Episodes 2 and 3 of The Last of Us Season 2 offer brutal examinations on the toll of vengeance and guilt. Bella Ramsey, Gabriel Luna, and Isabela Merced continue to shine in their performances, while showrunner Craig Mazin expands on the game’s story.
The Last of Season 2 Episodes 2 and 3 Overview
After the traumatizing ending of Episode 2, I needed a week to deal with the fallout. Plus, I wanted to see how episode 3 would follow up on Joel’s death.
- Will Ellie go on her revenge tour immediately?
- Who helps Ellie?
- How will the town respond following the infected attack?
These two episodes answer those questions in ways that are loyal to the original story but expand and tinker with it in satisfying ways. The most intelligent decision is allowing more time to pass following the climactic event of episode two.
Time can heal some wounds. However, with guilt, time can deepen the hurt and thirst for vengeance. For example, the opening scene of episode 2 is with Abby warning herself not to look at the body of her dead father. Allowing five years gave Abby time to conceive of every manner of pain her father may have endured, making her quest for justice more bloodthirsty.
Ellie is going through the same emotions. However, 3 months passed following the attack on Jackson instead of 5 years. Ellie’s a good liar and spends the entirety of episode three masking her real feelings to Tommy (Luna), Dina (Merced), Jesse (Young Mazino), Gail (Catherine O’Hara), and the council. Ellie only reveals the depth of her pain when she’s alone.
Overall, these two episodes succeed in not only demonstrating the pain of losing Joel but also setting up the next adventure without him.
Through the Valley Review
Episode 2, Through the Valley, revolves around two storylines. Abby’s arrival and the infected’s attack on Jackson.
Ellie wakes up after the disastrous dance. She plans to go on patrol with Joel, but Joel decides to let Ellie sleep in. Dina joins Joel. Ellie patrols with Jesse.
Meanwhile, Abby arrives outside Jackson with her group. Owen tries to talk Abby down to no avail. Abby accidentally awakens the infected but is saved by Joel and Dina. Abby pursuades them to hide out at the cabin until the horde passes.
Meanwhile, the horde sets its sights on Jackson. The town is destroyed primarily in an impressively staged and directed sequence by Mark Mylod. The attack serves two main, successful narrative purposes. It showcases Tommy’s character by leading a bloater away from Maria. Also, serves as a good excuse for why Tommy loses contact with Joel.
Back at the cabin, Dina is drugged by Abby and her crew. They force Joel to disarm and Abby begins torturing Joel with a golf club after Joel tells them to “get on with it, already.”
Ellie arrives at the cabin and sees a bloody, beaten Joel. She’s subdued, but still conscious. She begs Joel to get up. He begins to stir, but Abby ends it by stabbing Joel in the neck with the broken club as Ellie begs her to stop. After the killing blow, Ellie promises to kill them all.
The brutal episode ends with Ellie and Dina taking Joel’s body back to Jackson.
The Path Review
Episode 3, The Path, starts in the immediate aftermath. Tommy is cleaning up his brother, Joel, ahead of his burial. Luna’s delivery of the line “say hello to Sarah” broke me. Then the scene switches to the hospital, where Ellie wakes up screaming in horror at what she witnessed before going unconscious.
The episode moves ahead 3 months. Jackson is still recovering and Ellie is ready to leave the hospital. Gail pays Ellie visits. Ellie, masking her true feelings, says all the right things, but as she walks alone in the hospital hallways, Ellie’s expression changes to something much darker. Ramsey’s facial reactions throughout this episode are fantastic and give way to the most emotional scene in the episode.
Ellie visits Joel’s home. She admires Joel’s wood carvings and looks into the room that used to be hers. Joel’s watch and gun were secured in a nice box on Joel’s bed. Then, she looks in the closet, spots Joel’s jacket and collapses in a puddle of tears.
Dina arrives at the house. She knows the names of the Firefly faction and where they’re going. Dina also admits to lying to Ellie about it. It wasn’t to prevent Ellie from going. Dina loves Joel too; It was tactical. If you know where your enemies are going, wait for them to arrive, then pursue them.
Ellie continues to try to say the right things. She appears before the council to make her case for Jackson to send 16 people out to hunt down Abby and her crew. The still-rebuilding town isn’t in a position to lose so many people for this hunt. Ellie makes her case, trying to appeal to justice being served.
The council votes against Ellie. She prepares to go solo, but Dina stops her and devises a plan. With Seth’s help, they obtain the necessary supplies and head towards Seattle. Along the way, they talk about the kiss, and once again, Ellie masks her true feelings.
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Introducing the Seraphites
On their journey, Ellie and Dina make a horrific discovery. They uncover several slaughtered bodies in the forest. Among them is a father and daughter.
The Seraphites are a group of religious zealots with scars on their faces who worship a prophet and use whistling to issue commands. Among these followers is a father and daughter. The father explains to the daughter about their beliefs and gives her a weapon (hammer) to comfort her. A whistle echoes through the forest, and the group takes cover.
We don’t see them again in the episode until Ellie and Dina discover their bodies.
Episode 3 ends with Ellie and Dina arriving in Seattle. In the foreground, beyond where Ellie and Dina can see, is a small army amassing in the city, indicating the force Ellie and Dina are up against.
The Last of Us Episodes 2 and 3 Final Thoughts
These two devastating, emotional episodes are an absolute showcase for Ramsey, Merced, and Luna. I expect great performances from Ramsey and Luna. These are two actors who carry so much emotion with a look. I continue to be blown away by Merced as Dina. Her performance is perfect. She radiates warmth and strategic savvy that Ellie needs.
The Last of Us Episode 2 and 3
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Episode 2 - 10/1010/10
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Episode 3 - 9/109/10
