The first HBO season The last of us It was not only one of the most impressive video game adaptations to date, it was also one of the most loyal. The show did a remarkable job by reproducing the characters, the places and the moments of the game, to the point that I had the impression that it sometimes jumped directly towards the cutscenes. However, season 1 displayed lightning of its own narration, with episodes like “Long Time”, which has widened the scope of the post-apocalyptic world beyond the main story of Ellie and Joel. This helped the series feel both authentic and distinct from its source equipment. Season 2 goes further – it follows a more complicated story perfectly, while spending more time being lacking the frame beyond its main characters.
This piece contains light spoilers for The last of us Show and games.
While season 1 lasted the entire first game, the second season only covers part of The last of us part II. It is seven long episodes, which covers about half of the intrigue of the game; The co-creator Craig Maizin previously declared that the split had been carried out because “the material of the history which we have obtained Part II The game is much more than the material in history that was in the first match. (It also means that the new season is shorter than the nine episodes of season 1.) After watching the whole second season, it certainly seems shorter, but it also ends in a place that puts season three.
If you have not played the game, the second chapter resumes after the Pivot decision of Joel (Pedro Pascal), in which he “saves” Ellie (Bella Ramsey) of a group of scientists who try to make a vaccine against zombie infection that ravaged this world. But they don’t have the opportunity because Joel kills everyone to get out of it, because the procedure would kill her. It is a selfishly personal choice – save a person at the potential costs of humanity as a whole – to the point that Joel is in Ellie on what really happened.
Fast advance until season 2, and the couple lives in a relatively safe community in the remains of Jackson, Wyoming, while treating Ellie’s realities. She wants more responsibilities and perhaps even a girlfriend named Dina (Isabela Merced), and Joel does not treat it so well. He even sees a therapist (Catherine O’Hara) in the hope of working it.
At first, these problems become a low memory. The last of us“ The second chapter is ultimately a story of revenge, and after a key moment – I will not spoil what it is for the uninitiated, but I will say that it remains unchanged from the game – Ellie becomes consumed by the idea of revenge and travel to a dangerous Seattle and torn by war with Dina to get what she wants. This brings us to Abby (Kaitlyn Dever), the source of Ellie’s Ire. In the game, she remained a largely mysterious force until halfway, when things have changed and the players saw – and played – things from her point of view. In the show, although there is still a mystery originally that it comes, its motivations are made much clearer at the beginning.
This does not change the dynamics between Abby and Ellie; They still hate each other, and they always have their reasons to do so (if these reasons are justified, of course, are quite misty). But that helps things evolve a little faster, and it corresponds better to a weekly television program, where you cannot rush into history to see what the Abby’s agreement is. The push remains the same as ever, the two regularly progressing towards an inevitable conflict, which means that this season is also likely to be as conflictual as the game. If you thought that Joel’s decision in the final of season 1 was difficult, Oh Boy, just waiting for you. I personally felt that The last of us“The second chapter was a difficult but effective way to explore the lasting impact of violence and anger, but it also transforms its main characters into unlikely sociopaths, so your mileage will certainly vary.
What is impressive in the second season of the show is the way he maintains this same scenario fueled by revenge (or, at least, the first half) while relying on it. As it is a show, you are not only playing from Ellie’s point of view as in the game, and therefore the rest of Jackson and Seattle attract more attention. In addition to some new characters, such as Joel’s therapist, there are hinge scenarios that have nothing to do with the quest for Ellie, but develop how dangerous this world is. You can see much more of the interior functions of Jackson, while Seattle has become a battlefield for two opposite forces: a militant organization and a group of religious fanatics. Like Abby, the motivations and history of groups are clear at the start. Here you see not only the bloody and brutal conflict of the first hand, but you also see the reasoning behind.
This means that, even if you’ve already played in the second game, there are still a lot of reasons to watch The last of us‘New season. He does an excellent job to make some of the most touching moments of the game – yes, there are a lot of guitar – while putting the story of Joel and Ellie in the broader context of this world. And if you come fresh, well, season 2 is only the beginning of a brutal story – a story that will change the way you see these characters.
Season 2 of The last of us First on HBO and Max on April 13.