The last of us

[Botw1]

Is it weird to say no game spoilers? I've not played the game so don't know the game story line

Who else is watching?

The 1st 2 episodes were really good

But wow. Ep 3 is amazing.

I actually cried over characters I'd known for less than 1 hour

Yeah, I think my only criticism would be that it felt a little episodic at times, like we needed to spend more time seeing the characters get from one point to another? I.e. there's a big chunk of time I think between episode 5 and 6, and then another jump after they walk away from Silver Lake, where I would have liked to see a bit more of the fallout as it's such a massive turning point in their relationship. The final episode felt a little too short?

But these are just minor gripes really as on a whole I thought it was adapted brilliantly, from memory they didn't leave anything out from the original game and actually expanded a few things significantly (i.e. Ellie's mum, Bill & Frank).

“It wasn’t time..” was the line that got me howling.

The whole “let’s cut her brain up and synthesise this totally new chemical transmitter” made me mad when I played the game and still makes me mad now (Scientist). Stupid. The probability of being able to do that is incredibly low.

I was a bit confused my her mum being infected.

I thought she had been attacked before we first saw her but are we supposed to think the infected that attacked her in the house infected her?

That was minutes before if not as the baby was being born so how could she have transferred immunity?

Also I've read a few reviews that are saying that the ending is a massive twist and really divisive

Am I missing something?

I thought it would end with either 1 of them dying.

Joel saving Ellie makes total sense and is not a twist or divisive to me

Plus, the whole Marlene explaining the plot felt a bit James bond villainy

Surely she didn't think Joel would just walk away?

I would’ve loved to spend more time with them on the journey - there were some big time jumps. But as a non-game player I think overall it was beautifully done.

@Botw1 what’s supposed to be divisive is if Joel did the right thing or not. I agree though that his choice wasn’t really a surprising one.

@Robostripes

For that to be a dilemma it would have to be believable that the plan would work and I don't think they invested enough in making it even slightly believable.

So to me, it just looked like Joel saving Ellie from a stupid plan

I think it's also the morals of what Ellie would want. And throughout the game we can see that Ellie wants to be helpful, she wants to save the world. Her choice would be to sacrifice herself for even a chance for a vaccine, and Joel didn't give her that. Granted neither did the hospital but I think that's also where some of the morals lie.

I meant throughout the show sorry!

I'm not sure what part of the game you're referring to? The ending in the show was the same as the game. I can't think of anything that was missing.

If anyone needs cheering up though, this video of the "alternate" ending to the game is hilarious. It's not a real alternate ending, it was the director pranking the actor who plays Joel (as he explains in the video). But this is the same Marlene from the show and they both kill it with their performance

I watched it again after watching the final episode and it's still priceless

@TitoMojito

I think it might have been for the second game now.

I quickly shut it down so didn't read it properly

Wow, my whole message disappeared

I was SAYING if you need cheering up, the "alternate" ending to the game is hilarious. As he explains, the director wanted to prank the actor playing Joel and got the actress who plays Marlene (same actress who plays her in the show!) involved. It's priceless

Ahh right. Yeah the ending was the same for the game. A wonderful ending. I still remember the feeling when I finished it the first time all those years ago. And hearing that credit music. So many feelings.

Well!

Just watched it.

I thought I knew the ending

Apparently not and I'm very glad

The dilemma is what Ellie would want, which is why it’s significant that the Fireflies don’t ask for her consent. If they had she would have consented without hesitation, even if the chance of it working was tiny.

The ‘okay’ at the end from Ellie is really ambivalent. She knows Joel is probably lying to her. She is choosing to believe him now but when the truth comes out, how will she ever forgive him for killing all those people and denying her the chance that her life might finally have some meaning?

By the way, I have been waiting a month to congratulate this pp who worked out the ending four episodes ago!

@MotherOfHouseplants

I take your point but I think mine still stands

I don't think they spent enough time on either the plan or what Ellie might have wanted

I am going to miss this hugely- I've absolutely loved it. This and House Of The Dragon have been great new debuts for HBO

I think she’ll forgive him because she loves him so much and she wants to believe in someone - him. I wish we got to see a bit more of them enjoying some peace together at the end, after all that horror. I could hardly bare some of it, but an amazing series and incredible acting

I’m not sticking drowns for series two.

Felt that a lot of episodes dragged.

The birth scene in tonight’s episode was laughable. I’m guessing they don’t have knickers in the post-apocalyptic world. Labour wards should start showing scary movies to patients- one good jumpscare and out pops the baby.

I've just finished watching as well. I actually feel physically and emotionally wrung out. It was so incredibly emotionally engaging, but what an unfortunate setting to become so emotionally engaged with the characters. It was almost too much for me.

On the way to the hospital, Ellie was unusually quiet, as noticed by Joel. Do you think she suspected that they might need to kill her to find the cure?

I loved that bit too and it was a nice nod to the fact that the natural world wouldn't care about a human apocalypse, it would gradually reclaim the planet.

I have a hunch about how the game ends. If I am right it is very sad.

@IClaudine

No I think it was just her traumatised by what had happened

Yes. She would be slightly traumatised!