We are now three episodes into HBO’s The Last Of Us and we may’ve just had the best episode yet. In episode 3, we were introduced to couple Bill and Frank. Their story took a different approach than the games and was greatly expanded. It made for an incredibly emotional ride that left fans reeling at its conclusion. However, many are asking “what disease does Frank have in The Last Of Us?”
Before we get into that, let’s recap exactly what happened in episode 3 of HBO’s The Last Of Us.
The Last Of Us Episode 3 Recap
The episode started off with Joel and Ellie still reeling from Tess’ unexpected death back in Boston. Joel is clearly angry with Ellie and blames her for what happened. Ellie, however, sets him straight and explains it was their decision to escort her to the Fireflies.
They then embark on a five hour hike to Bill and Frank’s. Along the way they stop at a gas station where Joel recovers his stashed supplies and hides the assault rifle he was carrying.
Unbeknownst to Joel, Ellie ventures into the basement and kills a trapped Infected.
The two then get back on the road and come across a mass grave containing the bodies of evacuees slaughtered by the military.
We then flash back to 2003 and witness the evacuees being escorted out of town. One resident, a survivalist named Bill, stays behind and loots the town’s remaining resources to set himself up.
Before long, he has plenty of food, supplies, weapons, electricity, and traps to combat intruders.
Some time later, a stranger named Frank – on his way to Boston – falls into one of Bill’s hole traps. Bill takes pity on him, provides him a shower and fresh clothing, and cooks him dinner. Frank is understandably overjoyed.
Before the night is over, the two share a kiss and go to bed together.
We then see how Bill and Frank’s relationship progressed over the subsequent years including how they met Joel and Tess.
Unfortunately, the good times don’t last forever and the couple are eventually attacked by raiders. Bill’s traps take care of the intruders, but he’s shot in the ensuing shoot out. Frank attempts to treat Bill himself and the screen fades to black.
That Heartbreaking Ending
After the next time jump, there’s an unexpected twist. Frank is wheelchair bound and Bill is his carer. Frank has been suffering with what appears to be the effects of a stroke and decides he wants to kill himself.
On his planned final day, Frank and Bill get married and share one final dinner. Frank’s plan is for Bill to mix crushed up pills into his wine before drifting off to sleep never to wake up.
However, Bill has other ideas. He goes through with Frank’s wishes of pouring the wine and mixing in the pills. The pair then share a final drink before Bill reveals he already poisoned the wine before bringing it out. He explains he used enough pills to kill a horse.
Bill and Frank then retire to their bedroom to pass away contented and in peace.
Sometime later, Ellie and Joel arrive to find the house deserted. The bedroom is locked and a letter reveals Bill and Frank’s fate. Luckily for Joel and Ellie, Bill decided to leave all his resources and his car for them to find.
As Joel and Ellie drive off in search of Tommy, the camera withdraws into the window of Bill and Frank’s bedroom. The final shot beautifully mirrors the window scene from The Last Of Us game’s title screen.
What Disease Does Frank Have In The Last Of Us?
When we meet Frank, he is perfectly healthy besides having gone two days without food. Over the years, we see he is an active individual who enjoys DIY and fitness. And that makes it all the more surprising when we see that he is wheelchair bound.
The exact cause of Frank’s illness, be it a disease or other ailment, isn’t explicitly stated. And we can’t look to the The Last Of Us games for the information because he becomes infected and kills himself.
This ambiguity has led many fans to ask, “what does Frank have in The Last Of Us?”
Despite the nature of Frank’s illness never being made clear in the show itself, one of the writers elaborated on his ailment during the show’s official podcast.
This is what disease Frank has in The Last Of Us: According to writer Craig Mazin, Frank has a degenerative neuromuscular disorder that has affected his mobility and quality of life. It is likely either ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neurone disease) or MS (multiple sclerosis).
Mazin explained that they wanted to resist labelling Frank’s condition. “We didn’t necessarily want to specify it [the illness] for the audience, it was either MS or early ALS but it was a degenerative neuromuscular disorder,” Mazin said.
Frank is noticeably suffering with partial paralysis and diminished motor skills. Both are common symptoms of these conditions.
As a result, Frank requires Bill to care for him by pushing his wheelchair, carrying him to bed, and cutting up his food.
Frank even makes a joke about a doctor miraculously delivering an MRI machine, which are commonly used to diagnose neuromuscular diseases.
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