Spoiler alert: people die in apocalyptic series about deadly infection
Viewers of The Last of Us are being left traumatised by the show’s ability to introduce a character that they rapidly grow attached to, only to then kill them off in the very same episode.
In case you hadn’t guessed, we’re entering spoiler territory here.
The HBO adaptation of the best-selling videogame of the same name has had millions gripped across the globe since it launched this year.
The show has received acclaim from viewers and critics alike, and has struck a perfect balance between catering for both fans of the game and those who have never played it before.
Unsurprisingly, a series about a deadly fungus infecting the human race has featured a whole lot of death.
With just two episodes of the first series left, a total of 12 characters have died. Some of these deaths have taken place in flashbacks, whilst others have taken place in present day events.
Of course, those familiar with the game will have seen some of these deaths coming, and it doesn’t take a genius to work out that a character appearing in a flashback who we haven’t seen in the present probably hasn’t got a lot going for them.
But by no means does this mean the deaths don’t still pack one hell of an emotional punch.
In the first episode, viewers witness one of the most traumatic moments from the game, with the death of Joel’s daughter, Sara.
Then, his best friend Tess is killed off by the infected in episode two.
But it’s perhaps in episodes three and four that we get the most emotional deaths, with that of star-crossed couple Bill and Frank, and then brothers Henry and Sam.
And in the most recent episode, we got a flashback to Ellie’s past and the fate of her friend Riley.
It’s all got a bit too much for some, who have taken to Twitter to share their trauma and upset.
the last of us has mastered the "make you fall in love with a character and killing them that same episode" strategy 😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/58WtQS46j1
— rhaenyra targaryen's lawyer (@Targ_Nation) February 11, 2023
https://twitter.com/sxarlights/status/1630035876779806720
Every week I look forward to the next episode of the last of us and then this is me after I’ve watched it https://t.co/jkyHfu8E9r
— Carly (@KxllxngEve2) February 27, 2023
the last of us stans showing off their favorite characters https://t.co/RAadJWeCUj
— elise | now @bisexualscrisis (@bisexualcrises) February 28, 2023
the last of us happy moments:#TheLastOfUspic.twitter.com/RA9Powp98f
— choppy 🪩 (@nowbvcktome) February 11, 2023
The Last of Us just rips out whatever’s left of your heart from the previous week every Sunday night pic.twitter.com/2La4k34Mom
— Landon (@landonisdon) February 27, 2023
There are two episodes left of the series, with a hell of a lot still to happen if Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) are going to make it to the Firefly base in Ohio.
And, perhaps surprisingly, the series finale is set to be the shortest of the nine episodes, clocking in at just 43 minutes, compared to the just under an hour long run times of the other episodes.
A second series has already been given the green light though, so fans can probably expect plenty to be left unanswered by the time the credits roll.
Related links:
- Bella Ramsey explains how a nonbinary identity has helped her play Ellie in The Last of Us
- Increase in dangerous fungal infections driven by rising temperatures, in real-life parallel to The Last of Us
- Super Mario fans joke that Pedro Pascal should replace Chris Pratt in upcoming film
