We have now come to the end of season one of THE LAST O F US and there probably will never be another perfect video adaptation. The reason it works is that the show works on its own. Viewers do not have the play the game to understand what’s going on. The beauty of the series is that it took its time in various episode lengths to tell the complete story of the original game. We also get cameos of actors from the original game. Episode eight even included Troy Baker in a significant role, but only the hardcore fans know that Baker actually plays Joel in the game.

That piece of fandom continues in this finale as the original Ellie, Ashley Johnson, opens the episode running through the woods into a run-down house ready to give birth. What makes this even more special is that it turns out this is a flashback. Her name is Anna, and she’s giving birth to Ellie. However, one of the infected has bitten her during labor, but she manages to survive and cuts the umbilical cord after killing her attacker. A few Fireflies show up, including Marlene who promises to take care of Ellie. Anna lies to her saying she already cut the cord when she got bit. Marlene shoots Anna before she can turn and takes baby Ellie with her.

We come back to the present as Ellie and Joel are making their way to a hospital rumored to have Fireflies who can help. Their conversation involves Ellie reading bad jokes and him wanting to teach her how to play guitar. A precious moment is shared when Ellie sees giraffes for the first time and she feeds one of them. Joel is reminded of an innocence that was lost during the pandemic and she forgets for just a few minutes about the ugly world around her.

They are ambushed by Fireflies who assumed they were enemies, but Joel wakes up in a hospital with Marlene standing by him. She explains this was a misunderstanding, but he can’t see Ellie because she is being prepped for surgery. This particular surgery involves cutting into her brain to obtain infected cells that can work as a cure but will ultimately kill Ellie. Joel refuses to let this happen and kills all the Fireflies who get in his way to her. He shoots the primary surgeon and forces the others to stop the surgery, carrying her sleeping body down to the garage and into a getaway car, killing Marlene on the way.

Ellie eventually wakes up and Joel tells her that the cure didn’t work, but there are several others immune just like her. He makes up a story about raiders killing all the Fireflies and they had barely made it out. They get to Wyoming where they will attempt a life together in an attempt at normalcy. However, Ellie asks Joel to promise her that his story of what happened in the hospital is true. He lies and promises that it’s true.

Somehow in 44 minutes, the season finale captures the essence of the anxiety, hope, and loss of the end of the game. Joel lies to Ellie to protect her. If she knew what really happened, then he risks her trying to go back or having survivor’s guilt. Another loss would have killed him, but he can save his little girl this time unlike twenty years ago.

Season one of THE LAST OF US leaves fans with questions surrounding morals, but also of what unexpected love can make us do. Yes, this is a horror series, but the real heart lies within the chemistry of its characters. Ellie and Joel are not perfect, sometimes needing to express the monsters inside them. No matter how ugly they can get, we love them and want to see them survive. In nine episodes, season one of THE LAST OF US made us cry, scared, and love these two characters, and sets up the promise of a bigger and more emotional second season.

The season one finale of the HBO Original drama series THE LAST OF US debuted on March 12, 2023, at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and will be available to stream in 4K on HBO Max.