting as the voice of those in support of the team.

2) Gabriel Luna as Robbie Reyes & Tommy Miller

Although he hasn’t appeared in the MCU proper, Gabriel Luna played a huge role in Agents of SHIELD Season 4 as Robbie Reyes’ Ghost Rider. Since his departure, there has been speculation of him joining the MCU officially, but this hasn’t yet occurred. Luna instead made the move to The Last of Us, where he debuted as Tommy Miller, the brother to Pascal’s Joel, who reunites with Joel in Jackson, Wyoming, and ends up becoming an uncle figure to Ellie, which was particularly important following Joel’s death in The Last of Us Season 2.

3) Graham Greene as Skully & Marlon

Graham Greene’s role in The Last of Us was tiny, but provided a great moment of connection and teamwork between Joel and Ellie after they watched Henry (Lamar Johnson) kill his brother, Sam (Keivonn Montreal Woodard), and himself. Greene’s Marlon appeared alongside his wife, Florence (Elaine Miles), as a couple living in the Wyoming wilderness who help Joel and Ellie find their way to Jackson. Greene had a larger role in the MCU’s Echo series as Skully, Maya Lopez’s (Alaqua Cox) grandfather-figure who helps her rekindle her relationship with her grandmother, Chula (Tantoo Cardinal).

RELATED: The MCU’s New Marvel Spotlight Banner Explained

4) Isabela Merced as Anya Corazon & Dina

Before Isabela Merced makes her DC Universe debut as Hawkgirl, she starred alongside Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, and Celeste O’Connor in Madame Web as Anya Corazon. She surely wouldn’t want to be solely associated with Madame Web, however, considering the film’s poor performance, but her role as Dina in The Last of Us has earned her a lot more credibility and appreciation. Dina was introduced in The Last of Us Season 2 as Ellie’s love-interest who joins her in Seattle on her hunt for revenge, and she’ll surely have a large part to play in Season 3, too.

5) Ariela Barer as Gertrude Yorkes & Mel

Also introduced in The Last of Us Season 2 was Ariela Barer’s Mel, a member of Abby’s group, a former Firefly who joined the WLF and was a part of the scheme to murder Joel. Mel was later tracked down and accidentally killed by Ellie during her rampage through Seattle, which marked the demises of both Mel and her unborn child. Marvel fans will know Barer as Gertrude “Gert” Yorkes in Hulu’s Runaways series, the child of villainous time-travelers, and the companion to a genetically-engineered dinosaur. Runaways is not canon to the official MCU timeline.

6) Joe Pantoliano as Ben Urich & Eugene Lynden

Similarly, Joe Pantoliano had a tiny role in The Last of Us Season 2, appearing in just one scene in Episode 6, “The Price,” as Eugene, Gail’s (Catherine O’Hara) husband who became infected and was put down by Joel, who refused to bring him home to say goodbye. Pantoliano starred 23 years prior opposite Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, and Michael Clarke Duncan as New York Post reporter Ben Urich in 2003’s Daredevil. Urich was portrayed by Vondie Curtis-Hall in Daredevil on Netflix, and his legacy continues in the form of his niece, BB Urich (Genneya Walton), in Daredevil: Born Again.

7) Robert John Burke as Smitty & Seth

Robert John Burke is another actor who has had a minor role in both the MCU and in The Last of Us. He appeared briefly as Navy SEAL Smitty in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, who worked with the CIA to search for vibranium, and was attacked by the Talokanil. He had a larger role in The Last of Us as Seth, a resident of Jackson who, while drunk, insults Ellie and Dina at the New Year’s party with a derogatory slur. Seth later apologises and provides aid to Ellie and Dina before they sneak out on their mission for vengeance.

8) Tony Dalton as Jack Duquesne & Javier Miller

It was great to see some of Joel and Tommy’s backstory explored in a brief flashback in The Last of Us Season 2, Episode 6, “The Price,” as their relationship with their abusive father, Javier (Tony Dalton), was detailed. Javier and Joel’s conversation was one of Season 2’s most touching and heartfelt moments, and Dalton excelled in this role, just as he does as Jack Duquesne, aka the vigilante known as Swordsman, in Hawkeye and Daredevil: Born Again. There are hopes that Duquesne will soon fully embrace his role as a sword-wielding hero in the MCU.

RELATED: The Last of Us Answers a Major Joel Backstory Question That Even the Games Ignored

9) Jeffrey Wright as the Watcher & Isaac

Although he hasn’t yet made a live-action appearance, Jeffrey Wright has been a crucial part of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, as he provided the voice of Uatu the Watcher in all three seasons of the animated What If…? series. There are hopes that Wright will appear as a live-action version of the Watcher in the MCU’s Phase 6, while his role of Isaac in The Last of Us will also be better developed in Season 3. Isaac was a FEDRA commander who defected to the Washington Liberation Front, and is now at war with the religious group, the Seraphites.

10) Danny Ramirez as Joaquín Torres & Manny

Danny Ramirez’s Joaquín Torres is a relatively new addition to the MCU, but he has quickly become a very important character. First introduced as a US Air Force intelligence officer and ally to Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Torres returned in 2025 as the MCU’s new Falcon in Captain America: Brave New World. The Phase 5 movie teased his inclusion in the roster for Sam Wilson’s upcoming Avengers team, though it remains to be seen which other heroes will be joining the new Captain America and Falcon.

In The Last of Us, Danny Ramirez hasn’t yet had too much to do. He debuted as Manny, a member of Abby’s group in the WLF who is part of the ploy to murder Joel for his actions in Salt Lake City. Manny wanted to also kill Ellie, getting rid of any witnesses, but the group stopped him, ultimately leading to Owen, Nora, and Mel’s deaths. Fans of The Last of Us Part II’s video game will know that Manny is set to have a larger role in The Last of Us Season 3, told from Abby’s perspective.

11) Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards & Joel Miller

Pedro Pascal is one of the most bankable stars in film and TV right now – he seems to pop up in everything. His next major project, however, will be The Fantastic Four: First Steps, where he will be debuting as the MCU’s official Reed Richards, aka Mister Fantastic, the leader of Marvel’s First Family. Pascal was a polarizing choice for Mister Fantastic, but he is a remarkable and talented actor, so there’s no doubt he’ll deliver a tender, intelligent, and fatherly performance as Reed Richards. He could take notes from his role in The Last of Us for that.

Joel Miller was central to the development of The Last of Us Season 1, as he is tasked with getting the immune Ellie across the country to try and seek a cure for the Cordyceps infection. Along the journey, however, Joel and Ellie form a father-daughter bond that informs Joel’s killing spree to save her. Joel was brutally murdered by Abby in The Last of Us Season 2, so it’s unclear if he’ll will return in Season 3, but since Pedro Pascal seems to be everywhere we turn right now, we’ll still have plenty to look forward to.

Who are your favorite actors who have appeared in Marvel’s movies and TV shows and in The Last of Us? Let us know in the comments!

The post 11 Marvel Actors Who Have Also Appeared in The Last of Us appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Bill and Frank’s debut in The Last of Us Season 1, Episode 3, “Long, Long Time,” created a blueprint for how the beloved HBO series can expand after the main story, adapted from the video game of the same name, comes to an end. The Last of Us has already been confirmed for Season 3, which will focus primarily on Abby’s (Kaitlyn Dever) activities in Seattle after killing Joel (Pedro Pascal) in Season 2. While there has also been speculation about a possible Season 4, there are other ways The Last of Us could grow.

While The Last of Us primarily follows the exploits of Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Joel, her protector and father figure, in a world infested by Cordyceps-mutated zombies, one of the series’ best episodes barely referenced the main storyline at all. The Last of Us has, so far, pretty faithfully followed the narrative and characters of Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us video games from 2013 and 2020. Veering away from the video game storyline might create the perfect future for HBO’s The Last of Us, however.

The Last of Us Season 1’s Best Episode Was Separate From the Main Story

The Last of Us Season 1’s third episode, “Long, Long Time,” inspired by the 1970 song by Linda Ronstadt, is considered one of the best episodes of the series, if not one of the best episodes of modern TV. The character of Bill, portrayed by Nick Offerman in the series, appears only briefly in the video game, but Craig Mazin wanted to expand on his history in the live-action adaptation. Bill’s survivalist tendencies were put on display, while he also found himself forming a romantic connection with Frank (Murray Bartlett), with the pair eventually growing old and dying together.

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“Long, Long Time” is a hugely emotional episode that helps to expand the world of The Last of Us, its dangers, and its mundanity, while staying practically completely separate from the series’ primary storyline. Joel, Tess (Anna Torv), and Ellie appear only briefly in the episode, connecting Bill and Frank’s story to the show’s main characters, but allowing them to live as a separate entity. This put all the focus on them, which surely helped to make “Long, Long Time” such a heart-breaking and beloved chapter in the series, and may have set a benchmark for the series going forward.

An Anthology Series After The Last of Us Could Reveal More About the World and Its Characters

“Long, Long Time” achieving such popularity and becoming one of the most beloved episodes of the series, could have set up exactly how The Last of Us can continue after Ellie’s story comes to an end. Standalone episodes, perhaps bottle episodes, with a smaller budget, could be the way to go. There are many unseen stories here that deserve to be explored, so it would be fantastic to have an anthology series examine new characters, separate narratives, and new locations in The Last of Us’ fungus-infested world.

These stories would perhaps benefit from not being inspired directly by The Last of Us video games, copying Bill and Frank’s original history from the TV series. We caught a glimpse of Professor Ratna Pertiwi (Christine Hakim) in The Last of Us Episode 2, who first categorized the Cordyceps infection in Jakarta, while Henry and Sam (Lamar Johnson and Keivonn Montreal Woodard), Kathleen (Melanie Lynskey), Marlon and Florence (Graham Greene and Elaine Miles), and more could be expanded on after appearing in the main series.

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This has already been shown to be effective, as Tales of the Walking Dead expanded the world of The Walking Dead in an anthology series following the conclusion of the parent show. Something similar for The Last of Us would surely be even more successful and popular, given the high standards and sheer love for the HBO series. The Last of Us has received critical acclaim, so it would be a shame to just see the series end after Ellie’s story wraps up, whether that be at the end of Season 3 or in a possible Season 4.

It would be fantastic to see the world of The Last of Us expand into a full franchise, and an anthology series focusing on small, tender stories like that of Bill and Frank would be great to see. This could debut vibrant new characters, reveal more about the origins of the infection, and feature even more Cordyceps zombie action. The Last of Us Season 3 doesn’t currently have a scheduled release date, but it could set up a whole new anthology series for the franchise’s future.

What stories would you want to see in an anthology series follow-up to The Last of Us? Let us know in the comments!

The post The Last of Us Should Repeat Season 1’s Best Episode to Expand the Franchise Beyond Its End appeared first on ComicBook.com.

After a strong first season, it seemed like HBO’s The Last of Us wasn’t going to have any trouble adapting the sequel game, The Last of Us Part II. The show added some heavy hitters to its cast, including Isabela Merced as Dina, Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, and Jeffrey Wright as Isaac. Of course, Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey were set to return as Joel and Ellie, respectively, continuing the story of their complicated relationship. However, despite a strong start, The Last of Us Season 2 stumbled across the finish line, with viewership plummeting for the finale after the show introduced its fair share of controversial changes.

The major issue people are struggling with is Ellie’s attitude. In the video game, following Joel’s death, she is a force of nature, tearing Seattle apart until Abby confronts her in the theater. The show goes in a different direction by having Dina become a bigger part of the revenge mission, which changes Ellie’s perspective on things. Ellie doesn’t have as much weight on her shoulders, and she’s able to keep her lighthearted demeanor for the majority of the season.

It might be hard to believe, but The Last of Us didn’t even include all of the bonding moments between Ellie and Dina that it could have. In the game, they have a nice interaction in a synagogue that doesn’t make the jump to live-action. However, there is one location that the production built with special meaning for Ellie and Dina that ended up on the cutting room floor: the Seattle QZ entrance.

Production designer Don Macaulay took to Instagram to show off the set, including images of Merced and Ramsey filming a scene on it. It looks exactly like the gate in the game, which appears as soon as Ellie and Dina arrive in Seattle. They don’t know what to expect, but the abandoned location helps them understand that FEDRA is no longer a factor in the city and other factions are now in control. Outside of that, though, not much happens at the gate, with most of the gameplay focusing on Ellie finding a way in because none of the electrical devices are working.

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Cutting the Seattle QZ Gate Doesn’t Hurt The Last of Us Season 2

It’s easy to see the impressive Seattle QZ gate set and add it to the list of unnecessary cuts by HBO, right next to the full museum set from Episode 6 that didn’t get its day in the sun. But it’s hard to compare the two situations, especially since The Last of Us Season 2 finds a worthwhile way to introduce Ellie and Dina to Seattle. As the two women get close to the city, they come across a pile of bodies that includes women and children. They immediately place the blame at the feet of Abby and her friends because they know what they’re capable of and continue on their journey, even more motivated than before.

Sure, HBO could have had the bodies show up at the gate, but the Seraphites that were attacked were looking to leave Seattle behind and start fresh. Having the Washington Liberation Front attack them with their backs turned made the group feel more ruthless and in need of humbling. And it’s not like all hope is lost for the Seattle gate, as it could make an appearance in Season 3 as the show transitions to Abby’s perspective of Ellie’s three days in Seattle.

The Last of Us is streaming on HBO Max.

Are you upset that the Seattle QZ gate didn’t appear in The Last of Us Season 2? What other changes caught you off guard? Let us know in the comments below!

The post New The Last of Us Photos Reveal Major Game Moment Cut From Season 2 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Series creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann made several changes to the story and characters from The Last of Us video game when adapting it into live-action for HBO. The Last of Us premiered in 2023 as an almost-direct adaptation of Naughty Dog’s critically-acclaimed video game. Season 1 was based on 2013’s The Last of Us and its 2014 expansion pack, Left Behind, while season 2 took inspiration from 2020’s The Last of Us Part II. The Last of Us’ confirmed season 3 will continue Part II’s storyline, and the door is open for future seasons, too.

While the TV series is remarkably faithful to the video game source material, featuring many shot-for-shot scenes and including most of the same characters, the HBO adaptation has taken some creative liberties. New characters have been added, sequences have been streamlined, and there has been more time for real emotional development, which has contributed to The Last of Us receiving similar critical acclaim and a huge, passionate fan base. While some changes have been minor, others have changed the story significantly – usually for the better.

10) The Outbreak Begins in 2003 in HBO’s The Last of Us

The original video game released in 2013, so set its opening moments, which took place shortly before the outbreak of a mutant Cordyceps fungal infection, in 2013. After Joel’s daughter, Sarah, is shot and killed, the story jumps forward 20 years, so the bulk of The Last of Us’ narrative takes place in 2033. While this same timeline was retained for the TV adaptation, the events of the outbreak were shifted ten-years earlier, so civilization instead came to an end in 2003, while the story then jumped to a fictional 2023.

This meant that the bulk of The Last of Us’ narrative was taking place in the same year of its release, rather than the opening sequences being set in its release year. This change has little impact on the overall story of The Last of Us, but it does date many of the references and callbacks to life before the outbreak, which provides some easy entertainment for nostalgic viewers. The Last of Us season 2 jumped another five years, taking place at the end of 2028 and in 2029.

9) Spores Weren’t Introduced Immediately in the TV Series

In the video game, the Cordyceps spread through bites, bodily fluids, and spores from the get-go, which makes the risk of infection pretty high and very terrifying. The TV series has perhaps one-upped this, however. While spores weren’t featured in the series immediately, the fact that the infection has now become airborne means it is evolving as time goes on, which raises questions about just how dangerous the world will become. Ellie (Bella Ramsey) is immune to spores just as she is bites, but this doesn’t stop others from being at risk, such as Nora (Tati Gabrielle).

8) Tess is Killed by FEDRA Soldiers in the Video Game

It was great to see Tess brought to life in The Last of Us season 1 by Anna Torv, and heart-breaking to see her killed off pretty soon, just as she was in the game. However, while she is bitten and sacrifices herself to blow up a horde of infected in the HBO series, Tess instead sacrifices herself to take down FEDRA (Federal Disaster Response Agency) soldiers in the video game, allowing Joel and Ellie to continue. Changing this allowed more focus to be on the infected in the TV series, which created some incredibly creepy and intense moments.

7) Bill & Frank Are More Prominent in HBO’s The Last of Us

In the video game, Bill is a simple smuggler and survivalist who has little development past gifting Joel and Ellie a vehicle for their journey. Changing Bill’s role in The Last of Us TV show contributed to one of the greatest episodes of television ever. The Last of Us season 1, episode 3, “Long, Long Time,” introduced Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett), and detailed their history. We saw them meet, fall in love, and eventually grow old, get married, and pass away together, with Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie arriving to take the vehicle following their deaths.

6) Ellie & Riley Battle a Horde of Infected in The Last of Us: Left Behind

The Last of Us season 1, episode 7, “Left Behind,” gave us essential backstory for Ellie, as the night when she was originally bitten by an infected and realized she is immune was detailed. This episode also introduced Riley (Storm Reid), Ellie’s best friend and romantic pursuit who had recently left FEDRA to join the revolutionary group, the Fireflies. This episode was inspired by The Last of Us: Left Behind, an expansion pack separate to the main game, and made one huge change that made the story even more intimate and tragic.

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In the Left Behind expansion pack, Ellie and Riley have a fun night together in the abandoned mall, but are then ambushed by a horde of infected who are drawn to the sound of music. In the TV series, however, it’s only one infected who sneaks up on Ellie and Riley after they dance to Etta James’ version of “I Got You Babe.” Trimming the fat to include only one infected made Ellie and Riley’s story much more sad, and proved just how dangerous the infected are, as one had the potential to kill two people pretty easily.

5) Kathleen Doesn’t Exist in The Last of Us’ Video Game

One of the biggest diversions from the video game in The Last of Us was Joel and Ellie’s excursion to Kansas City, which replaced Pittsburgh from the game. The Last of Us season 1, episode 5, “Endure and Survive,” featured the side-story of a resistance movement, led by Kathleen (Melanie Lynskey), overthrowing FEDRA in Kansas City. Kathleen does not exist in the video game, and Joel and Ellie only see the aftermath of any battles in Pittsburgh, so developing this story and expanding on these characters worked really well for the HBO adaptation.

4) Isaac Has a Larger Role in The Last of Us Season 2

Unlike Kathleen, Isaac (Jeffrey Wright) does appear in The Last of Us video game, but he has a much larger and expanded role in the TV show. In the game, he’s introduced as the leader of the Washington Liberation Front and a secondary antagonist, while his past as a FEDRA commander is explored more in the show. We then also see his brutal interrogation methods when questioning a Seraphite. He’s only seen from Abby’s perspective in the game, but is developed him long before Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) takes center-stage in The Last of Us season 3 in the TV series.

3) Ellie’s Trip to Seraphite Island Sets Up The Last of Us Season 3

Speaking of the Seraphites, the brutal religious cult also has more attention earlier on in The Last of Us’ TV adaptation. In Seattle, the Seraphites and the WLF are at war, causing a hatred between the former and anyone who isn’t part of their sect. This puts Ellie at risk when she washes up on Seraphite Island in season 2’s finale, “Convergence.” This scene was cut from the video game, but helps to show Ellie’s dedication to seeking vengeance, as she immediately gets back on her boat and sails to try and find Abby and get revenge.

2) Ellie Learned the Truth About Salt Lake City Earlier in the Video Game

The Last of Us Part II picked up four years after the first instalment, and two years after Ellie had traveled back to Salt Lake City and learned the truth about Joel’s actions there. Joel killed many Fireflies, including Abby’s father, the doctor, and Marlene (Merle Dandridge), to save Ellie’s life, but preventing a cure from being created. In the TV adaptation, Ellie had an inkling this was the case, despite Joel’s lies, but she didn’t officially know the truth until Joel revealed it during that heart-breaking porch scene. Her knowledge of this still caused a rift between them, however.

1) Tommy Was Present for Joel’s Tragic Death in the Video Game & Seeks Revenge

While fans of the video game knew it was coming, it was still a huge shock to see Joel killed off so early in The Last of Us season 2. Joel was brutally beaten and murdered by Abby in episode 2, “Through the Valley,” as revenge for her father’s death. This sequence was incredibly faithful, but with one huge change. Instead of Joel and Dina (Isabela Merced) being taken captive by Abby’s group, it’s Joel and Tommy (Gabriel Luna) in the game, which means Joel’s brother is witness to his violent and prolonged death.

In the video game, this is a hugely traumatic moment for Tommy, and spurs him to head into Seattle to seek revenge. This marked a significant deviation for the series, as Tommy being absent from this sequence – instead dealing with infected coming through the walls of Jackson – meant he was less inspired to seek retribution. Ellie and Dina went into Seattle, while Tommy and Jesse (Young Mazino) follow, despite the Jackson community voting against. We hope Tommy has a more hands-on role in The Last of Us‘ future seasons now that his brother will no longer be involved.

What other differences between The Last of Us’ video game and TV series have you noticed? Let us know in the comments!

The post 10 Biggest Ways The Last of Us Changed From The Games (So Far) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later was a groundbreaking piece of zombie fiction that flipped the script of a genre that had grown stale by the early 2000s. Penned by Alex Garland, the film’s introduction of hyper-fast, rage-fueled “infected” humans dramatically altered the stakes and the pacing of survival horror, presenting a visceral threat that eventually replaced the traditional lumbering undead in almost every zombie story. Furthermore, its gritty aesthetic lent an unsettling realism to the unfolding apocalypse in London, helping to cement its status as a pivotal cult classic. Now, more than two decades later, the story is set to continue, with both Boyle and Garland confirmed to be involved in a new trilogy, beginning with 28 Years Later, which will also see Cillian Murphy reprise his role as Jim and serve as an executive producer.

The enduring relevance of 28 Days Later extends beyond its stylistic innovations or its introduction of a new breed of monster. The film delved into the psychological fracturing of its survivors, the grim moral calculus demanded by a collapsed world, and the disturbing truth that in such desperate times, fellow humans can become a more insidious danger than the mindless infected. These themes, exploring the erosion of societal norms and the brutal realities of a post-apocalyptic existence, became foundational elements in highly successful zombie universes. Indeed, what many fans of contemporary zombie epics like The Walking Dead and The Last of Us might not fully realize is just how many of their favorite chilling moments were directly influenced by 28 Days Later.

Before Rick Grimes, Jim Woke Up to the Apocalypse

28 Days Later opens with its protagonist, bicycle courier Jim (Cillian Murphy), awakening from a coma in a London hospital to an eerie silence and the discovery that civilization has crumbled. His subsequent journey through the litter-strewn streets of one of the world’s busiest cities, now devoid of life, powerfully establishes the scale of the “Rage” virus catastrophe. Coincidentally (or not), this specific premise of a character waking from a coma into a hospital to find the world outside irrevocably altered by an undead plague is also a key feature of the opening of The Walking Dead, where Sheriff Rick Grimes experiences a nearly identical awakening.

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28 Days Later was released in the United Kingdom in November 2002 and subsequently in the United States in June 2003. The first issue of Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead comic book series, which introduced Rick Grimes’ awakening, was published in October 2003. While this may have been a case of convergent storytelling, instead of blatant copy, 28 Days Later still beat The Walking Dead to the punch by over a year. In addition, for the vast television audience that propelled The Walking Dead to global phenomenon status, their introduction to Rick’s (Andrew Lincoln) story via the AMC series did not occur until October 2010. This places Jim’s bewildered discovery of a depopulated London significantly earlier than the televised depiction of Rick’s parallel experience. The quiet horror and profound isolation conveyed in Jim’s initial moments set a benchmark for portraying the personal impact of waking up to the end of the world, which The Walking Dead used to build its zombie-themed universe.

The Last of Us Takes Key Notes from 28 Days Later

A recurring narrative turn in post-apocalyptic stories is the realization that the initial monstrous threat is not the only, or even the worst, danger survivors face. 28 Days Later shifts its focus to this grim reality in its third act. Jim, along with fellow survivors Selena (Naomie Harris) and young Hannah (Megan Burns), seeks refuge at a fortified mansion occupied by a group of soldiers under the command of Major Henry West (Christopher Eccleston). This apparent sanctuary soon reveals its dark underbelly, as Major West and his men intend to force Selena and Hannah into sexual servitude to ensure their own lineage and “repopulate” the planet. This depiction of a militarized group, initially perceived as a source of order or safety, transforming into a predatory and oppressive force, is a specific thematic concern that also features prominently in The Last of Us.

On the molds of 28 Days Later, various human factions frequently pose a bigger threat than the Cordyceps-infected throughout the narratives of The Last of Us games and the HBO adaptation. The Federal Disaster Response Agency (FEDRA), while ostensibly a governing body, rules with an iron fist in the Quarantine Zones and is often an antagonistic force. Later, more overtly hostile militarized factions like the Washington Liberation Front (WLF) and the cult-like Seraphites in The Last of Us Part II demonstrate how organized human groups with access to weaponry and a chain of command can become deeply dangerous entities, driven by their own twisted ideologies. Major West’s unit in 28 Days Later provides an early cinematic blueprint for this type of antagonist: a structured, armed group that leverages its power to exploit rather than protect.

That’s not the only similarity between 28 Days Later and The Last of Us. After escaping the city, Jim, Selena, Frank, and Hannah find themselves in a seemingly untouched countryside where they witness a herd of horses galloping freely. This serene image of nature, indifferent to the human catastrophe and thriving in its absence, provides a moment of peace and a hint of enduring life. The emotional impact of this scene is remarkably similar to the memorable encounter with a herd of giraffes in The Last of Us, where Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) observe the creatures moving gracefully through a decaying urban landscape. Both scenes offer a wordless commentary on hope and the persistence of beauty in a ruined world, granting the characters and the audience a vital emotional breather.

Furthermore, a key sequence in 28 Days Later involves Jim’s tactical decision to weaponize the infected against his human captors. In a desperate bid to save Selena and Hannah from Major West’s soldiers, Jim infiltrates their compound and deliberately frees Private Mailer, an infected soldier whom West had kept chained for study and observation. Unleashing Mailer creates chaos among the soldiers, effectively turning their own object of study against them. This act is mirrored as a gameplay mechanic in The Last of Us Part II. In various encounters, players controlling Ellie have the option to release chained Infected to distract or attack hostile WLF or Seraphite soldiers. While this specific player-driven choice from the second game has not yet been depicted in the HBO series, future seasons of The Last of Us can still adapt it, making another element of 28 Days Later more broadly popular.

28 Years Later is scheduled to hit theaters on June 20, 2025.

What other elements from 28 Days Later do you believe were ahead of their time? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post This 2002 Zombie Movie Beat The Walking Dead and The Last of Us To Their Best Moments appeared first on ComicBook.com.

With a third season already confirmed, The Last of Us would benefit from copying one of the best moments of Season 1 when the focus shifts to Kaitlyn Dever’s Abby. The Last of Us Season 2 concluded at the end of May, rounding off a dramatic season that saw Joel (Pedro Pascal) killed for revenge, and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) set out for vengeance of her own. After Season 2 ended with a major cliffhanger, leaving the fates of Ellie and Tommy (Gabriel Luna) uncertain, The Last of Us will be taking a very different approach.

Fans of The Last of Us video games will already know what story the third season of the live-action adaptation will explore. The Last of Us Season 3 is expected to put Kaitlyn Dever in the driver’s seat as we will follow Abby in the days leading up to her reunion with Ellie. Taking a break from Ellie’s story to shift focus to Abby, The Washington Liberation Front (WLF), and the Seraphites is a good idea for the series, and this creates the perfect opportunity for one of The Last of Us Season 1’s best moments to be repeated.

The Last of Us Season 1 Included A Brilliant Standalone Episode

The Last of Us Season 1 became an immense success during its release in 2023. While the majority of the season detailed Joel and Ellie’s trip across the United States to find the Firefly facility in Salt Lake City, one episode acted as a standalone story that provided essential backstory. Adapted from 2014’s The Last of Us: Left Behind, an expansion pack to the main video game on which the series is based, The Last of Us Season 1, Episode 7, “Left Behind,” is regarded as one of the strongest episodes of the show so far.

“Left Behind” took us back to the Boston Quarantine Zone before Ellie ever met Marlene (Merle Dandridge), Joel, or Tess (Anna Torv), and before she ever even learned that she is immune from the Cordyceps’ control. In the days before the beginning of The Last of Us season 1, Ellie is collected from the FEDRA boarding school by her best friend, Riley (Storm Reid), who had joined the Fireflies, to an abandoned mall, where they have fun on an escalator, carousel, photo booth, and arcade. Their fun is interrupted by Riley revealing she’ll be leaving Boston the next day, however.

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Initially angry, Ellie storms out, but soon returns and dances with Riley at a Halloween costume store. The pair even share a kiss after Ellie begs Riley not to leave and she agrees. Unfortunately, their romantic moment is interrupted by an infected that bites both Riley and Ellie. Riley wants them to turn together, but Ellie never does. “Left Behind” is a beautiful episode that marks a major turning point for Ellie and gave us important backstory, so The Last of Us season 3 would benefit from pulling off this same trick.

How Can The Last of Us Season 3 Repeat This Great Season 1 Trick?

The Last of Us Season 2 ended by bringing us back several days to Abby’s version of Day One. The Last of Us Season 2, Episode 4, “Day One,” saw Ellie and Dina (Isabela Merced) arrive in Seattle, see the aftermath of a battle between FEDRA and the WLF, find a music store, come upon the massacred bodies of Seraphites, and escape through infested subway tunnels. The Last of Us Season 2’s finale, “Convergence,” took place on Day Three, so we’ve now been set up to see Abby’s version of events, detailing the actions of the WLF and the Seraphites.

While much of The Last of Us Season 3 will be seperate Ellie’s overarching story and provide important backstory for Abby’s own motivations, just as the video game does by allowing players to operate as Abby, the season would still benefit from also exploring side-stories. Perhaps the most likely story that could be detailed in a standalone episode would focus on the Seraphites, a group of religious cultists who operate under the rule of the enigmatic Prophet. We haven’t met the Prophet yet, so a standalone episode would provide the perfect opportunity to introduce her.

In the day’s leading up to Ellie and Dina’s arrival in Seattle, there was clearly an epic battle between the WLF, FEDRA, and the Seraphites, which Ellie and Dina see the aftermath of. This leads up to the WLF staging an all-out attack on Seraphite Island, which Ellie catches glimpses of in The Last of Us Season 2’s finale. It would be fantastic to learn more about the Seraphites and their members, perhaps introducing Lev and Yara from The Last of Us Part II, who befriend Abby, which opens up many new possibilities for The Last of Us Season 3.

Do you want to see more standalone episodes in The Last of Us season 3? Let us know in the comments!

The post The Last of Us Season 3 Needs to Embrace One of the Best Things About Its First Episodes appeared first on ComicBook.com.

HBO’s The Last of Us rapidly became a cultural phenomenon, translating the beloved video game’s harrowing post-apocalyptic narrative into a critically acclaimed television series. Audiences were captivated by its unflinching portrayal of a world ravaged by a fungal pandemic, but more so by the deeply emotional journey of Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal), a hardened survivor, and Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a young girl immune to the infection who may hold the key to humanity’s future. The show masterfully blended intense survival horror, morally complex characters, and profound explorations of the desperate lengths people will go to protect what matters to them, all set against a beautifully desolate American landscape.

If the gripping story of Joel and Ellie left you searching for more series that deliver similar emotional depth, high-stakes survival, and thought-provoking explorations of humanity under duress, you’re in the right place. The following shows, while diverse in their specific premises, share thematic DNA with The Last of Us, whether it’s through their post-disaster settings, their focus on complex interpersonal relationships forged in crisis, or their unflinching look at the best and worst of human nature when society crumbles.

1) Chernobyl

The historical drama miniseries Chernobyl delivers a meticulously researched recounting of the 1986 nuclear disaster and the monumental efforts to contain its catastrophic fallout. Anchored by powerful performances, the series features Jared Harris as Valery Legasov, the physicist grappling with the scale of the crisis; Stellan Skarsgård as Boris Shcherbina, the government official navigating bureaucratic and political impediments; and Emily Watson as Ulana Khomyuk, a composite character embodying the collective courage and intellect of the many scientists who tirelessly sought to uncover the truth. As a result, Chernobyl stands as a harrowing examination of systemic failure and of the devastating human toll exacted by deception and institutional hubris.

While Chernobyl diverges from a pandemic narrative to explore a real-world technological catastrophe, The Last of Us fans will find particular resonance in its profound focus on human drama unfolding amidst large-scale devastation. Indeed, those who valued Joel and Ellie’s perilous journey may discover a deep connection with Chernobyl‘s depiction of unwavering dedication as individuals confront incomprehensible forces. The exploration of agonizing moral compromises, made under unimaginable pressure, is another powerful point of potential resonance. Ultimately, Chernobyl serves as a testament to the stubborn resilience of the human spirit in its darkest hours, a theme central to human survival that both narratives explore with unflinching honesty. It also helps that the two shows share a creator in Craig Mazin

2) Station Eleven

Based on Emily St. John Mandel’s novel, Station Eleven presents an ultimately hopeful yet undeniably poignant perspective on a post-pandemic civilization where the “Georgia Flu” has decimated most of humanity. One of its central themes, the enduring necessity of art and community in the face of immense loss, immediately offers a different kind of survival narrative that can complement the brutal pragmatism seen in The Last of Us. The series elegantly interweaves multiple timelines, primarily following Kirsten Raymonde (played by Mackenzie Davis and Matilda Lawler), a member of a traveling Shakespearean troupe, as she navigates a transformed world while contending with the ghosts of her past.

Station Eleven‘s character-driven exploration of how trauma both scars and reshapes individuals, often compelling them to forge new communities from the ruins of the old, presents a compelling spiritual counterpoint to Joel and Ellie’s more visceral fight for existence. For viewers who cherished the emergent found-family dynamics within The Last of Us, and who were deeply moved by those fragile glimpses of humanity persisting amidst widespread desolation, Station Eleven‘s emphasis on reconstruction, remembrance, and the quiet search for beauty.

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3) The Walking Dead

As a foundational pillar of modern post-apocalyptic television, The Walking Dead immerses viewers in the ongoing saga of disparate groups of survivors navigating a world overrun by the undead, chillingly referred to as “walkers.” While the series has undergone significant change across its extensive run, its formative early seasons, particularly those centered on Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and his initial band of survivors, mirror the relentless peril confronting Joel and Ellie in Season 1 of The Last of Us. In both series, the struggle for existence is a constant, amplified by the dual threats posed by the hordes of the undead and the frequently treacherous actions of fellow humans.

[RELATED: The Last of Us Made a Surprising Change to One Major Character With Just One Line]

The Walking Dead extensively explores narrative territories that The Last of Us also powerfully charted, including the spontaneous formation of unconventional surrogate families and the crucible of morally agonizing choices. Beyond the visceral struggle against infected antagonists, the show offers an unflinching examination of how society attempts to rebuild and what fundamental aspects of humanity persist, or are terrifyingly eroded, when individuals are pushed to their absolute brink.

4) Silo

Set within the confines of a chillingly plausible dystopian future, Silo restricts the remnants of humanity to a colossal underground city after an enigmatic cataclysm rendered the Earth’s surface toxic and uninhabitable. Drawing from Hugh Howey’s “Wool” book series, the narrative follows Juliette Nichols (Rebecca Ferguson), a resourceful engineer whose skepticism and technical acumen lead her to unearth perilous truths concerning the silo’s shrouded history and the rigidly controlled society thriving within its metallic shell. Based on this premise, the series masterfully cultivates suspense through its claustrophobic environment and the persistent mystery surrounding the nature of the outside world and the true origins of their subterranean haven.

Viewers who were particularly drawn to the oppressive, militarized atmosphere of quarantine zones in The Last of Us, or to Ellie’s often dangerous pursuit of truth within a world deliberately built on layers of secrets, are likely to find a compelling narrative kinship in Silo‘s suspenseful drama. The series offers a keen exploration of themes such as nascent rebellion against suffocating authoritarian control, the insidious manipulation of information as a tool for societal subjugation, and an individual’s desperate quest for freedom and genuine understanding. Because of that, Silo appeal to audiences who enjoy thought-provoking speculative fiction, especially those who connect with characters fighting for agency in restrictive settings.

5) Sweet Tooth

Adapted from Jeff Lemire’s acclaimed comic book series, Sweet Tooth unfurls in a post-apocalyptic landscape where a devastating virus, “The Sick,” has decimated the human population, an event mysteriously coinciding with the contemporaneous emergence of hybrid human-animal children. The narrative predominantly follows Gus (Christian Convery), a naive and sheltered young deer-boy, who bravely embarks on a cross-country journey alongside a reluctant protector, Tommy Jepperd (Nonso Anozie), in a shared quest for a new beginning. 

While Sweet Tooth often adopts a more whimsical and visually distinct tone compared to The Last of Us, it doesn’t shy away from the inherent dangers and complex moral ambiguities that define its uniquely transformed world. Still, the heart of Sweet Tooth lies in the evolving bond between Gus and Jepperd, a dynamic that provides much of the story’s emotional weight. Their cross-country journey through a changed America is filled with unexpected warmth, offering viewers a tale that balances adventure and peril with a core of hope and innocence.

6) The Leftovers

Co-created by Damon Lindelof, The Leftovers delves into the puzzling aftermath of a global event of inexplicable nature known as the “Sudden Departure,” during which 2% of the world’s population instantaneously and inexplicably vanishes. The series, featuring compelling performances from Justin Theroux as Kevin Garvey, Carrie Coon as Nora Durst, and Amy Brenneman as Laurie Garvey, deliberately eschews any attempt to explain the cause or mechanics of the Departure. Instead, it dedicates its narrative focus to the multifaceted experiences of those left behind: their profound grief, their consuming existential crises, and the pervasive societal breakdown as they collectively and individually struggle to find meaning in a world irrevocably altered.

The Leftovers is a deeply philosophical and character-driven show that thrives on ambiguity and emotional honesty. It portrays how individuals and communities fracture and reform as they grapple with questions that have no easy answers. While not a traditional survival story, it is an intense psychological drama about enduring world-altering trauma. Because of that, The Last of Us fans who appreciate narratives that delve into the complexities of the human condition in the face of catastrophe will find a rich and thought-provoking experience in The Leftovers.

7) Yellowjackets

Yellowjackets spins the psychologically complex tale of a highly talented high school girls’ soccer team who find themselves the (un)fortunate survivors of a catastrophic plane crash deep within the remote Canadian wilderness. The narrative cleverly unfolds across dual timelines. The first one meticulously details their brutal, 19-month struggle for survival in the 1990s, charting their descent into primal behaviors. The other is set in the present day, revealing how this traumatic experience continues to cast a long shadow over the adult survivors, including Shauna (Melanie Lynskey as adult, Sophie Nélisse as teen), Taissa (Tawny Cypress as adult, Jasmin Savoy Brown as teen), Natalie (Juliette Lewis as adult, Sophie Thatcher as teen), and Misty (Christina Ricci as adult, Sammi Hanratty as teen).

Yellowjackets is a compelling exploration of trauma, the breakdown of societal norms under extreme pressure, and the morally ambiguous actions people take to stay alive. The intensity of the characters’ ordeal and the dark secrets they harbor provide a gripping look at human resilience and savagery, themes that are also central to The Last of Us. For those drawn to stories about the psychological toll of extreme trauma and the unsettling exploration of what people are capable of when pushed to their absolute limits, it offers an unnerving experience.

Which shows would you recommend to fans of The Last of Us?

The post 7 Must-See Shows If You Love The Last of Us appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Adapting a video game is almost always a thankless task. Regardless of the decisions made, some portion of the fanbase will be upset. Sure, backlash isn’t always a bad thing. For example, the initial reactions to Sonic’s design in his first live-action movie were strong, which forced Paramount to go back to the drawing board. The result was a much better design for the hedgehog, one that’s stuck around through three movies and a TV show. An unintended consequence of a major studio bending the knee to the fans is that now anyone and everyone thinks they can start an online campaign to get something changed.

HBO’s The Last of Us finds itself battling against a grassroots movement that wants to remove the majority of the cast and crew. It dates back to before the first season aired, when Bella Ramsey was cast as Ellie. Some people believe they don’t look enough like the character and refuse to discuss their performance. While that’s still an issue for some in Season 2, a lot of the hate ended up being directed toward Kaitlyn Dever, who plays Abby.

The argument many people are making is that Dever doesn’t have Abby’s physique from the games. In The Last of Us Part II, the Washington Liberation Front soldier is bulky and tall, allowing gamers to get a different experience while playing with her as opposed to Ellie. The show doesn’t allow viewers to move the characters, so there’s no reason for Abby to have the same build as her video game counterpart.

It’s still a massive change, though, so it’s hard to blame anyone who takes time to warm up to the idea of Abby being different. One of the show’s composers, Jake Staley, certainly fits into that category, as his experience with the games gives him a different perspective than someone coming into the live-action adaptation blind.

While appearing on The Last of Us Podcast: Savage Starlight, Staley explained why Dever landing the role threw him for a loop. “I know the games somewhat, so I’m like, ‘Okay, what’s with these casting choices?'” he said. “The Abby one, specifically, I’m a little confused about, and maybe I’m not the only one.”

“I get it from like a making TV standpoint,” he continued. “But like I’m also like, ‘Okay, but it’s just so different. And it’s not about good or bad; it just makes you wonder, ‘Okay, I’m trying to understand what we’re trying to achieve here.'”

There’s no way to know what the show is going for with Abby yet because she only appears in a couple of scenes in Season 2. The third season of The Last of Us is going to be a different story, however, and Dever will have plenty of time to make the character her own.

[RELATED – One of The Last Of Us’s Lowest-Rated Episodes Is Actually Its Best]

Abby Will Have Plenty of Time to Shine in The Last of Us Season 3

The Last of Us Season 2 ends on a pretty massive cliffhanger, with Abby catching up to Ellie and confronting her over the death of Owen, Mel, and the rest of the Salt Lake crew. Abby kills Jesse before turning her gun on Ellie and firing another shot. The screen goes black, but the season doesn’t end there, as the show turns back the clock to Ellie’s first day in Seattle and teases Abby’s perspective of the events.

The show is following in the footsteps of Part II, which shifts the focus to Abby after the heartbreaking confrontation in the theater. But rather than have Abby on Ellie’s trail from the start, she will go on her own journey, one that pushes her to the edge and makes her rethink her place in the conflict in Seattle. Abby’s portion of the story also features plenty of heavy moments, which will allow Dever to prove once and for all why she’s the best person to play the character.

The Last of Us is streaming on HBO Max.

What do you make of Jake Staley’s comments about Abby? Are you excited to see Kaitlyn Dever’s performance in The Last of Us Season 3? Let us know in the comments below!

The post The Last of Us TV Composer Was Confused About Abby Casting appeared first on ComicBook.com.

HBO’s acclaimed series The Last of Us is officially set to continue its adaptation of the challenging narrative from The Last of Us Part II, with co-creator Neil Druckmann confirming that the upcoming third season will prominently feature Abby Anderson (Kaitlyn Dever) as its protagonist. Speaking at a recent Emmys For Your Consideration event, Druckmann revealed that the creative team is moving forward with the game’s controversial but pivotal structural shift, a decision that will likely be welcomed by a segment of the audience displeased with Bella Ramsey’s portrayal of Ellie. Following a second season where some viewers expressed criticism towards Ramsey, while simultaneously praising Dever’s debut as Abby, this shift in focus promises to delve deep into Abby’s journey, mirroring the game’s structure and satisfying fans eager to see her story take center stage.

“I think it was good to go on that journey to end up at HBO, end up at a place that leaned into those controversial decisions, I guess,” Druckmann stated at the event. “But the decisions are just what the story required, and even now, it’s like I can’t believe that they let us structure the series in this way. Meaning like we just ended season two, and season three is going to be starring — spoiler alert — Kaitlyn.” He added, “I was sure that they wouldn’t let us do this when we started adapting this, but they’ve leaned into what makes, I believe, the story special. And allowed us not only the time but the creative freedom to be able to take these swings, and I think the audience really appreciates that.”

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“[It] makes me so happy to be a part of this family and to get to look forward to the journey we have ahead, too,” Dever, also present at the event, expressed her enthusiasm for continuing Abby’s story. “The controversy surrounding Abby was never really a concern for me, just given my first meeting with Craig and Neil, and how wonderful they are, and how talented they are. Getting on set, I’ve never felt so carried on a set in my life.” 

Co-creator Craig Mazin also spoke about the show’s willingness to embrace difficult narrative choices, particularly regarding the death of Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) early in Season 2, which sets the stage for the intertwining narratives of Ellie and Abby. “To invest all this time and then go away for a long time and then come back, it’s even more dangerous to do what we did, and that’s why I thought it should be done, because it doesn’t happen enough,” Mazin explained. “I think plot armor is a real problem, and in a show where we try and keep things as grounded as possible, and we want people to feel in real danger, then yes, sometimes the people that we can’t imagine dying die. Because, for me, this is not a show about revenge, it’s a show about grief. Well, how are we supposed to grieve if nobody we truly, truly are invested in dies?”

How The Last of Us Season 3 Will Adapt Abby’s Journey

The confirmation that Season 3 will pivot to Abby’s perspective directly follows the narrative structure of The Last of Us Part II video game, which dedicates a significant portion of its gameplay to exploring Abby’s backstory, motivations, and her experiences in Seattle, parallel to Ellie’s quest for revenge. This means that viewers can expect Season 3 to initially sideline Ellie’s present-day storyline, instead immersing them in Abby’s world as a member of the Washington Liberation Front (WLF). Given that Season 2 concluded around the time of Ellie’s initial rampage in Seattle and her confrontation at the theater, Season 3 will rewind to show Abby’s experiences leading up to and during those same three days, providing crucial context for her actions and the broader conflict in Seattle.

This structural decision aligns with comments from the show’s composer, Jake Staley, who previously hinted that The Last of Us series could extend to at least four seasons. If Season 3 primarily covers Abby’s segment of the game, a potential fourth season would then be necessary to depict the latter portions of Part II, including the eventual convergence of Ellie and Abby’s paths and the game’s conclusion. The showrunners have also indicated a desire to expand upon elements of the game’s world, notably the conflict between the WLF and the Seraphites, also known as Scars. Druckmann confirmed, “Now that we’re renewed for season three, we could say, you will definitely get those,” referring to seeing the war and understanding Isaac’s motivations more deeply. Mazin added, “We will absolutely find out exactly what they’re about, exactly what he wants.”

The Last of Us Season 2 is streaming on HBO Max, with Season 3 now in development.

What are you most hoping to see from Abby’s perspective in The Last of Us Season 3? Let us know in the comments!

The post The Last of Us Season 3 Confirmation Should Make A Lot of Fans Happy appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Last of Us certainly got people talking throughout season 2, and that continued all the way through its season 2 finale, which left viewers with a host of questions, especially for fans of the video game upon which the series is based. While it seemed unimaginable that the show wouldn’t get a season 3, it was finally confirmed in April, but what if we told you that season 4 was also pretty much a sure thing as well? That’s the impression given by The Last of Us composer Jake Staley in a new interview with The Last of Us Podcast: Savage Starlight, which you can listen to in full right here.

During the final moments of the interview, hosts Talitha and A.Ron express their enthusiasm that they can still talk about The Last of Us and their hopes that the show continues. Staley then eases their fears and says that they have at least two more seasons of the show to look forward to.

Staley said, “There’ll be at least two more seasons, no question. At least, that’s all I’m gonna say.” That’s fantastic news for fans of the show, and while a third season announcement seemed inevitable even before season 2 aired, there were some questions regarding a season 4.

That’s simply due to the game’s story, and the structure of season 2 fed right into the structure seen in the original game. The Last of Us Part 2 switches perspectives and puts players in the role of Abby for a significant part of the game, and as season 2 started to wind down, it seemed all but assured that season 3 would shift in perspective as well, especially after seeing the season 2 finale.

[RELATED: Everything The Last of Us Season 2 Finale Teased for Season 3]

What to Expect from Abby’s Story

From a timeline standpoint, season 3 could probably encompass the rest of the game’s story and the final confrontation if HBO wanted the series to wrap with season 3, and especially if they gave it an extended order of episodes. That doesn’t seem to be the approach, though, and you can see how certain events from Abby’s perspective can be stretched and expanded upon to take up most of season 3 if that’s the approach.

Personally, if we are going to deliver at least four seasons, I’d prefer for us to move through some of Abby’s story a bit quicker in season 3 and get back to the present point in time. That would allow for some additional forward movement in the story before the season ends. That would also avoid potential backlash from season 3 ending in the exact same place as season 2, albeit with more context and some additional characters as part of the mix.

The War Gets Its Due

One element that has been teased but hasn’t been shown yet is the war between the WLF and the Scars, and in a recent interview on The Last of Us Podcast, series creators Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin confirmed that fans will definitely see that war and gain further insight into who Isaac is pursuing and why. “Now that we’re renewed for season three, we could say, you will definitely get those,” Druckmann said.

“That’s the thing,” Mazin said. “We just didn’t know if we were getting canceled, guys. We will absolutely find out exactly what they’re about, exactly what he wants, which is the most important thing to understand about characters, but there will be some mystery to sit with for a while.”

The war is something that will likely be explored in a much more definitive and expanded way in the show than it was in the games. In the games, you don’t actually participate in the war or directly interact with it in any way, instead hearing about what happened and discovering even more details through character dialogue and collectibles you pick up along the way. This time around, fans will get a front row seat, and this is likely to be a big part of season 3 and perhaps also season 4.

Are you excited for four seasons of The Last of Us, and how would you like to see the storyline from the games handled from this point forward? Let us know in the comments, and you can talk all things TV and gaming with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!

The post HBO’s Last of Us TV Composer Seemingly Confirms Season 4 Plans appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Last of Us has delivered some amazing episodes over its two released seasons, but its very best installment is also one of the show’s lowest-rated episodes. HBO’s TV adaptation of The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part II video games takes place in a world ravaged by a deadly fungal infection that turns people into zombie-like creatures. In The Last of Us Season 1, hardened survivor Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) is tasked with transporting 14-year-old Ellie Williams (Bella Ramsey) across the country so that her immunity can serve toward a cure for the infection. The pair encounter immense danger, from infected monsters to hostile humans, throughout their journey. Joel and Ellie also develop a strong bond, prompting Joel’s extreme actions at the end of Season 1.

Across 16 released episodes, The Last of Us has impressed viewers most notably with its Season 1 finale, in which Joel massacres the Fireflies to save Ellie’s life, and the second episode of Season 2, which sees Joel shockingly die and Ellie vow to avenge him. Nonetheless, Season 1, Episode 7, titled, “Left Behind” outshines them all. The episode, written by Neil Druckmann and directed by Liza Johnson, is based on The Last of Us: Left Behind DLC — an expansion of the story released roughly a year after the main game. “Left Behind” flashes back to Ellie’s time with FEDRA months before meeting Joel. She spends a fun night with her close friend Riley (Storm Reid), yet the joy eventually devolves into despair. Surprisingly, “Left Behind” has a 7.3 rating on IMDb, which stands as the lowest score of The Last of Us Season 1 and ties for the fourth-lowest rating overall. Despite its mediocre reception, the Season 1 episode “Left Behind” skillfully and poignantly depicts a pivotal moment in Ellie’s past, providing amusement, horror, and heartbreak unlike any other episode of The Last of Us.

[RELATED – The Last of Us Is All About Perspective (And Its Time Viewers Figured That Out)]

The Fantastic Storytelling of “Left Behind” Makes It the Best Episode of The Last of Us

In “Left Behind,” Riley breaks into Ellie’s room one night after disappearing for weeks. After sharing that she has joined the Fireflies, Riley invites Ellie for a night out together. The two descend upon an abandoned shopping mall, where Riley leads Ellie on a tour around the best spots. The friends ride a carousel, strike poses in a photo booth, and play games in an arcade, before Riley gifts Ellie a joke book. After trading a few silly puns with Riley, Ellie notices bombs on a nearby shelf and concludes that the mall has been serving as a station for the Fireflies. Ellie storms off, but Riley then reveals that she’s set to leave town and only wanted to spend one final night with her best friend.

Once the tension subsides, the two have a dance party. Their feelings for each other culminate when Ellie tells Riley not to leave and kisses her. The romantic atmosphere soon gives way to horror as an infected attacks. Ellie and Riley manage to kill the creature, but not before it bites both of them. Riley dejected and Ellie enraged, the two ponder what to do next, crying in each other’s arms. The episode ends with Ellie’s efforts to save an injured Joel in the present day.

Ellie and Joel’s relationship serves as the core of The Last of Us Season 1, however, “Left Behind” is an excellent deviation from the show’s primary storyline. By fixating on a past relationship of Ellie’s, the episode contextualizes her determination to save Joel, given that she once lost someone else she deeply cared about. “Left Behind” chronicles a lively teenage love story that also reflects the dismal world the characters live in. The episode immerses viewers in Ellie and Riley’s escapades to the point where it’s easy to forget there are lethal zombies running around. When one finally shows up, it feels like a punch in the gut.

Rife with humor, excitement, dread, and despair, “Left Behind” impeccably illustrates the harsh reality of living in a post-apocalyptic world. It’s endlessly devastating to watch Ellie and Riley slowly unearth their feelings for each other and fall in love only to see their future ripped from them in a flash. Ramsey and Reid exhibit great chemistry and impressively communicate so much about their characters and their dynamic in just a single episode on screen together. The Last of Us Season 1’s strength was taking smaller aspects of the game and elevating them to a much greater importance in the show, and “Left Behind” succeeds in expanding and improving upon this fascinating world to a degree other episodes haven’t.

Despite the Excellence of “Left Behind,” the Episode Is Vastly Underrated

Most TV critics showered “Left Behind” with praise, but viewers were divided. Some deemed it too drastic of a departure from The Last of Us‘ central story, labeling it a boring, unnecessary filler episode. In actuality, “Left Behind” separates itself from other The Last of Us episodes in the best way possible. Viewers don’t know a ton about Ellie’s history at this point in the series, and this episode proves crucial in fleshing-out her character. Season 1, Episode 3, “Long, Long Time” similarly leans on flashbacks and a love story to further explore the world of The Last of Us to a depth the game does not, though Ellie’s involvement in “Left Behind” makes it a bit more impactful than the former. Although “Left Behind” won’t ever garner the same degree of fan adoration as universally-lauded episodes such as the series premiere, Season 1 finale, or other more action-packed installments, it’s quality remains unmatched in The Last of Us.

All episodes of The Last of Us are available to stream on Max.

The post One of The Last Of Us’s Lowest-Rated Episodes Is Actually Its Best appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It’s safe to say that the superhero market is oversaturated. Not only does the Marvel Cinematic Universe release a couple of movies every year, but it also drops enough TV shows to fill a battleship. Meanwhile, DC, after years of lying low, is finally ready to launch its new cinematic universe with Superman, directed by James Gunn. The summer of 2025 is going to be defined by superheroes, but Prime Video doesn’t want anyone to forget about its hero-based franchise. The trailer for the second season of Gen V just dropped, revealing what’s next for Marie Moreau and Co. But the fun doesn’t stop there, as Vought director Adam Bourke, who makes numerous appearances in Gen V and The Boys, is back and dropping knowledge about acting.

Prime Video released a parody of a MasterClass on its YouTube channel called “SuperClass,” featuring Bourke giving tips to actors looking to find a role that lands them in awards consideration. It’s all in an effort to spread the word about The Boys‘ for your consideration campaign ahead of the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Bourke begins by pointing out that period pieces are all the rage these days. However, rather than recommending something like Bridgerton, he tells his listeners that he wants to see their “samurai seppuku face,” which is clearly a reference to FX’s Shōgun. Bourke then takes aim at another FX show, The Bear, before turning his attention to two HBO powerhouses.

While explaining why dramas are where the good roles are, Bourke explains that dragons are overdone these days, but that mixing giant beasts with incestuous relationships is a different story. The Last of Us receives some solid praise after that, with the director pointing out that zombie projects are a no-go these days, “unless there’s a heartfelt, random gay episode about halfway through the series.” His statement is, of course, a reference to the Bill and Frank episode from Season 1, which received universal praise.

After taking shots at other projects, Bourke starts bashing the genre where he cut his teeth, superhero media. He seems pretty bitter about working with Vought, which makes sense given the events of The Boys Season 4.

[RELATED – Gen V Season 2 Hints at Which Supes From The Boys Will Appear]

Homelander Isn’t Pulling Any Punches Going Into The Boys‘ Final Season

The last time Bourke appears on-screen, Homelander and his son, Ryan, humiliate him in front of his assistant, Bonnie. Bourke has been sexually harassing Bonnie for some time, and after Homelander catches wind of it, he uses the director to teach his son a lesson about power. Bourke isn’t the only one who gets on Homelander’s bad side in Season 4, though.

After believing his scheme to assassinate the president has failed, Sister Sage arrives and tells him that her real plan is underway. Speaker of the House Calhoun becomes commander-in-chief and pledges his loyalty to Homelander. With the most powerful office in the world in his corner, Homelander announces that he’s going to use his army of supes to round up his enemies and lock them up. The Boys are first on his list, and nearly all of them get captured.

Butcher and Starlight are the only two still walking free, and it’ll be up to them to rescue their friends and stop Homelander in Season 5. It sounds like an impossible task, but Butcher has an ace in the hole in the form of his new powers, which he uses to kill Victoria Neuman. The leader of the Boys won’t be looking to take prisoners this time, setting the stage for an epic showdown between him and Homelander.

The Boys is streaming on Prime Video.

Did you enjoy The Boys‘ jokes about The Last of Us and Shōgun? How do you hope the show concludes? Let us know in the comments below!

The post The Boys Roasts The Last of Us, Shogun, and Itself in Hilarious New Video appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Ellie is a woman on a mission in The Last of Us Season 2. After witnessing Joel’s death at the hands of Abby’s crew, she vows to get revenge and plans to head to Seattle. Her good friend, Dina, agrees to go with her because she was also there when Joel died and was close with him. The town votes against sending a team to Seattle, but the two girls have enough support in the form of Seth, who gives them supplies and a horse. With nothing standing in their way, they leave Jackson Hole behind and prepare to do whatever it takes to find Abby.

Despite being gung-ho after arriving in Seattle, Ellie struggles with her mission because there are times when she doesn’t want to hurt anyone. The only issue with her attitude is that she doesn’t hurt that many people before turning over a new leaf. Fortunately, there’s a way The Last of Us Season 3 can validate her feelings.

The Last of Us Season 2 Doesn’t Push Ellie Far Enough

By the end of The Last of Us Season 2, Ellie kills a handful of people. She seems to take out a Washington Liberation Front soldier early on, but the show sort of glosses over the kill. Ellie doesn’t get another chance to give in to her anger until she heads off to find Nora, who’s working in a hospital. Ellie sneaks in, locates her target, and chases her into a lower level, which is full of spores. Nora immediately feels the effects of the Cordyceps and notices that Ellie is breathing fine. At that point, it’s clear Ellie is the immune girl the Fireflies were after, giving the situation a whole new context.

Nora tries to explain to Ellie why they did what they did, but Ellie already knows and just doesn’t care. Ellie tortures her target for information and leaves her to turn, which is a fate worse than death. The next thing Ellie does in the show is head back to the theater and talk to Dina, and it’s clear the vibe is shifting. Ellie feels bad about what she’s done, and that attitude carries over to when she confronts Mel and Owen and kills them without even really meaning to.

The main issue with Ellie’s story at the end of The Last of Us Season 2 is that it’s hard to believe she feels so guilty after killing a single person, one who doubles down on her actions. However, Season 3 can make her mood change feel more natural by revealing that she goes back into the hospital and wipes out everyone inside.

[RELATED – The Last of Us Has Its Own In-Universe Comics (But Will They Ever Really Be Released?)]

How Ellie’s Rampage Can Fit Into Abby’s Story in The Last of Us Season 3

After getting information out of Nora, Ellie appears to walk out of the hospital and head right to the theater. The timeline is a little murky, though, as Jesse gets Dina cleaned up and put to bed before Ellie returns. By making Ellie’s trip a little longer, she can drop more bodies in the hospital and make use of Seth’s gun, which he makes a big deal of giving to her before she leaves for Seattle. It would even line up with the events of The Last of Us Part II, where Ellie travels to the hospital but has a difficult time avoiding all the WLF soldiers around the building.

The best part about the retcon would be that the show wouldn’t have to show Ellie killing anyone. Without going too deep into spoiler territory, Abby finds herself in the hospital not long before Ellie and runs into Nora. She leaves before Ellie arrives, but it would be easy to add a moment where Abby hears on the radio or from another WLF soldier that the hospital got attacked and everyone was found dead. That way, when Abby eventually realizes that Ellie’s behind everything, she can put two and two together and pin all the deaths on her. It will make the events after Season 2’s cliffhanger even more dramatic, as all the cards will be on the table when the two characters face off.

The Last of Us Season 2 is streaming on HBO Max.

Would you like to see The Last of Us Season 3 reveal that Ellie killed more people? How do you think it could fit into Abby’s story? Let us know in the comments below!

The post The Last of Us Season 3 Can Make One Major Retcon to Get Ellie’s Story Back on Track appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Last of Us Season 1 didn’t have to make too many cuts. After all, the game is only around 10 hours long, and when taking into account all the time it takes to gather resources and beat infected, the story runs even shorter than that. The Last of Us isn’t in the same boat while adapting the second video game because, despite having at least two seasons to get through everything, there are so many major storylines to cover. Season 2 comes out of the gates swinging, sending Abby’s crew to Jackson Hole and having them kill Joel while making minimal changes.

As The Last of Us Season 2 progresses, it becomes clear that notable moments from the games won’t be exact replicas of their video game counterparts. The storylines on this list, though, don’t even get a chance to see the light of day in the HBO series.

1) Abby’s Crew Isn’t at Full Strength

The beginning of Season 2 features a scene in Salt Lake City, not long after Joel goes on his rampage, with Abby and her friends looking at the graves of the fallen Fireflies. They vow to get revenge on the man responsible, and after five years, they get their chance in Jackson Hole.

Abby, Mel, Nora, Owen, and Manny arrive in Wyoming and locate Joel pretty quickly. However, the rest of their allies from the game, Jordan, Leah, and Nick, are not present. The show may be saving them for Season 3, but there’s no mention of them in Seattle, making it feel like they just didn’t make the cut.

2) Abby Never Gets Mad at Owen

There’s definitely tension between Abby and the rest of the group while they’re in Wyoming in HBO’s The Last of Us, but it’s easy to chalk that up to her attitude. After all, her dad was the one tasked with making the cure, and Joel killed him without a second thought. However, the game drops a bombshell on Abby right before she meets Joel, making her even more unhinged during their encounter.

While talking alone with Owen, Abby learns that Mel, his current girlfriend, is pregnant with his baby. Abby doesn’t take the news well and runs away, which lands her in trouble, and Joel helps her get out of it. The show takes a different approach, having Abby just go out on patrol without learning about Mel’s secret.

3) Maria Doesn’t Have a Change of Heart

Joel’s death shocks the Jackson community, but it hits Ellie harder than anyone. In Season 2, as soon as she leaves the hospital, she prepares to head to Seattle. Dina stops her before she leaves alone and agrees to help, even getting Seth to give them food and a horse.

Maria has Seth’s role in The Last of Us Part II because Tommy heads out before Ellie gets the chance. Wanting her husband to get home safely, she gives Ellie and Dina her blessing to leave. Maria isn’t as on board in the show, though, because the council shoots down the plan to send a team to bring Joel’s killers to justice

4) Ellie and Dina Don’t Make a Pitstop at the Synagogue

Ellie and Dina spend most of Seattle Day 1 in the game getting the lay of the land. The parts of the city they are in still have FEDRA roadblocks, and it takes a lot of work to get around them. At one point, they need gasoline, so they visit a synagogue, where Dina starts talking about her past.

Dina talks about her family’s ties to Judaism with Ellie while they search the building, providing great insight into her character. The show doesn’t take the time to visit the synagogue, only having Dina discuss her family in passing.

[RELATED – The Last of Us Season 2 Made One of the Game’s Darkest Moments Even Worse]

5) Tommy Fails to Use His Old Tricks

Since Tommy leaves for Seattle before Ellie and Dina, they find plenty of his handiwork. They come across a couple of dead WLF soldiers, including Nick, who have clearly been tortured. Ellie immediately realizes Tommy’s behind the bloody scene because tying people to a chair and getting information out of them is one of the signature moves he learns from Joel.

Live-action Tommy takes his sweet time leaving Jackson, so he’s unable to leave breadcrumbs for Ellie. The most she gets is hearing about his actions on the radio as she listens for information about Abby’s whereabouts.

6) Boris Doesn’t Go on a Rampage

As Ellie looks for Tommy in Seattle, she searches different buildings and finds remnants of society before the conflict between the WLF and the Seraphites. One person she keeps reading about is Boris, who lived in the area when the WLF rose to power.

Boris didn’t agree with the WLF’s methods, but his friends feared for their lives, so they turned him in. Upset by the betrayal, he forced the turncoats into a room full of spores and watched them turn. Ellie finds him after he turns into an infected and has to put him down. The show doesn’t have Ellie search for Tommy until much later, meaning there’s no time for Boris to make an appearance.

7) Ellie Never Gets to Fight a Bloater

Ellie and Jesse head out to find Tommy when they hear WLF soldiers are taking fire from a lone gunman in The Last of Us Season 2. However, just as they zero in on his location, Ellie notices the Ferris wheel and aquarium that Nora mentioned before she died. She leaves Jesse to get Tommy alone, grabbing a boat to travel on the water.

During this journey in the game, Ellie runs into a few obstacles, including a bloater in an arcade. The show avoids having Ellie fight any infected, opting to have a group of Seraphites get their hands on her before she arrives at the aquarium.

The Last of Us Season 2 is streaming on HBO Max.

Did you notice that these storylines got cut from The Last of Us Season 2? Which one are you most disappointed that you didn’t get to see? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 7 The Last Of Us Storylines Cut From Season 2 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Last of Us showrunners aren’t ruling out the idea of more Joel in Season 3. The Last of Us is a show that makes fans fall in love with people before brutally killing them. Season 1 did this almost every other episode, helping the audience understand just how heavy this world really is. However, those who’d never played the games probably weren’t expecting Joel to have his head caved in with a golf club in the second episode of Season 2. Of course, Joel does pop up again via some flashbacks later in the season, but he is definitively gone from the present day storyline.

Obviously, Pedro Pascal was a huge draw for fans of the show, but he’s big time now. He’s in Marvel and Star Wars, amongst other big projects. He doesn’t have the kind of schedule to commit the next decade of his life to a TV series. That was Pascal’s understanding when he signed on as well, as the actor revealed to Entertainment Weekly earlier this year that he was informed that his commitment to the show largely revolved around the first season. However, perhaps there’s still some room for him to still return in a future season.

The Last of Us Could Bring Back Pedro Pascal as Joel in Future Seasons

As The Last of Us Season 3 enters development, many are wondering what happens next for a character like Ellie. If the show continues to follow the game, Ellie and her crew probably won’t be featured too heavily. Some have also wondered if Pedro Pascal’s Joel is truly gone, and it turns out, the team behind the show isn’t ruling anything out. Showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin were asked during a press conference about the possibility of exploring the unseen years of Joel and Tommy after Sarah’s death. Druckmann noted that sometimes it’s better to just let things be a mystery or not be fully shown, but he and Mazin aren’t against the idea of having a Tommy and Joel episode if it makes sense.

“We definitely went pretty far down the road of at least showing a moment from that time period,” said Mazin. “So, I think Neil’s right, we’d never say never. And this season was tricky because it was so driven by this traumatic event: Joel dies. And once Joel dies, it is so big and impactful that you don’t have quite as much room to sort of wander down some side streets, you really need to stick to what happens as a result of that, as well as what happened leading up to it. But I think next season, we probably will have a bit more flexibility. And you know, we love a side trip to Indonesia, it’s one of our favorite things to do, so maybe a side trip to, you know, Joel and Tommy terrorizing the countryside, we’ll never know.”

Of course, only time will tell what happens. The Last of Us Season 3 will have a lot to tackle and who knows if scheduling would even allow Pedro Pascal to make an appearance. He may still be shooting Avengers movies next year, especially since they both just got big delays. Of course, part of the story of the game is allowing the audience to feel Joel’s absence. So, it may be detrimental to bring him back. The loss can only be felt if he’s not actively there in the story, though it would be shocking if we never saw him again between now and the series finale.

Do you want Joel to return in The Last of Us? Let me know in the comments!

The post The Last of Us Showrunners Aren’t Ruling Out Joel’s Return in Season 3 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

When HBO set out to adapt the critically acclaimed The Last of Us games in live-action, the network knew it wasn’t going to be able to recreate every major moment. The games are just too dense, and what works in a video game may not have the same impact on TV. Cutting things like Ellie’s return to Salt Lake City and Shimmer’s death can be a tough pill to swallow, but that doesn’t mean the scenes that take their place are without merit. For example, Dina’s finding herself at the cabin when Joel dies improves her story drastically, taking her from a bystander in Ellie’s quest for revenge to a willing participant.

Another character who gets an upgrade is Isaac Dixon, a member of the Federal Disaster Response Agency, aka FEDRA, who deserts his post and becomes the leader of the Washington Liberation Front, aka the WLF. His backstory isn’t a prominent part of the games, but it helps him make tough choices in The Last of Us series, including one that’s going to take center stage in Season 3 despite not being part of the source material.

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Last of Us video games.

Isaac Is Looking to the Future in The Last of Us Season 2

After Ellie and Dina arrive in Seattle, the focus turns to the conflict between the WLF and the Seraphites. A brief period of peace is interrupted by battles between the two groups, who don’t see eye-to-eye when it comes to living in the apocalypse. Isaac can’t stand the Seraphites and will do anything to get information about their plans, including throwing boiling water on a man. He’s not someone to mess with, which is why it’s strange that Abby and her group of friends are able to leave Seattle, go on a revenge mission, and return to work without issue.

The Last of Us Season 2 teases that, after Joel wipes out the Fireflies, Abby’s crew becomes instrumental in the WLF’s operation. After all, Nora and Manny have pretty important jobs, operating as a lookout during soldier movement and helping run the hospital, respectively. Abby’s position isn’t clear during Season 2, but the fact that all her friends are quick to fall in line when she barks orders gives the impression that she’s higher up the food chain. Isaac outright confirms this in the Season 2 finale, revealing that he hopes Abby will one day take control of the WLF, a detail that doesn’t happen in the game.

[RELATED – The Last of Us Finally Adds Major Aspect From the Games]

Abby Will Have a Lot of Pressure on Her in The Last of Us Season 3

In The Last of Us Part II, Abby is a great soldier, and Isaac does trust her because he tried to put her and Manny in charge of the army during the WLF’s attack on the Seraphite island. However, issues in Abby’s personal life force her to decline the offer and reconsider her position in the WLF. She doesn’t believe in the cause like she did before she left for Jackson Hole, so she leaves it all behind to try to get her priorities in order. As that is going on, Ellie is on a rampage in Seattle and is hot on Abby’s trail, forcing the former Firefly to track down the girl and her friends and confront them.

The Last of Us Season 2 cuts to black right there before revealing that the next season will turn back the clock a few days and focus on Abby’s story during Ellie’s three-day trip to Seattle. But things aren’t going to be as black-and-white for Abby in live-action because she’s not just a great soldier, but one who’s on track to take over a position that comes with a considerable amount of power. She very well may decide to do exactly what her game version does, and the conversation Isaac has with another WLF member about Abby going missing right before the attack on the Seraphite island seems to tease that. However, gaining control of the WLF and molding it in her vision could be a pretty tempting offer, especially if she’s still reeling after the death of her friends.

The Last of Us Season 2 is streaming on HBO Max.

Do you think Abby will gain control of the WLF in The Last of Us Season 3? What would she do with that kind of power? Let us know in the comments below!

The post The Last of Us Season 3 Will Have a Plot Never Touched by the Games appeared first on ComicBook.com.

In numerous forms of media, the apocalypse provides people with an excuse to surrender to their primal instincts. In the Mad Max franchise, everyone fights over resources using tricked-out vehicles, while Snowpiercer depicts the lower class on a train having to eat bugs to survive. HBO’s The Last of Us isn’t as fantastical as those properties, but it’s still got plenty to say about humanity and what becomes of it after society collapses. David’s group, for example, resorts to eating humans to survive the cold winters in Colorado. Season 2 takes things a step further by introducing a cult full of religious fanatics who have no qualms about gutting their enemies.

At first, the Seraphites don’t seem so bad, with the Washington Liberation Front, aka the WLF, ambushing them while they peacefully make their way to their new home. However, as The Last of Us Season 2 progresses, it becomes clear that the Seraphites are every bit as dangerous as the WLF and answer to a strange figure who appears in art all over Seattle.

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Last of Us Part II video game!

The Seraphites Have Their Own Way of Doing Things in The Last of Us

When Ellie and Dina arrive in Seattle, they stumble across the bodies of a group of Seraphites. Since they don’t have any guns and there are children among them, Ellie takes the scene as more evidence that Abby and her group have to go. Visiting the WLF outpost changes things, though, because the two girls stumble upon WLF soldiers with their guts spilling out and the words “Feel Her Love” written in blood on the wall, making it clear the Seraphites aren’t just retaliating but fighting in someone’s name.

The actions of the WLF’s leader, Isaac, only pour fuel on the fire because, while he’s a disturbed individual, he knows what it’s like to subjugate people and still doesn’t have any problem torturing Seraphites, whom he refers to as “Scars.” The conflict between the two groups clearly dates back several years, and while the details surrounding it are murky at best, there is mention of a treaty in The Last of Us Season 2 that’s no longer in place. So, at some point, the groups met up and came to some kind of understanding, but all that went out the window, and it’s hard to believe the “her” the Seraphites talk about didn’t have something to do with that.

[RELATED – The Last of Us Shows Why Video Game Adaptations Can’t Please Fans]

The Seraphites Feel More Than One Person’s Love in The Last of Us Season 2

Exploring more of Seattle allows Dina and Ellie to come across more Seraphite propaganda. They notice symbols and portraits of a white woman who is seemingly the group’s prophet. However, Season 2’s finale throws that theory for a loop by showing a different art piece that portrays a Black woman as the prophet, with Ellie even going as far as to ask, “Is there more than one?” The show doesn’t explore the topic any further because Ellie has bigger fish to fry, but Season 3 is sure to dive into the Seraphite lore, especially during the attack on the group’s island.

While next season is sure to adapt some of the major Seraphite moments from The Last of Us Part II, things are going to be different because there’s only one prophet in the game. She dies before Ellie arrives in Seattle, sparking an all-out war between the Seraphites and the WLF. The show may have events play out the same, but rather than have the elders assume control of the group, it will opt to have another person fill the role of prophet or even build different factions. How that alters the course of Abby’s story remains to be seen, but, given her appearance in the theater in the finale, it’s entirely possible that the new prophet has a mean streak and won’t think twice about wiping out the WLF when they come knocking on her door.

The Last of Us Season 2 is streaming on HBO Max.

Did you catch Ellie’s line about there being more than one Seraphite prophet in The Last of Us Season 2? How do you think the change will affect Season 3’s story?

The post The Last of Us Made a Surprising Change to One Major Character With Just One Line appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Last of Us Season 2 changed the fate of a character that famously died in the games. The Last of Us is a world that is painfully unforgiving. Anyone can die at any time, as fans are coming to understand now. Joel, Jesse, children, pregnant women, it really seems like no one is off limits and that’s what makes the franchise so compelling. There isn’t really plot armor like there is a lot of other big franchises. One could argue that Ellie has a bit of plot armor since she’s immune, but the writers use that to hurt her as well. She feels awful that she can’t use her immunity to save others.

However, some fans of The Last of Us were surprised to see the show made some big changes from the game. Some key sequences from the game were revealed and while a lot of this comes down to pacing or not needing to show every single action scene from the game, there were some other more notable things that weren’t featured in the show. For starters, Ellie never kills Alice the dog when breaking into the aquarium. This was a pretty notable moment in the game for a variety of reasons, but it was mostly cut because Ellie kills a pregnant woman right after and it was deemed to much to throw at the audience at once.

The Last of Us Season 2 Spares Shimmer

However, it seems like The Last of Us Season 2 generally spared the audience from violence against animals in general. Early on in The Last of Us Part 2 the video game, Ellie and Dina are riding on their horse, Shimmer, when they are suddenly ambushed. Shimmer accidentally trips some sort of explosive mine and causes Shimmer to buck everyone off. A WLF soldier then shoots Shimmer in the head, killing the animal once and for all. However, Season 2 doesn’t have this moment at all. Shimmer lives well past his point of death and actually survives the season..

While we can’t be certain of Shimmer’s fate for the rest of this story, it seems like there’s a good chance that Shimmer will be one of the few living creatures that comes out unscathed. Even those that live in this story are burdened with all kinds of trauma or physical wounds, but Shimmer has been spared from the chaos much to the surprise of fans. It’s unclear if Shimmer will return in future episodes, but there may be room for him in Season 4.

It’s likely Shimmer and Ellie won’t be very present in The Last of Us Season 3 as the season will revolve around Abby. Although details on the next season are pretty scarce, it will continue to adapt the second game which heavily features Abby as the main character. Ellie will eventually return, despite the Season 2 cliffhanger leaving viewers to wonder if she got shot, but Abby will be front and center in Season 3.

What did you think Shimmer surviving in Season 2? Let me know in the comments.

The post The Last of Us 2 Character That Dies in the Game, But Lives in the Show appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Last of Us Season 2 set up a pretty significant moment, but never paid it off and fans are very upset. The Last of Us Season 2 came to an end this past weekend and the reception to the show has been more mixed than Season 1. It seems like Season 2 has left audiences underwhelmed, including those who hadn’t played the game. Those who have played the game know that The Last of Us Part 2 the video game, which Season 2 partially adapts, is a very violent game. The whole point of the story is about how violence creates violence through revenge, war, and so on. However, Season 2’s violence felt pretty minor relative to the game.

Of course, a video game is never going to be a one to one translation for TV. There’s going to be more violence in a game because that’s the gameplay, it’s what fills the hours, it’s what keeps the player engaged. It’s interactive and therefore, it’s almost disproportionate. It’s unreasonable to expect a real person to slay that many people in real life, but we suspend our disbelief. Still, Ellie kills about four or five people in Season 2, two of which are sort of a freak accident. Some fans feel like this doesn’t accurately portray Ellie’s rage from the games and sort of just makes her actions feel aimless.

Ellie Never Uses Seth’s Rifle in The Last of Us Season 2

Now, fans are even more upset because they realized that Ellie never used Seth’s rifle that she was given when leaving Jackson. We see Ellie training with a rifle with Tommy early on in the show, so it felt like they were definitely setting up for her to feel like a decent marksman, especially after she also used a rifle in Season 1. But it never happens. In fact, fans have also started to get upset as they noticed that artwork of Ellie holding the rifle has since been changed to remove it from her hands. It’s all a bit puzzling and has enraged some fans.

Others have pointed out that The Last of Us Season 2 also removed shots of Ellie shooting an assault rifle, further highlighting changes to scale back her violence. It’s unclear exactly why these changes were made. Some have felt that The Last of Us Season 2 was scared of making fans dislike Ellie for her actions, though that’s sort of the point of the story in the game. You aren’t supposed to love and support her unconditionally, you are meant to be conflicted about her actions and question when she has crossed the line.

Of course, only time will tell what happens in future seasons. The Last of Us Season 3 has a chance to lean into the violence given Abby has already demonstrated how brutal she can be and there’s quite a bit of action in her side of the story. As for Ellie, it’s probably too late to make that change. If they try to make her more violent in future seasons, it will feel a bit jarring given the guilt she felt over killing Owen and Mel in Season 2.

The post The Last of Us Season 2 Never Paid Off a Major Moment (And Fans Are Furious) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Last of Us is working overtime to fill the void left behind on HBO by Game of Thrones. The two series are similar in a lot of ways, including featuring undead hordes and young protagonists. However, there’s one massive difference between the properties that makes The Last of Us more relatable than Game of Thrones: the former takes place in a version of the real world. While Game of Thrones visits massive castles that have to fend off dragon attacks, The Last of Us sends Ellie and Joel to familiar cities like Salt Lake City and Pittsburgh. But setting something in the real world also comes with its fair share of challenges.

One of the problems HBO’s The Last of Us keeps running into is that, because it pushes its outbreak back ten years, placing it in 2003 instead of 2013 like the game, there are constant continuity errors. Some are easy to look past, but the one in the Season 2 finale is big enough to warrant an explanation.

The Last of Us Sends Ellie to an Iconic Seattle Location in the Season 2 Finale

As soon as Abby plunges the broken golf club into Joel’s skull, Ellie wants to learn as much about the former Firefly as possible. She spends three months in the hospital thinking about getting revenge, and thankfully, her good friend Dina has the same plan. Dina uses the information Eugene gave her about the Washington Liberation Front, aka the WLF, and puts together a plan to get to Seattle. Once Ellie and Dina get there, they fly by the seat of their pants, trying to avoid getting into the middle of the conflict between the WLF and the Seraphites.

Ellie eventually sneaks into the hospital where Nora works and tortures Abby’s friend for information. All she gets out of her is the words “whale” and “wheel,” which isn’t enough to go on when Jesse recommends heading back to Jackson because Dina’s not in great shape. Before they can head out, though, they have to grab Tommy, who’s in the middle of a firefight with WLF soldiers. Jesse and Ellie head to the top of a building to get a better vantage point before charging in, but Ellie notices an aquarium and a Ferris wheel in the distance. The two locations make Nora’s last words make a lot more sense, but the only problem is that the Ferris wheel shouldn’t be there.

[RELATED – The Last of Us Season 2 Made One of the Game’s Darkest Moments Even Worse]

HBO’s The Last of Us Doesn’t Care About Continuity Errors

The developer of The Last of Us games, Naughty Dog, includes plenty of notable landmarks to make its title more realistic. One of the most notable is The Seattle Great Wheel, which officially opened in June 2012, a little over a year before Outbreak Day. And with the show following The Last of Us Part II‘s story so closely, the powers that be felt they had to include the Ferris wheel. The show’s timeline makes things much more complicated, though, as some suspension of disbelief is required to get onboard with the structure being there in 2003.

What helps HBO’s case is that Ferris wheels have been around since the 1800s, so it’s easy to say that, in the show’s reality, some Seattle bigwig got the idea earlier and made sure the attraction got done before Cordyceps took over the world. But even if they hadn’t, the show probably wouldn’t care because it’s already thrown caution to the wind when it comes to continuity errors. For example, the Pearl Jam song Joel sings to Ellie in Season 2, Episode 6, “Future Days,” didn’t come out until 2013, meaning it was already a hard sell for the game. However, HBO isn’t concerned about nitpicking, especially when it’s the only thing in the way of a good story coming to life.

The Last of Us Season 2 is streaming on HBO Max.

Did you know that the Ferris wheel in Seattle in The Last of Us wasn’t built until 2012? Does it bother you that the show really doesn’t care about continuity errors? Let us know in the comments below!

The post The Last of Us Included a Glaring Continuity Error in Season 2 Finale appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The world of The Last of Us is very complicated. After the Cordyceps infection ravages the world, the Federal Disaster Response Agency, aka FEDRA, seizes the opportunity to claim power, tossing civilians into quarantine zones and treating them however it sees fit. FEDRA’s extreme methods lead to revolts all around the country, including in Kansas City, where Joel and Ellie visit in Season 1. The show’s central duo finds themselves trying to avoid the conflict between FEDRA and the rebels in the city, but it’s not as simple as just walking by, and they lose a couple of friends along the way.

Ellie finds herself in the same boat in The Last of Us Season 2 when she and Dina arrive in Seattle to find Joel’s killers. Abby’s group, the Washington Liberation Front, aka the WLF, is at war with religious fanatics known as Seraphites. The show’s second season touches on the details of the conflict on several occasions, even teasing events happening off-screen that are sure to become more critical once Season 3 rolls around.

The Last of Us Season 2 Establishes the WLF and Seraphite War

Ellie first hears about the WLF from Dina, who has Eugene to thank for giving her a heads-up about the organization. They believe that the WLF is made up of Abby’s group and maybe a few more people, but that goes out the window when they arrive in Seattle and see a group of dead Seraphites. Seeing dead children only strengthens Ellie’s belief that she needs to hunt down Abby, and things don’t change until she sees what the Seraphites are capable of, gutting people all over town. Still, the only fight Ellie wants to be part of is one that involves the group that came to Jackson Hole and killed Joel.

The Last of Us Season 2 doesn’t only provide Ellie’s perspective, however, as Episode 4 introduces Isaac Dixon, the leader of the WLF. A former FEDRA officer, he does everything he can to ensure the people of Seattle don’t have to fear for their lives. Throughout Season 2, he’s planning a major attack on the Seraphites because the two sides are at each other’s throats again after a period of peace. It’s unclear which side is responsible for the current situation, and the show won’t be able to provide an answer until Season 3, which will push the war in Seattle to the forefront.

[RELATED – The Last of Us Season 2 Has Changed One of Its Best Characters For the Worse]

The Stage Is Already Set for The Last of Us Season 3

By spending so much time with the WLF in Season 2, The Last of Us ensures it doesn’t lose any momentum going into Season 3. Season 2, Episode 7 reveals during its final moments that it’s turning back the clock in the next outing by showing Abby’s perspective during Ellie’s three days in Seattle. Abby’s the subject of many conversations during the second season, but she doesn’t appear after her group leaves Jackson Hole. In the finale, Isaac even talks about how she goes missing at the worst time because he’s hoping she will take over the WLF once he’s gone.

Isaac expects to die during the attack on the Seraphite island, which is going on when Ellie heads to the aquarium and kills Mel and Owen. However, the show doesn’t show him again after the boats hit the water, leaving his fate a mystery. Abby’s condition when she gets to the theater doesn’t make it seem like the WLF is having a great day, though, mainly because she has a mark on her neck from being on the wrong end of a noose. Whether Abby makes it to the island remains to be seen, but it’s clear she’s having as rough a week as Ellie, driving home the point that The Last of Us isn’t about right or wrong but rather the humanity one is able to tap into when times get tough.

The Last of Us Season 2 is streaming on HBO Max.

Did you realize that The Last of Us Season 2 was setting up Season 3 the whole time? Where do you expect the story to go? Let us know in the comments below!

The post The Last of Us Was Preparing You for Season 3 And You Didn’t Even Notice It appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The characters in The Last of Us like to keep things close to the vest. After all, the world isn’t a very nice place, and when it’s hard to determine who is a friend and a foe, it’s a good idea not to trust anyone. Joel has to get Ellie onboard with that line of thinking during Season 1, as she’s quick to trust people she believes are in need. However, Joel has seen what happens when one’s guard is let down, and he won’t let something happen to Ellie because she still has some of her humanity left. Abby is very much the same way in Season 2, trusting only the friends she has from her days as a Firefly.

It’s hard to blame Abby because she loses her father after the Fireflies trust a man they hardly know to bring the most important person in the world across the country, and he betrays them. Abby takes her pain and uses it as motivation to find Joel and kill him. But what she doesn’t realize is that, by doing that, she’s kicking off a series of events that will lead her to make an unexpected ally.

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Last of Us Part II game!

Ellie Force Abby’s Hand in The Last of Us Season 2

When Abby kills Joel, she and her friends truly believe their mission is over. They don’t want anyone else to get hurt, so they leave Dina and Ellie alive and head home. Of course, Ellie won’t go down without a fight, with her and Dina formulating a plan and heading to Seattle, where Abby’s group, the Washington Liberation Front, aka the WLF, operates. The duo starts to learn more about the WLF’s war with the Seraphites, a group of religious fanatics who have no qualms about ripping people’s guts out. They try to stay on track, but the conflict swallows them whole, leaving Dina badly hurt and Ellie fighting for her life.

The straw that breaks the camel’s back is Ellie’s confrontation with Owen and Mel. While looking for Abby, she comes across the couple and kills them both after Owen tries to grab his gun. Ellie hates what she’s become, especially after learning that Mel is pregnant, so she’s ready to go home when Tommy and Jesse show up. Ellie decompresses a bit while they pack up the theater, but a noise in the other room grabs her and Jesse’s attention. As soon as they enter, Jesse takes a bullet to the head, and Ellie finds Abby standing over Tommy. Abby is upset that Ellie didn’t let Joel’s death go and looks ready to shoot, but she’s not the same character she was at the start of the season, and one character who is seemingly just off-screen deserves credit for that.

[RELATED – The Last of Us Has Its Own In-Universe Comics (But Will They Ever Really Be Released?)]

The Last of Us Season 3’s Biggest Addition Should Be Present in Season 2’s Finale

Abby doesn’t look great when she arrives at the theater. She’s dirty and has a neck wound that could only have come from a noose. It seems unlikely that she could’ve tracked Ellie and her friends all the way back to the theater in her condition alone, and that’s because she didn’t. In The Last of Us Part II video game, Abby goes through her own journey in Seattle while Ellie is hunting her down. She comes across a couple of Seraphites who are cast out by their tribe and in need of help. One of them, Lev, grows fond of Abby and helps her whenever possible. They fight all kinds of battles together, and Lev is even present at the theater when Abby confronts Ellie.

Lev doesn’t know much about the situation, but he has Abby’s back and even does serious damage to Ellie’s group. While The Last of Us Season 2 opts to save all that for Season 3, it’s impossible not to feel Lev’s presence during the finale even if they’re not physically on screen. With most of Abby’s friends dead, he’s all she has left to fight for, and, as her attitude in the theater proves, she won’t let Ellie or anyone else take anything else from her.

The Last of Us Season 2 is streaming on HBO Max.

Did you think Abby got to the theater by herself in The Last of Us Season 2? Are you excited for Lev to show up in Season 3? Let us know in the comments below!

The post The Last of Us Season 2’s Finale Cuts Season 3’s Most Important Character appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It’s hard to find joy in the world of HBO’s The Last of Us. After all, once the Cordyceps infection starts to spread, society breaks down, forcing the humans still around to give in to their primal instincts. Joel knows what bad people are capable of, so he tries to keep his travel partner, Ellie, on track by never indulging in her antics. Slowly but surely, though, she wears him down, and by the time Season 2 rolls around, he’s the cool father figure who loves to mess around. Unfortunately, the good times don’t last because Joel dies at the hands of a group of former Fireflies.

Joel’s death confirms that there’s little to no happiness to be found in the world, and even though Ellie tries to run from that fact for a while, it catches up to her in the Season 2 finale. She kills Mel, who’s pregnant, and loses Jesse shortly after when Abby arrives in the theater to end the threat to her friends. However, despite all the darkness, The Last of Us Season 2’s last episode finds the time to sneak in a hilarious Easter egg.

[RELATED – The Last of Us Finally Adds Major Aspect From the Games]

The Last of Us Won’t Let Abby Find Peace at Home

After killing Owen and Mel, Ellie isn’t doing too hot. She’s starting to realize that her quest for revenge is taking her down a dark road, so when Tommy and Jesse suggest heading back to Jackson Hole, she’s all about it. Ellie isn’t happy that Abby gets to live, but the conflict in Seattle is too much for the small group to handle, and staying any longer likely means death. Ellie doesn’t get away scot-free, though, because Abby makes her way to the theater, shoots Jesse dead, and holds Tommy at gunpoint before turning the weapon on Ellie. Before The Last of Us can reveal the aftermath of Abby’s last shot, it cuts to black and shows what Abby was up to three days earlier.

With the Jackson Hole mission behind her, Abby is back to her routine as a member of the Washington Liberation Front, aka the WLF. She’s grabbing a quick power nap when Manny walks in and lets her know that Isaac wants to talk to them. However, Abby can’t just stand right up because she has a book on top of her, “Thieves of the City” by Ben Davidoff. The scene draws attention to the novel for a few seconds, teasing that there’s more to it than meets the eye.

There’s Something Wrong With Abby’s Book in The Last of Us Season 2

A quick Google search will not yield results for “Thieves of the City” because it is not a real book. What will come up is a book called City of Thieves by David Benioff about two young people living in Leningrad, Russia, during World War II, who have to find a dozen eggs after ending up at the wrong place at the wrong time. One of the book’s main selling points is that the two main characters are polar opposites but come to love each other after going through a traumatic experience. If that sounds familiar, it’s because it’s a lot like Joel and Ellie in The Last of Us, and that’s not a coincidence because the game’s creator, Neil Druckmann, credits City of Thieves as one of his inspirations.

Druckmann appreciates the book so much that he includes it in The Last of Us Part II when Abby is sleeping on the couch. However, things are different in the live-action adaptation, with Abby reading a book that pays homage to Benioff’s work without outright using it. It’s possible HBO just wasn’t able to secure the rights to use City of Thieves, which is funny because Benioff is one of the creators of arguably the network’s biggest show of all time, Game of Thrones. But when money is involved, relationships only go so far, leaving HBO to create a story of its own that probably follows the same outline as the original but makes some big changes along the way.

The Last of Us Season 2 is streaming on HBO Max.

Did you make note of the book Abby is reading in The Last of Us Season 2 finale? Why do you think City of Thieves didn’t end up in the show? Let us know in the comments below!

The post There’s a Hilarious Easter Egg in The Last of Us Season 2 Finale That You Missed appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Last of Us Season 2 is in the books, and it included some pretty shocking moments for anyone who wasn’t familiar with the games. If you want to relive those moments over and over again, you can get your pre-orders in for the Limited Edition Season 2 Steelbook 4K Blu-ray starting today. At the time of writing, it’s available at Universal Studio’s GRUV site for $39.99 (or $31.96 when you use the code SIGNUP20 at checkout). You can also find it here Walmart and should be available here on Amazon in the coming days (standard 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray releases are also available). The listed release date is September 23rd. Additional details can be found below.

Currently, the special features on the Season 2 Blu-ray are unknown, but if it’s similar to the Season 1 release, fans will be in for a treat. The cover is a little less interesting this time around in our opinion, but it will still be a nice addition to your collection. If you haven’t picked up the Season 1 Steelbook yet, you can still grab one here on Amazon, though they probably won’t be available much longer as they are pretty much at the end of their limited edition run. Special features include:

• NEW The Last of Us: Stranger Than Fiction – Series cast and filmmakers are joined by experts in survival, microbiology, and parasitology for a chilling discussion on the realities of the invasive fungus and subsequent apocalypse in The Last of Us.
• NEW Controllers Down: Adapting The Last of Us – Follow the journey of The Last of Us from console to screen as cast and filmmakers take us inside the process of expanding the world and breathing new life into the game’s beloved characters.
• NEW From Levels to Live Action – Discover how The Last of Us incorporated and expanded fan-favorite game moments in the series
• Getting to Know Me (4 Featurettes)
• The Last Debrief with Troy Baker (2 Featurettes)
• Inside the Episode (9 Featurettes)
• Is This A The Last of Us Line? (2 Featurettes)
• Optional English SDH, Spanish, and French s8ubtitles for the main feature

Synopsis: “The Last of Us takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal and heartbreaking journey as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival. Season one stars Pedro Pascal as Joel, Bella Ramsey as Ellie, Gabriel Luna as Tommy, Anna Torv as Tess, Nico Parker as Sarah, Murray Bartlett as Frank, Nick Offerman as Bill, Melanie Lynskey as Kathleen, Storm Reid as Riley, Merle Dandridge as Marlene, Jeffrey Pierce as Perry, Lamar Johnson as Henry, Keivonn Woodard as Sam, Graham Greene as Marlon, and Elaine Miles as Florence. Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker also star.”

Season 2: “Five years after their dangerous journey across the post-pandemic United States, Ellie and Joel have settled down in Jackson, Wyoming. Living amongst a thriving community of survivors has allowed them peace and stability, despite the constant threat of the infected and other, more desperate survivors. When a violent event disrupts that peace, Ellie embarks on a relentless journey to carry out justice and find closure. As she hunts those responsible one by one, she is confronted with the devastating physical and emotional repercussions of her actions.” You can check out what’s in store for Season 3 right here.

The post The Last Of Us Season 2 Steelbook 4K Blu-ray Revealed With Pre-Orders appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Last of Us Season 2 takes on the tough challenge of adapting a game that takes about 25 hours to complete. Thankfully, it doesn’t try to fit it all in one outing, saving a good portion of the game for Season 3 and potentially a fourth season. However, the HBO show doesn’t do itself any favors by making Season 2 only seven episodes. Plenty of major moments are cut, and the remaining storylines feel condensed. Still, Season 2, Episode 7 does a solid job of advancing the story as Ellie continues her quest for vengeance in Seattle. There’s just one head-scratching moment keeping the episode from being an all-timer.

Season 2, Episode 7 focuses on the gang from Jackson regrouping after running into the Washington Liberation Front and Seraphites in Episode 5. Jesse wants to head home, and Ellie initially agrees because Dina isn’t doing well after taking an arrow to the leg. But when Ellie’s rage gets the better of her, she goes on a solo mission to take out Abby, which quickly goes awry.

The Last of Us Season 2 Throws a Wrench in Ellie’s Big Moment

Jesse isn’t happy with Ellie when she makes her way back to the theater in Seattle. She’s acting recklessly and won’t give him any answers about where she’s been. Jesse tries to have a heart-to-heart with his friend when they leave to go find Tommy, but it’s clear that Ellie isn’t thinking straight. Even when they have Tommy in their sights and are ready to rescue him from a WLF ambush, Ellie turns her attention to the Ferris wheel and aquarium she learned about from Nora. Jesse pleads with her to say, even revealing to her that he voted no to the mission in Seattle. However, Ellie’s mind is made up, so she heads toward her destination.

Getting to the aquarium requires a boat, and it doesn’t take Ellie long to find one. Once she gets to the dock, though, she notices two guys walking around. Her initial plan is to kill them, which seems smart. She hesitates for just a second, and a fleet of boats arrives with the rest of the WLF. They’re heading out to take the fight to the Seraphites, and while Ellie disagrees with the group’s methods and is starting to feel bad for their enemies, it’s not her fight. She grabs a boat and continues on despite the bad conditions. Unfortunately, the waves get the better of her, with a wave sending her flying into the water.

Ellie washes up on the Seraphite’s island, where a kid sees her and calls for help. Before she can act, Ellie is being strung up, and a Seraphite is ready to cut her guts out. She only escapes because the WLF’s attack distracts the people attacking her, forcing them to leave her behind. The whole sequence is a jarring pitstop in the episode, but it’s not completely out of left field.

[RELATED – The Last of Us Shows Why Video Game Adaptations Can’t Please Fans]

Ellie’s Compassion Doesn’t Go Very Far in Seattle in The Last of Us Season 2

Season 2, Episode 7 makes a big point to focus on Ellie’s feelings about the conflict in Seattle. While she’s out looking for Tommy with Jesse, they come across a group of Wolves trying to corner a Seraphite. They catch up to the young man and strip him of his clothes before dragging him away. Ellie wants to intervene, but Jesse stops him because they’re significantly outnumbered. She grows frustrated because she’s seen the WLF and Seraphites tear each other apart, likely leaving children like the one she just saw fighting for their lives. However, in the world of The Last of Us, it’s important to pick your battles, and Jesse knows the fight they’re in the middle of is no joke.

Ellie comes to that same realization on the island when a child doesn’t hesitate to turn her over. They even act enthusiastically instruct the other Seraphites to kill the stranger they believe to be a WLF soldier. Ellie can’t believe what she’s seeing, but the people in Seattle don’t seem to have much humanity left. She even becomes part of the problem shortly after when she heads to the aquarium and kills Owen and Mel, who is pregnant.

The Last of Us creator Neil Druckmann wanted to drive that point home as early as The Last of Us Part II video game. He mentioned on the series’ companion podcast that Ellie ending up on the Seraphite island was going to be part of the game until time constraints caught up to the creative team. Despite good intentions, however, the scene doesn’t add enough to the Season 2 finale to fully justify its existence.

The Last of Us Season 2 is streaming on HBO Max.

Did you have a problem with Ellie ending up on the Seraphite island in The Last of Us Season 2? Do you see what the show is going for? Let us know in the comments below!

The post There’s One Big Problem With The Last of Us Season 2 Finale appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Last of Us Season 2 has come to an end, but we already have a pretty good idea of what will happen in Season 3. Fans of The Last of Us video games likely knew full well where this second season would end, as the show has followed the game pretty faithfully, even adhering to its divisive structure. With that said, all seven episodes of Season 2 are now streaming, confirming speculation that The Last of Us Season 3 will adapt the very controversial second half of the game. With that said, there’s a lot of stuff set up in the finale that will paint a big picture of what’s to come next season.

Of course, this goes without saying: if you don’t want any spoilers for The Last of Us Season 3, get out now. We will keep it pretty broad so as not to give away anything significant; everything being discussed here is high-concept material that will probably be revealed in trailers anyway.

1) Abby’s Perspective

What you saw at the end of The Last of Us Season 2 isn’t a red herring. The Last of Us Season 3 will follow Abby almost exclusively. In the game, players see the same confrontation between Ellie and Abby before it cuts to black, then the entire game shifts, putting players on Abby’s side of the story. We get some flashbacks with her and her dad, but primarily, the second half of The Last of Us Part 2 video game is seeing what Abby has been up to for the last three days, while Ellie and Dina infiltrate Seattle. As you might imagine, this was extremely controversial for players, as the shift in protagonist wasn’t advertised almost at all. There was one brief tease years before the game was released, but it was largely forgotten by the time people played it.

Players were furious that they’d have to spend upwards of 8 – 10+ hours as someone they hated, but that’s part of the point of the game. By the end of Abby’s section of The Last of Us Part 2, some fans were able to empathize with her and enjoy her side more than Ellie’s. With that said, don’t expect to see much Ellie next season, unless they make some major changes that wouldn’t really make any sense, structurally. Unless you’ve played the game, there is simply no way you will be able to guess where things are going with her plotline, and that makes for a very interesting season.

2) The Explosion

At the end of The Last of Us Season 2, there’s a pretty massive explosion that occurs while Ellie is about to be executed. This scene with Ellie is not in the game, but the explosion is. That explosion is part of Abby’s section of the story and will make for a big moment in The Last of Us Season 3. This big boom is the result of the ongoing war between the WLF and the Scars, and Abby will have a front row seat to it. If it’s anything like the game, this will make for one hell of a season finale or, at the very least, a great penultimate episode.

3) The WLF vs. Seraphite War

We are going to get a lot more information on what’s happening between the WLF and the Seraphites in The Last of Us Season 3. In fact, it has been teased in various interviews that the medium of television may be used to show us more than what we’ve seen in the games. The Last of Us has shown us lots of stuff not seen in the games and it seems like Season 3 will explore the background of this war in a big way.

[RELATED: The Last of Us – 8 Game Moments Not Included in Season 2]

4. The Skybridge

There’s a very quick shot of a big bridge made up of cranes in between skyscrapers during The Last of Us Season 2’s finale. If you’ve never played the game, this may not jump out at you. However, it does jump out to those who’ve played the game and it was confirmed during a press conference with the creators of the game that this was a very intentional set-up.

Without revealing too much, Abby is terrified of heights in The Last of Us Part 2 video game. One can imagine that fear will carry over to the TV version as well. In the game, Abby is forced to cross this bridge to urgently reach the hospital that we see in Season 2. It’s a highly dangerous, but necessary shortcut. It should make for a pretty riveting piece of TV in The Last of Us Season 3.

The Last of Us Seasons 1 & 2 are streaming on Max. Season 3 is in development at HBO.

The post Everything The Last of Us Season 2 Finale Teased for Season 3 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Last of Us Season 2 has officially ended, and although it’s quite faithful to the game, there is a lot of stuff from the game that’s not in the TV show. One of the great things about The Last of Us is that it’s a fairly good translation of the game for people who aren’t gamers. There’s no homework required, and largely, you’re not going to miss out on anything substantial. Still, there are some great moments in the game that were cut from the show, likely due to budget/timing reasons or because it just didn’t fit in with the story the showrunners wanted to convey.

With all of that said, we’ve rounded up some of the biggest moments from The Last of Us Part 2 game that aren’t in the TV series. Some of these moments make the story a lot better or nuanced, but others boil down to action scenes likely being cut down for time.

Here are 8 moments from The Last of Us Part II that didn’t make it into HBO’s The Last of Us Season 2.

1. Shimmer Dies

Unfortunately, one of the first fatalities of The Last of Us Part 2 is the horse Shimmer. Shortly after arriving in Seattle, Ellie and Dina’s horse trips some sort of explosive trap. Ellie and Dina are thrown from the horse, and a WLF member promptly executes Shimmer. It’s a crushing reminder that Dina and Ellie are in over their heads, and there’s no turning back.

2. School Shootout

After the aforementioned explosion, Ellie is captured by one of Abby’s crew members, Jordan (who is not featured in the show at all), and held captive inside an abandoned school. Ellie eventually breaks free with the assistance of Dina, and the two mow down a bunch of WLF members before escaping the school.

3. Hillcrest

During Seattle Day Two, Ellie is made aware of someone causing some chaos for the WLF in a suburban neighborhood known as Hillcrest. Believing it’s Tommy, she makes her way over there and sneaks her way through a couple of dozen WLF troops. She’s eventually met by Jesse, who she believed was still back in Jackson. The two devise a plan to escape the neighborhood, prompting them to steal a truck, which results in a pretty dramatic set piece with lots of infected and WLF. Unfortunately, it ends with their truck at the bottom of some sort of lake or river.

4. Ellie and Joel Flashbacks

Most of the Ellie and Joel flashbacks are featured in The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 6; however, one didn’t make the cut. Ellie and Joel go on patrol and end up having to cut through a hotel, where they’re attacked by infected. At the end of this flashback, they discover the bodies of a couple who had left Jackson to go help people who were suffering elsewhere. Sadly, within an hour of leaving, they were infected and decided to commit suicide. Unfortunately, the boyfriend shot his girlfriend as part of their agreement, but was too scared to shoot himself.

Ellie notes to Joel that this could’ve been avoided if they were immune, which causes her to question his lie about the hospital from the first game having other immune people. Joel’s answers are unable to satisfy Ellie and prompt her to become frustrated with him.

5. Ellie Returns to Salt Lake City Before Joel’s Death

Eventually, Ellie’s curiosity gets the better of her, and she leaves Jackson by herself, headed for Salt Lake City. She eventually finds a tape recorder that explains that Ellie was indeed the only immune person they know of, and even if they found her again, it wouldn’t matter because the only person who could create a cure was dead. Joel catches up to her, and she confronts him about the truth. Ellie goes back to Jackson, but their relationship becomes fractured, which explains her anger toward him earlier in the game, prior to his death.

6. Ellie Lashes Out at Dina for Her Pregnancy

In The Last of Us Season 2, Ellie seems to be pretty enthusiastic about Dina’s incoming baby. However, in the game, she lashes out at Dina for not revealing her pregnancy sooner. She tells Dina she’s a burden to her mission of revenge, creating some deep tension between the two.

7. Optional Locations from the Game

In The Last of Us Part 2, there are a bunch of optional locations for players to find in Seattle, which have all kinds of interesting stories within them. One of these moments is actually featured in the show. The Last of Us Season 2 features Ellie’s rendition of Take On Me, which can be missed if players don’t find the music store and guitar in the game.

Some other optional locations include a WLF propaganda workshop and a bank, which features a group of dead bank robbers who tried to perform a heist when the day the outbreak began. As you might imagine, it didn’t end very well for them. The bank vault also contains a safety deposit box with Nathan Drake’s signature ring from the Uncharted series.

8. Ellie Kills Alice

Similar to Shimmer, The Last of Us Season 2 cut another big animal death. In the game, Ellie breaks into the aquarium and is attacked by a WLF dog named Alice. Ellie promptly stabs the dog to death before making her way to Mel and Owen. This dog belongs to Abby’s group, so it’s yet another personal blow to Abby.

HBO’s The Last of Us is streaming on Max. The Last of Us Part II game is available for purchase.

The post The Last of Us: 8 Moments from the Game Not in the Show appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Last of Us Season 2’s finale spared audiences from one of the game’s most upsetting moments, which that may be hard to believe after what we’ve seen. The Last of Us is a series that isn’t afraid to take some big swings. Major characters have died at unexpected times, multiple children have been brutally killed, and much more. It’s a franchise where no one is safe, not even people you’d think are main characters. That, of course, raises the stakes tremendously and allows for something really unique since the audience usually assumes certain people are off the table. With that said, The Last of Us Season 2 cut out some scenes from the game that may have been too much for a general audience to handle.

In the video game The Last of Us Part 2, Ellie breaks into the aquarium where she believes Abby is hiding out. However, she encounters an unexpected obstacle: a dog named Alice. The dog charges Ellie and takes her to the ground, where Ellie is forced to stab the dog in order to survive. She doesn’t show much remorse for it as the player has the ability to kill many other dogs throughout the game. In the show, the dog is completely absent and it’s not fully clear whether or not it will appear in Season 3, which will show Abby’s perspective from the last 3 days in Seattle. The dog isn’t a vital part of the story, but it is something that obviously shows how far gone Ellie is on her quest for revenge.

Why The Last of Us Season 2 Cut Ellie Killing Alice the Dog

So, why did this scene between Ellie and Alice the dog get cut? Well, it’s because it was deemed too much for this show by showrunner Craig Mazin. Speaking during a press conference about the season finale, Mazin noted that Ellie kills Owen and Mel and by virtue, the unborn baby that lives inside of her. On top of that, they felt that they could lose the audience by having Ellie kill a dog since it’s basically real life in the TV show and just an animation in the show. Although they wouldn’t kill a real dog on set, the effect it has of seeing that kind of violence against an otherwise real animal may have turned too many people off.

“In the game, when Ellie arrives in the aquarium, a dog attacks her and she stabs it to death, and we don’t know this dog,” said Mazin. “I won’t get into what happens later, because there’s referring to what’s next season, but we had a situation where a number of horrible things were happening. Plus, because it’s live action, the nature of violence becomes much more graphic. It’s more graphic because it’s not like there’s an animation between you and it, it’s people, and it’s very disturbing. We knew what was going to happen to Mel was disturbing, and to Owen, and also what had just happened to Ellie was disturbing.

“I remember having this conversation with the on rank when we were showing a radiation burn victim in Chernobyl for the first time, and the camera kind of just like moved all the way down and showed everything. And we were like, we have it, but why don’t we just show a little bit of it? It’s just feeling now like we’re tormenting the audience [and] almost getting pornographic, so you don’t want to feel exploitative, you don’t want to feel like you’ve crossed some line, so you make some choices.”

Of course, while this will likely upset people who played The Last of Us Part 2 and wanted people to see how torn they are supposed over Ellie’s actions. That’s valid, but Ellie still goes extremely far in killing a pregnant woman. Whether people will have mixed feelings for Ellie after everything remains to be seen. The Last of Us Season 3 likely won’t be released until 2027, if the schedule between Season 1 and 2 repeats.

Do you think Ellie’s actions were softened too much? Let me know in the comments.

The post The Last of Us Season 2 Cut a Major Moment (Because You Would Hate Ellie) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Last of Us Season 2 focuses on Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) quest for revenge. After five years of living peacefully in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, she loses the most important person in her life, Joel (Pedro Pascal), when a group of former Fireflies rolls into town and kills him. The town votes on whether to go after the fiends, but the motion doesn’t pass because there’s too much rebuilding to do after the infected attack. However, Ellie’s mind is already made up, so she heads to Seattle with Dina (Isabela Merced) to hunt down Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) and the rest of her crew.

It quickly becomes apparent that Ellie and Dina are in over their heads, with the conflict between the Washington Liberation Front and the Seraphites tearing Seattle apart. Ellie pushes forward anyway and gets so close to achieving her goal. She comes up just short, though, which opens the door for a controversial moment from The Last of Us Part II to come to life, and it does just as the season ends.

Ellie Passes the Torch in The Last of Us Season 2 Finale

When Dina and Ellie arrive in Seattle, things don’t seem that complicated: they’re hot on the trail of Abby’s group and, through the first couple of episodes, make good progress on learning more about the WLF. But coming across the remains of battles between the WLF and Seraphites changes the vibe. There’s clearly a lot going on in the background that the show doesn’t want to reveal. Ellie and Dina only pick up clues about the gravity of the situation, and in reality, they don’t have time to do more digging because Dina takes an arrow to the leg, forcing her off her feet.

With the walls closing in, Ellie accelerates her timetable and leaves Jesse to fend for himself in the Season 2 finale. She learns that the aquarium is Abby’s hideout from Nora and makes a beeline for it when the opportunity presents itself. It’s not an easy journey by any means, with the WLF traveling on the same body of water Ellie has to cross to launch an attack against the Seraphites. Ellie ignores all the explosions on her way over and even has a brief encounter with a group of Seraphites who aren’t looking to make friends. None of that matters, however, because Ellie reaches the aquarium and appears close to finding Abby.

Unfortunately, Joel’s killer is nowhere to be found, and Ellie has to bargain with Owen and Mel for information. Owen thinks he can take control of the situation and grabs for his gun, forcing Ellie to kill him. The bullet also hits Mel, who is pregnant and pleads with Ellie to get her baby out. Ellie isn’t able to do it, and once Jesse and Tommy arrive, she leaves in shame and heads back to the theater to pack up. But before the group from Jackson can get out of dodge, Abby arrives, shoots Jesse, and fires another bullet as the screen cuts to black. The Last of Us Season 2 then concludes by revealing that the next outing will focus on Abby’s story during the same three days that Ellie was in Seattle.

[RELATED – The Last of Us Shows Why Video Game Adaptations Can’t Please Fans]

The Last of Us Season 3 Will Borrow From Part II‘s Most Controversial Section

Like in The Last of Us Season 2, Abby doesn’t appear much after killing Joel in Part II. Ellie goes on her rampage in Seattle, killing Wolves and Seraphites to get closer to Abby. However, despite learning more about her enemy and hearing about her in passing, she doesn’t cross paths with her again until the theater. Abby goes on her own journey while Ellie kills her friends, which sees her make new allies, have brushes with death, and reconsider her place in the Seattle conflict.

The point of Abby’s section in the game is to drive home the core theme of The Last of Us games: perspective. It’s hard to see Abby as anything but evil early on because she kills the main character from the first game, but her story is much more complicated than that, and the only way to prove it is for the game to make her playable. Gamers spend hours experiencing the world through Abby’s eyes, and while many refuse to embrace her because of her actions, by the end of the game, she’s every bit as relatable as Ellie. The Last of Us Season 3 will now follow in the game’s footsteps and force viewers to rethink their opinion of Abby’s character.

The Last of Us Season 2 is streaming on HBO Max.

Are you looking forward to seeing Abby’s story in The Last of Us Season 3? Do you think your opinion of her will change? Let us know in the comments below!

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The Last of Us is full of dark moments. In Season 1 alone, Tess dies a gruesome death to save Joel and Ellie, Henry kills himself after his brother, Sam, turns, and Joel kills an entire hospital full of Fireflies to stop them from killing Ellie to use her brain to make a cure. At first, Season 2 appears to be turning over a new leaf, allowing Joel and Ellie to live peacefully in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. However, by Episode 2, the show is harder to watch than ever when Abby kills Joel with a golf club in front of Ellie.

Watching her father figure die awakens something inside of Ellie, sending her on a quest for revenge in Seattle, Washington. She taps into her dark side on numerous occasions, such as when she tortures Nora for information in the hospital. Another moment surpasses that one on the darkness scale, though, making the scene in The Last of Us Part II feel like a trip to Disneyland.

Ellie Chooses the Path of Most Resistance in The Last of Us Season 2

It takes Ellie a few episodes to hunt down a member of Abby’s crew. She learns that Nora works at a hospital and makes her way there after Jesse arrives and gets Dina to safety. After a brief chase, they end up on a level of the building that’s full of spores, which immediately affect Nora. Ellie watches her struggle to breathe and proceeds to beat her with a pipe, hoping she’ll reveal Abby’s location. She only gets a couple of words out of her, and when she gets back to Jesse and Dina, she’s ready to meet up with Tommy and head back home.

When she heads out with Jesse, they climb to the top level of a building to get a better view of the city. It doesn’t take long to figure out Tommy’s location because he’s in a firefight with members of the Washington Liberation Front, but Ellie turns her attention elsewhere. She spots a Ferris wheel and an aquarium that seem to be in the area Nora described. After a brief argument, she leaves Jesse and heads toward her destination. She makes her way into the aquarium, looks around, and eventually hears two people talking.

After busting in the room, Ellie realizes she’s face to face with Owen and Mel, members of Abby’s crew. She tells them she doesn’t want to hurt them and just wants to know where Abby is, but Owen doesn’t believe her. He reaches for his gun, forcing Ellie to shoot and kill him. Her gun is no joke, though, as the bullet it fires goes through him and finds a second tyarget, Mel, who falls to the floor and reveals to Ellie that she’s pregnant. The whole sequence up to that point is pretty similar to The Last of Us Part II video game, but the show forges its own path by having Mel give Ellie an impossible task.

[RELATED – The Last of Us May Have Just Confirmed It’s Sticking Closer to the Games Than We Thought]

The Last of Us Season 2’s Ellie Fails Worse Than Her Video Game Counterpart

Mel has more of a heart than her fellow former Fireflies. She shows compassion during the attack on Joel, even reassuring Dina that the sedative they give her won’t kill her. Mel’s attitude doesn’t change during the season because, when Ellie crosses paths with her again, she’s pleading with Owen to be smart about involving himself in the WLF’s attack on the Seraphite island. She also tries to extend an olive branch to Ellie by trusting that the grieving girl won’t shoot them. However, Owen just can’t let cooler heads prevail, which forces Mel to use her dying breath to ask her killer to save her baby.

In The Last of Us Part II, Mel goes after Ellie after she shoots Owen, and during the scuffle, Ellie stabs Mel in the neck. Mel dies pretty quickly, giving Ellie the chance to open her coat and see that she’s pregnant without fear of another attack. Show Mel, on the other hand, isn’t trying to hurt anyone, and once she realizes her time is limited, she tries to coach Ellie through delivering the baby. Ellie tries at first to understand what Mel is saying, but as the Wolf begins to slur her words, it becomes a losing battle. Ellie just pulls Mel’s shirt back down and sobs until Tommy and Jesse arrive at the aquarium. Ellie shows the same emotion in the game, but she doesn’t have to deal with the fact that she’s unable to give Mel’s baby a fighting chance.

The Last of Us Season 2 is streaming on HBO Max.

Do you think Mel’s death in The Last of Us Season 2 is darker than in the game? How do you think the show handled the moment in the aquarium in general? Let us know in the comments below!

The post The Last of Us Season 2 Made One of the Game’s Darkest Moments Even Worse appeared first on ComicBook.com.

HBO never pulls its punches; it’s one of the things that makes the network so unique. Even as far back as The Sopranos, there’s just a certain vibe that surrounds HBO content, one that says that anything can happen and no one is safe. Game of Thrones centers its entire series around the idea that characters can and will die, killing off the patriarch of the Stark family, Ned Stark, in the first season before whacking countless other beloved characters. With The Sopranos and Game of Thrones over, however, HBO is in need of a new show that provides shocking moments, and the best candidate is The Last of Us.

Based on the wildly successful video games by Naughty Dog, The Last of Us tells the story of a man, Joel (Pedro Pascal), helping a young girl, Ellie (Bella Ramsey), survive in a desolate world. He does his job in Season 1, but the lines he has to cross put him on the radar of a dangerous group. They kill Joel at the start of Season 2, which pushes Ellie to seek revenge and head into a situation that’s very likely to take her life as well.

Ellie Has Her Hands Full in The Last of Us Season 2 Finale

After Ellie and Dina get in over their heads in Seattle, Jesse finds them and rescues them from a group of Stalkers. They aren’t out of the woods yet, though, because Wolves and Seraphites are in the area and not looking to make friends. Ellie splits up from her friends to allow them to escape and ends up at the hospital where Nora works. She tortures Abby’s friend for information before heading back to the theater, where Jesse pleads with her to call the whole thing off. The next day, they search for Tommy, and while they find him, Ellie goes off on her own because she believes she spots Abby’s hideout.

Ellie steals a boat and has a brief run-in with Seraphites before arriving at the aquarium, where she finds Owen and Mel. They refuse to tell her where Abby is, and Owen grabs for his gun, hoping to turn the tide to his side. Ellie shoots him before he can do anything, but the bullet goes through him and hits Mel, who is pregnant. Ellie can’t believe what’s happening and breaks down as Tommy and Jesse arrive. While the group heads back to the theater, ready to head home, they get an unexpected visitor, Abby, who kills Jesse and doesn’t want to stop there.

[RELATED – The Last of Us Finally Adds Major Aspect From the Games]

Ellie’s Fate Is Left as a Mystery At the End of The Last of Us Season 2

After Abby shoots Jesse, she realizes who Ellie is and gets pretty upset about seeing her again. She didn’t kill anyone but Joel in Jackson, and now her friends are dead because the community couldn’t leave well enough alone. Out of frustration, Abby seemingly fires another bullet in Ellie’s direction as the show does a hard cut to black, and transitions to a flashback featuring the WLF soldier a few days earlier. The Last of Us does this to create a shroud of mystery around its main character’s fate going into Season 3, but it’s easy to surmise that her story still has a ways to go.

The Last of Us Part II video game, which Season 2 is based on, has all the answers because it cuts off at almost the exact same point to pass the torch to Abby, who has her own story to tell. Once that’s complete, however, the conflict between her and Ellie will resume and leave more devastation in its wake.

The Last of Us Season 2 is streaming on HBO Max.

Do you think Abby shoots Ellie in The Last of Us Season 2 finale? Where do you think the story will go from here? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Does Ellie Die in The Last of Us Season 2? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Last of Us TV series, like so many other hit TV shows, had an extensive gap between its first two seasons. Though the larger landscape of Hollywood has resulted in the time between new episodes of TV shows being longer and longer, many fans still think that an annual release for shows is the standard. Despite that feeling, the reality of production costs and scheduling as forced creatives to take longer between delivering new seasons. With Season 2 of The Last of Us headed for its final episode tonight, the question has to be asked, how long are we going to have to wait for The Last of Us Season 3?

What Is The Last of Us Season 3 Release Date?

Currently, The Last of Us Season 3 has had no release window updates from HBO beyond confirmation that the season has been ordered. HBO ordering the new episodes of the show ahead of The Last of Us Season 2’s premiere bodes well for the potential of filming starting soon on the project, as it would lock in the talent for the production.

Previous rumors pointed toward a potential summer 2025 start date for filming on The Last of Us Season 3, but now that appears to have been delayed. In an interview with Variety published on May 4, Dina actress Isabela Merced teased that she didn’t know when exactly Season 3 would be filming, but when asked about a production timeline noted: “I think it should be next year.”

If that holds true, and filming doesn’t begin any earlier, it could mean production on The Last of Us Season 3 won’t start until 2026, meaning a late-2026 or even 2027 premiere date seems likely for the actual release date of the next batch of episodes.

[RELATED: 7 The Last of Us Easter Eggs That the Show Forgot About]

Will The Last of Us Season 3 Be Delayed?

This timeline would line-up with the delay between Season 1 and Season 2 of The Last of Us though, so it makes sense. The Last of Us Season 1 premiered on HBO in January of 2023, wrapping up in March of that year. After the Hollywood strikes of 2023 delayed production on the next episodes, filming began on The Last of Us Season 2 in February of 2024 and continued into August of that year, ahead of its April 2025 premiere.

Knowing this, and assuming a similar production timeline for The Last of Us Season 3 and its story (which we now know will consist of an epic part of the game), it’s entirely possible that The Last of Us Season 3 will not premiere on HBO and Max until the spring of 2027. However, this all remains unconfirmed and is based around the previous timelines of the seasons.

What Is The Last of Us Season 3 About?

As if fans needed a bigger clue about what will happen in The Last of Us Season 3, series guest star Catherine O’Hara confirmed it. Speaking to Variety, O’Hara was asked if she would be returning as Gail in Season 3, revealing that series showrunner Craig Mazin told he that she would “definitely not” be in the next season.

“It’s the Abby story,” O’Hara said of The Last of Us Season 3. “Maybe. But I think it was to serve Joel and Ellie.”

Knowing this, The Last of Us Season 3 will need to announce the casting of major characters ahead of the start of filming, as fans of the games will be eager to see the new faces that are integral to this part of the story.

When do you think The Last of Us Season 3 will premiere? How long do you believe we’ll have to wait for more? Sounds off in the comments and give us your best theories.

The post When Is The Last of Us Season 3 Coming Out? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Video games have so much time to tell their stories. While plenty of titles get players in and out in a few hours, the great ones take advantage of the opportunity and build worlds that take forever to explore. The Last of Us certainly fits into that category because, while it’s not an open-world game, there are so many nooks and crannies to discover, and it’s in the player’s best interest to find them all because of the constant need for resources. However, The Last of Us always makes it worth it, hiding Easter eggs all over the game to enhance the experience.

HBO’s adaptation of The Last of Us brings plenty of the game’s Easter eggs to life, such as the “Savage Starlight” comic books and Ellie’s rendition of “Take on Me” by A-ha. Not every reference makes the jump to live-action, though, including some that are more than deserving.

1) Sarah’s Photo

Joel reluctantly agrees to get Ellie across the country to the Fireflies in the first The Last of Us game. He’s not happy about the arrangement because it’s a massive inconvenience, but he’s also still struggling with the death of his daughter Sarah, whom Ellie reminds him of. While Joel’s brother, Tommy, tries to help him move on by giving him a photo of Sarah, he doesn’t want anything to do with it. Only when Ellie hands the photo over later in the game does Joel accept that his daughter is gone.

The show removes the photo, with Joel’s visit with Tommy focusing on Ellie’s immunity. Sarah still comes up, and Joel and Ellie even get into an argument about her, just like in the game, but the emotional moment where Joel moves past his grief is nowhere to be found.

2) Dunder Mifflin Office

Players spend a lot of hours in The Last of Us games just walking through buildings. There’s always a bottle in a drawer or a rag on a desk, so it’s worth not running through all the rooms without looking around. The remake of the first game even entices players to stay awhile by recreating the Dunder Mifflin office from the sitcom The Office.

The Easter egg appears in Pittsburgh, which doesn’t show up in HBO’s The Last of Us. Kansas City takes its place, and while Ellie and Joel still find themselves in offices, none of them resemble the place Michael Scott and Co. work at.

3) Video Game References

It’s normal for video games to show love to titles from the same developer or ones on the same console. The Last of Us features plenty of PlayStation Easter eggs, such as Jax and Dax figurines, as well as items from Naughty Dog’s Uncharted series.

Since HBO’s series isn’t a game, it opts to cut most of the video game shout-outs. Tess’ lighter and a keychain late in Season 1 ensure that Naughty Dog is still a small part of the story, but the show still leaves a lot to be desired in the video game Easter egg department.

4) The First Bloater

While Ellie and Joel are visiting Bill in the first game, they have to obtain a battery to get their vehicle working. They head to a school nearby to search, and while their mission is a success, it’s not easy because they run into a Bloater. Ellie and Joel have to fight off the beast by themselves before escaping the school and getting back on the road.

HBO’s version makes Ellie and Joel’s journey easy because Bill and his husband, Frank, are already dead and left a car in the garage. Billy and Frank’s story is better than that portion of the game by a mile, but the change delays the Bloater’s arrival by quite a while.

[RELATED – The Last of Us Finally Adds Major Aspect From the Games]

5) The Bunny

Ellie finds herself hunting for food after Joel gets injured in The Last of Us game. She comes across a bunny just minding its own business and shoots it dead. It’s a very jarring scene in the game, and it comes back around in The Last of Us Part II when a bunny appears outside Ellie’s window.

The Last of Us series still sends Ellie out on her own to look for food. However, she never takes out the adorable woodland creature, finding a deer instead that leads her to David. While it’s far from the show’s biggest omission, it still hurts that it’s gone.

6) Ellie’s Swimming

Growing up in a quarantine zone, Ellie doesn’t have a lot of life skills that most kids her age are supposed to have. One of her major knowledge gaps is swimming, which Joel helps her learn during the first The Last of Us game. She’s proficient by the time Part II rolls around, with Joel throwing her in water to test her skills during a flashback.

The show never really touches on Ellie’s fear of water. There’s even an opportunity in Season 2 for Joel to push Ellie into water, but it never comes to pass, leaving the level of the girl’s aquatic skills a mystery.

7) Safe Combinations

One of the most rewarding things in The Last of Us games is finding the combination to a safe and busting it open to earn additional resources. It usually takes a lot of effort because the code and safe are rarely in the same spot, meaning a lot of exploring is required.

In The Last of Us show, the characters almost always have what they need. Obviously, using valuable time to have Ellie and Joel look through drawers and cabinets would be a waste, but a nod to such an important aspect of the games wouldn’t hurt anybody.

The Last of Us is streaming on HBO Max.

Did you notice these Easter eggs are missing from HBO’s The Last of Us? What other parts of the game didn’t make the jump to live-action? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 7 The Last of Us Easter Eggs That the Show Forgot About appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Last of Us Season 2 finale has leaked online and clips of it are floating around on social media. The Last of Us is one of the biggest video games of all-time, but it has also been cursed with leaks many times now. It’s not uncommon for things to leak in the video game industry, but The Last of Us Part 2 suffered arguably one of the biggest leaks of all-time. The 2020 video game was supposed to release in early spring, but was delayed due to complications created by the COVID-19 pandemic. During that delay, someone leaked footage from The Last of Us Part 2, revealing tons of spoilers, including the game’s big death.

As you might imagine, this was terrible and these leaks floated around the internet for a couple of months largely without context. It damaged the game’s reception in some ways, as some people made up their minds on the story from this leaked footage. However, The Last of Us Season 2 had the opportunity to bring that same story to a new audience and hopefully, most of them would remain unspoiled. It seems to have worked for those who aren’t obsessively online or too aware of the games, as they’ve had strong reactions to some of the show’s biggest moments. With all of that said, The Last of Us Season 2 has been struck with the curse of the game its adapting.

The Last of Us Season 2 Finale Leaks Online

The season finale of The Last of Us Season 2 has leaked. According to early reports, those who bought the season pass for Season 2 through Apple received access to The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 7 sometime last night. The issue has seemingly been fixed now, but not before people watched it and recorded key scenes for it. Some of this footage has made its way online across Twitter and TikTok, including one of the final scenes from the episode. We’re not going to link to any of this footage or anything, but it is real. So, if you’re looking to avoid spoilers, we highly advise taking caution when scrolling through social media and content for the the show.

Of course, it’s worth noting that The Last of Us Season 2 has had moments that weren’t in the game, so just because you may have played the game doesn’t mean you are free from potential spoilers even if you know where this story is going. The Last of Us Season 2 finale will air on schedule on Sunday night, so you may have to dodge spoilers for a few days. A star from the show has also revealed what Season 3 of The Last of Us will be about, which is also kind of a spoiler for those who haven’t played the game.

The post The Last of Us Season 2’s Last Episode Has Leaked appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Joel Miller is a stand-up guy prior to the massive time jump in The Last of Us Season 1. While he’s a bit forgetful, he’s also very hardworking. He ensures his daughter, Sarah, has everything she needs and that his brother, Tommy, stays out of trouble. However, after losing Sarah in the chaos caused by the Cordyceps infection, Joel loses the majority of his humanity. He does whatever he can to survive, and by the time he meets up with Ellie and attempts to take her across the country to the Fireflies, he’s got a real mean streak, even proving to be vindictive at times.

It’s hard to blame Joel most of the time because the world is full of evil, such as David and his crew of cannibals. What is a tough pill to swallow, though, is that Joel rarely feels any remorse for his actions, even when the events are far from black and white. Well, The Last of Us Season 2, Episode 6, “The Price,” finally reveals where he comes to learn the old adage “an eye for an eye.”

The Last of Us Season 2 Proves That Joel’s Twisted Moral Code Isn’t His Own

Outside of the flashbacks with Sarah in The Last of Us, there isn’t much in the games about Joel’s life prior to the apocalypse. HBO clearly thinks there’s more to explore there, so the show visits Joel’s childhood in the opening of “The Price.” His dad, Javier (Tony Dalton), a police officer, arrives home after hearing about an incident involving his sons. Joel initially takes the blame to protect Tommy, who’s already preparing to get a beating. Javier sees right through the act and proceeds to tell Joel about a time his dad hit him so bad he had to get his jaw wired shut. Joel doesn’t understand how his father could understand the pain but still go through with hurting his children, but it speaks to the core theme of The Last of Us Part II: The cycle of violence.

While Joel keeps his hands off Sarah and Ellie, the pain he endures growing up sticks with him, so anytime he sees someone threatening himself or someone he loves, he’s ready to fight back. All that anger ends up being the reason Tommy and Joel split up, as the younger brother can’t tolerate his sibling’s actions any longer. Joel takes steps in the years after losing Tommy to be a better person, such as embracing his life with Tess, but when the Fireflies plan to kill Ellie in Salt Lake City, all that work is undone. The violence once again consumes him, and this time, he’s not able to hide from it.

[RELATED – The Last of Us Season 2 Has Changed One of Its Best Characters For the Worse]

Joel Gives Ellie the Worst of Him in The Last of Us

After leaving Salt Lake City and returning to Jackson, Joel probably has his head on a swivel for a while. He knows what he did was impactful, and it’s entirely possible someone will come after him for it. He gets a five-year head start, but eventually, Abby and her friends find him in Jackson and kill him for killing their friends and family. Ellie has to watch, and just like when Joel loses Sarah, the incident fuels the rage inside of her. After a few months in a hospital, Ellie is ready to find Abby and inflict as much pain as she possibly can on her. However, what she fails to understand is that she’s now stuck in the same cycle that consumed Joel’s family and Abby.

Every time something was done to one of them, they wanted to continue the chain, not break it. They probably thought what happened to them was unfair, but even before the apocalypse, life was never fair, and all that was needed was for one person to turn the other cheek. All the pain and suffering could’ve been avoided, but now it remains, with Ellie already dishing it back to Abby by killing Nora. While there’s still time for Ellie to turn back and give up her quest for revenge, after losing Joel and seeing Dina hurt, all hope of her finding her inner peace feels lost.

The Last of Us Season 2 is streaming on Max.

Did you like the scene with Joel’s father in The Last of Us Season 2? Did it help you understand Joel better? Let us know in the comments below!

The post The Last of Us Season 2 Just Revealed Its Secret Plot to Fans (And You Missed It) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Last of Us star Catherine O’Hara confirms major story details for the show’s upcoming third season. In a wide-ranging interview with Variety, the actress was asked if she’s in line to reprise her role as Gail in future seasons of The Last of Us. She revealed that she’s already been informed by showrunner Craig Mazin that she won’t be returning for Season 3. That’s because the third season is going to shift its focus in the storytelling department and adapt the section of The Last of Us Part II where players take control of Abby.

“I don’t know. Craig did say definitely not this next season,” O’Hara said. “It’s the Abby story. Maybe. But I think it was to serve Joel and Ellie.”

The Last of Us Season 3 was officially announced prior to Season 2’s premiere in April. As of this writing, it does not have a release date yet. Showrunners Mazin and Neil Druckmann have offered teases of what’s in store for Season 3, promising a deeper exploration into the WLF/Scars conflict and the reveal of the Rat King lurking in the old hospital. Additionally seasons haven’t been confirmed yet, but HBO expects The Last of Us to run for four seasons.

[RELATED – The Last of Us Shows Why Video Game Adaptations Can’t Please Fans]

Abby played a key role early on in The Last of Us Season 2, but she hasn’t been seen since she killed Joel during the shocking events of the season’s second episode. The last handful of episodes have kept the focus on Ellie as she heads to Seattle with Dina to exact revenge. Episode 6, “The Price” is told predominantly through flashbacks depicting how Joel and Ellie grew apart between the first two seasons.

O’Hara’s revelation won’t surprise anyone familiar with the source material. The Last of Us Season 2 has just one episode remaining, and the show hasn’t even started to tackle Abby’s portion of the game. Given the way Season 2 has played out, gamers probably expected Season 3 would be all about Abby. It’ll be interesting to see fan reactions when this shift occurs on the show. The Last of Us Part II proved to be a very polarizing game, with Abby the focus of much of the backlash. Furthermore, opinions towards Season 2 of the TV show changed for the worse after Joel’s death, as viewers were unhappy that the series’ core duo were separated. Pushing Ellie to the background to bring Abby into the spotlight might be divisive (paralleling responses to the game), especially since Ellie and Dina have established a well-received dynamic and Abby is the hated character who murdered Joel.

Hopefully, viewers are willing to give The Last of Us Season 3 a fair shot. Abby’s storyline in the game explores some fascinating themes and topics, deepening the overall narrative and its exploration of the cycle of violence. Plus, focusing more on Abby and the WLF/Scars conflict could help keep things fresh by providing a different perspective in this post-apocalyptic universe that’s only been teased so far. It was a bold decision when Naughty Dog gave players control of Abby, and it’s a bold decision for HBO to dedicate a whole season to her. It runs the risk of alienating viewers who are invested in Ellie’s journey, but it could pay off if handled properly.

The post The Last of Us Star Reveals What Season 3 Is About (And Fans Will Hate It) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Last of Us loves a good pop culture reference. Things are a bit different because the outbreak in the show takes place ten years earlier than in the game, but there is no shortage of shout-outs. In fact, despite releasing in 2013, Pearl Jam’s popular song “Future Days” still makes its way into the show, with Joel singing it to Ellie in Season 2, Episode 6, “The Price.” The real-life Apollo missions also play a major part in the episode when Ellie and Joel visit the museum in Wyoming. However, one moment in the episode is causing a pop culture black hole to open up.

The controversy surrounds Eugene, who doesn’t appear in the flesh in The Last of Us games. Joe Pantoliano brings him to life in Season 2 of the HBO series, and while it’s great to see more of a fascinating character, his presence should sound some alarms for Ellie.

The Last of Us Season 2 Lets Ellie Fly Her Geek Flag

With Ellie being born in an apocalypse, there aren’t new hobbies for her to latch onto. So, she becomes passionate about what she can find, such as music and comic books. Her favorite pastime is reading the “Savage Starlight” comic series, which features its fair share of action. Joel uses this as a gateway to get Ellie to watch the “Curtis and Viper” movies from the ’80s. However, The Last of Us Season 2 reveals that Ellie’s love for action movies grows after finding out about The Matrix. She has a poster of the film in her room in the garage, which actually features a familiar face.

Pantoliano is best known for his role as Ralphie in The Sopranos, but he also appears in The Matrix as Cypher, who has a spot on the sci-fi movie’s iconic poster. While the actor looks a lot different, donning a very 2000s goatee and sunglasses, the resemblance is uncanny. With that being the case, The Last of Us creator Craig Mazin mentioned on the show’s companion podcast that he planned to remove the poster from Ellie’s room in Episode 3. It appears however that didn’t end up happening, and the consequence is a pretty strange plot hole where Ellie tries to save the life of a man who looks like a character from her favorite movie. The Last of Us isn’t the first property to deal with this kind of problem, though.

[RELATED – The Best Moment From The Last of Us Games Finally Happened in the HBO Series]

The Last of Us Joins the Club of Properties With Pop Culture Plot Holes

Any movie or TV show that decides to reference real-life events or properties is playing with fire. After all, there’s always the chance they open the door for some confusing interactions. One of the most famous examples is the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which never turns down the opportunity to include a pop culture reference. In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Steve Rogers runs into Sam Wilson, who tells him to listen to Marvin Gaye’s Trouble Man album to fill in some gaps. When Steve opens his notebook to write the tip down, other topics are visible, including Star Wars. Of course, Samuel L. Jackson, who plays Mace Windu in the prequels, portrays Nick Fury in over a dozen MCU projects, including The Winter Soldier.

Ellie doesn’t spend as much time with Eugene in The Last of Us as Cap does with Fury in the MCU, so there’s a better chance of suspension of disbelief kicking in. However, the situation is still a bit of a mess and proves how something as small as a poster can take the attention away from the action. Fortunately, Eugene’s moments in “The Price” are so impactful that it’s easy to forgive Mazin and Co. They take a character from the games with little depth and give him some of the most emotional beats in the entire show. Eugene puts on quite the performance when he tells Joel why he wants to see Gail one last time, one that should make his lookalike in The Matrix very proud.

The Last of Us Season 2 is streaming on HBO Max.

Did you catch The Matrix poster in The Last of Us Season 2? Do you think it creates a major plot hole in the show? Let us know in the comments below!

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WARNING: There are spoilers ahead for The Last of Us Season 2, Episode 6! HBO has spared no expense on The Last of Us Season 2, to the point of building a costly set that ended up cut in the editing process. The video game, The Last of Us Part II, allows the player to explore the Wyoming Museum of Science and History, while the show only took us there for a brief scene. However, on the show’s official companion podcast, co-showrunner Neil Druckmann revealed that the museum set for the show was just as detailed and extensive as the game, it just got trimmed in the final cut of the show. Writer Halley Gross added that “It was the most moving, immersive experience I have had.”

Both The Last of Us Part II and the TV show visit the Wyoming Museum of Science and History in a flashback to Ellie’s 16th birthday. Joel learns about the location from another survivor and brings Ellie there as a surprise. Having grown up in a post-apocalyptic survival situation, Ellie is fascinated by the study of the ancient past and the promise of a hopeful future through space exploration. However, while the show only spends a few minutes in this location, the game allows the player to explore the museum at their leisure.

“So, this moment is the most universally loved across the games,” Druckmann said on the podcast. He remembered bringing two of the representatives from the game studio, Naughty Dog, to tour the new set. “I was direct something else. We walked over. And I show them the space capsule. It’s not quite finished, it’s still getting greens and set dressings put in to really kind of help the foliage and the lighting is being put in. And I’m like, look how authentic this is. This is just like the game. And they’re standing behind me, so I’m not seeing them. And then I turn to face them. I kid you not, they’re both crying.”

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“Because again, we’ve worked on these sequences for years, trying to get them right and sweating them,” Druckmann went on. “And that stuff just means so much to us. I can’t stress that enough. When you get it right, it just feels so special. It’s like someone honoring your kid is the closest I can come to the emotion you feel.”

Gross emphasized how much of this set was missing from the final cut of the show. “And there’s so much stuff that people watching the show aren’t gonna see,” she said. “They built, like — trust me, fam. If you see this, there was a whole rover you’re not gonna see that was exactly where it was in the layout of the game. There was a whole atrium with dinosaur skeletons where Ellie could put hats on the different.”

The disparity in screentime is a perfect example of the differences between the TV mediums and the original video game. Of course, fans who want to explore the hospital and other sets more thoroughly can always check out the The Last of Us Part II. As for the TV show, The Last of Us Season 2 concludes on Sunday, May 25th at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

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