This The Last Of Us season one finale review contains major spoilers for the TV show and games.
Last year’s hit new TV show was HBO’s House of the Dragon. That series was an adaption of George R. R. Martin’s novel Fire and Blood. The general consensus was that the show significantly improved over its “mildly interesting” source material.
While The Last Of Us has been yet another colossal hit for the network, it would be impossible to improve over the game in the same way. And it does fall marginally short in some areas. Nevertheless, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann have crafted one of the greatest TV shows in recent memory that has been capped off by an excellent season finale.
Episode 9 “Look for the Light” wrapped season one of The Last Of Us up in heart-breaking fashion. Fans of the original game knew what to expect. And this was probably one of the most faithful episodes of the entire season. But that didn’t stop the morally divisive twist from packing a seriously emotional punch.
Viewed as a complete nine episode package, The Last Of Us season one suffers ever-so slightly from somewhat rushed pacing. It would also have benefitted from a few more scenes emphasising the horror of the Infected. However, it is ultimately a resounding achievement worthy of the masterful source material.
The Last of Us season one finale review – Immunity
The season finale kicks off with yet another flashback that takes place before Joel and Ellie met. A pregnant woman, Anna – portrayed by Ashley Johnson (who voiced Ellie in the games) – flees through the woods from an unseen pursuer. Eventually, she finds a house. As her waters break, she takes refuge in an upstairs room.
Soon, her pursuer is identified as a single Infected. A short scuffle ends with Anna skewering the monster with Ellie’s trademark knife only to realise she has given birth. What’s more, Anna has been bitten in yet another instance of the show’s overused “belated injury realisation” trope.
Anna cuts the umbilical cord and names the newborn “Ellie”. Shortly after, Marlene and the Fireflies show up. They take baby Ellie and Marlene reluctantly puts Anna out of her misery.
This scene provides valuable context as to the source of Ellie’s immunity: transferal of Cordyceps from mother to daughter via the umbilical cord. It isn’t present in the games and is a welcome, if tragic, piece of backstory.
Father and daughter
We then rejoin Ellie and Joel as they make their way to the Firefly hospital. Ellie is apprehensive about what is coming next while Joel is in full dad mode. The bond between the two has been expertly cemented despite two episodes that shifted the focus elsewhere.
On their final trek, the show recreates the iconic giraffe scene that offers a fleeting moment of joy. There is also a nice nod to the game with Joel asking Ellie to fetch a ladder down from a ledge.
In another valuable addition to the story, Joel tells Ellie about his previous suicide attempt following Sarah’s death. Thankfully, a last minute flinch saved his life. Ellie surmises that time heals all wounds, but Joel corrects her: “It wasn’t time that did it…”
At this point, it’s clear that Joel is way past viewing Ellie as “cargo”. She is his adoptive daughter, filling the dark void left by Sarah.
Actions have consequences
Moments later, Fireflies ambush and capture the duo. Joel awakens inside the hospital where Marlene greets him. Half her men died on the journey across the country and she is amazed that Joel and Ellie arrived in one piece.
In the context of the game, this interaction makes complete sense. But for much of TV Joel’s journey, he and Ellie have encountered surprisingly little resistance especially from Infected. While much of their adventure takes place off-screen, a few more scuffles with significant numbers of Infected would’ve elevated the sense of peril and further justified the need for a vaccine.
Marlene explains that Ellie is going for surgery. The surgeon believes that it will yield a cure. However, the operation will kill Ellie. It is the moment longtime fans have been expecting but it will no doubt come as a huge shock to new viewers. Regardless, the twist is devastating.
In response, Joel massacres the Fireflies in a brutal, SWAT-esque montage. Unlike in the game, we have only seen glimpses of this Joel before. And it feels slightly out of place as a result. Still, we have heard of his past and what he is capable of. Finally, here it is, laid bare for all to see.
What follows is a like-for-like recreation of the game. Joel enters the operating theatre and slaughters the lead surgeon before rescuing Ellie as the dead man’s horrified colleagues look on (one of whom is played by Laura Bailey, the voice of Abby in The Last Of Us Part II).
With an unconscious Ellie in his arms, Joel heads to the parking lot where Marlene confronts him. Time then skips forward to the pair driving away from the hospital as Ellie asks what happened. We haven’t seen it all yet – but, instinctively, we know. And through that, we feel the shame Joel holds for his actions. It is unmistakably smart editing.
Joel lies and tells Ellie that there are many others with immunity but the research proved inconclusive. He says raiders attacked the hospital and killed the Fireflies, necessitating their hasty exit.
In a flashback, we ultimately see Marlene plead with Joel before he kills her. “You’d just come after her,” he says as he remorselessly pulls the trigger. His hesitation and trust in the soldier caused Sarah to be shot at the start of the outbreak. And he won’t let it happen again.
As the two approach Jackson, Ellie – unconvinced- asks Joel about what happened at the hospital. He swears he told her the truth. “OK,” responds Ellie in wilful ignorance. As in the game, the screen cuts to black.
The Last of Us season one finale review: Verdict
Over the years, video games have struggled to be taken seriously as a true art form. The Last of Us did so much to change that perception. It is only fitting that such a beloved game gets a worthy adaption that proves video games can tell stories worthy of mainstream appreciation.
The finale, like the rest of the season, could have benefitted from more time to breathe. But it is excellent television nonetheless. Taken on its own, “Look for the Light” is a fantastic 40+ minutes of TV. And it expertly sets up the unsparingly savage events to come in season two. I can’t wait.
Overall Rating: 9/10
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