HBO’s The Last of Us TV adaption is here at last. And it may be the most anticipated show of the year. However, its creators have stressed that the show differs from the popular games in a number of ways. But what about the series’ apocalyptic event? How did the origins of the pandemic play out in the TV show? What caused the virus in The Last of Us? And is it even a virus at all?
Reviews have started to roll in for the new series and it’s proving to be a hit with critics and fans alike.
As of writing, The Last of Us stands at a whopping 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. This makes it one of the highest rated video game adaptions of all time. But some fans aren’t convinced the show will do the legendary PlayStation games justice.
The Last of Us TV show tells the story of Joel and Ellie, two survivors of a worldwide pandemic caused by the contagious Cordyceps fungus.
Like The Last of Us games, the show picks up a number of years after the onset of the pandemic and the world has been devastated. Millions are dead and millions more have been transformed into zombie-like creatures called “Infected”.
Joel and Ellie come together to embark on a journey across post-apocalyptic America. However, they must overcome the deadly Infected and merciless killers along the way.
As mentioned, the world in The Last of Us TV show is subtly different from the one in the games. But what does this mean for the origin of the pandemic? Is it the same in the TV show as it is in the games?
So, let’s get into it – what caused the virus in The Last of Us?
What Caused The Virus In The Last of Us?
While its impact on the human population is clear, the cause and origin of the Cordyceps brain infection (CBI) pandemic isn’t a main focal point in The Last of Us games. But it is addressed and explained to some degree, so we have an idea where it came from and how it began to devastate the planet.
The new TV adaption is similar in this regard.
This is what caused the virus in The Last of Us. The virus in The Last of Us isn’t actually a virus at all. It is known as the Cordyceps brain infection and is a parasitic fungal infection. Its outbreak began in South America and it spread to humans via tainted crops. By the latter part of September 2013 (2003 in the TV series), it had reached the United States and began to decimate its population.
At the same time, the Food and Drug Administration were investigating crops contaminated with “mold”. Crop imports from South America, Central America, and Mexico were also being discouraged.
Once a human is infected with CBI, they will progress through four stages of infection. These feature progressively worsening effects and physical malformation.
The origin of CBI is largely the same in the The Last of Us TV show. However, it’s possible that some small details may have been changed. Although we can’t confirm this until we’ve seen every episode.
The primary difference between the CBI pandemic in the games and TV show is the date it occurs. In the games, the outbreak happens in 2013. It takes place ten years earlier in 2003 in the HBO series.
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