Warning: Major spoilers ahead for the second game inThe Last of Usseries, which will likely spoil future seasons ofThe Last of UsTV show.
Summary
With more episodes ofThe Last of Uson the way, the live-action adaptation will need to include a violent moment from the end of the second game, but it could complicate the show’s future for a specific reason.The Last of Usseason 2’s castcombines familiar faces and newcomers to tell the next chapter of the story, which originated in 2020’sThe Last of Us Part IIgame.The conclusion ofPart IIfeatures an upsetting sequence of eventsthat are essential to one character’s story, but will be tricky to adapt for practical reasons.
The Last of Usseason 1’s endingteased a continuation, but fans of the game series will have known there was still another installment to adapt.Part IIis much longer than the first game, so it would be a struggle to fit the entire story into a single season of television. For that reason, it’s highly likely thatThe Last of Usseason 2 will only address some of the narrative from the second gameand end on a compelling cliffhanger. If so, then one of Ellie’s most intense moments may not appear until deeper into the show’s run.
Complete The Last Of Us Season 1 Timeline (In Chronological Order)
HBO’s The Last of Us timeline for season 1 covers the beginning of the Cordyceps outbreak in 2003 up to 2024 after Ellie and Joel meet.
The Last Of Us TV Show Needs To Include Abby Taking Ellie’s Fingers
Abby bites off 2 of Ellie’s fingers at the end of The Last of Us Part II
Theending ofThe Last of Us Part IIforces Ellie into a violent conflict with Abby, during which she bites off Ellie’s pinky and ring fingers of her left hand. While it’s a grim moment, the full impact of the injury only becomes apparent during the game’s epilogue. With Joel dying at the hands of Abby in the game’s opening act,playing the guitar is the last connection Ellie has to her late father figure.
Abby will be played by Kaitlyn Dever inThe Last of Usseason 2.
So, when she picks up the instrument in the game’s closing moments, the factEllie is unable to play it due to lacking two fingers bringsabout the crushing realization that her blind quest for vengeance has cost her the skill taught to her by Joel - the very man she was trying to avenge by attacking Abby. There is an incredibly dark beauty to the moment, with the upsetting scene allowing the game to draw to the same uneasy ending as the initial entry into the game series. It’ll be a huge loss if the show doesn’t include this sequence.
Abby & Ellie’s Fight Might Not Happen Until The Last Of Us Season 3 (Or Later)
The length of The Last of Us Part II may result in the conflict not making it into season 2
The Last of Us Part IIshows the perspectives of both Ellie and Abby, with the player controlling each character. To provide sufficient context and to allow the player the chance to realize that both women aren’t that different, each of their stories takes hours to complete. Therefore,The Last of Usseason 2 would be doing a disservice to the source materialby trying to fit everything in. The most logical course of action would be to split it into two seasons instead.
With Abby taking Ellie’s fingers right before the second game ends, it would make sense if the moment didn’t happen in the coming season.
With Abby taking Ellie’s fingers right before the second game ends, it would make sense if the moment didn’t happen in the coming season and was instead reserved for near the end ofThe Last of Usseason 3. Alternatively, two seasons may still not be enough to cover every event in the game, especially if the show continues to make as many additions to the games as it did during season 1. If so, thenThe Last of Usseason 4 is a real possibility, and it could be the run to include Ellie’s fight with Abby.
The Last of Uscreator and co-showrunner Neil Druckmann has confirmed Naughty Dog is working on a third game, which could eventually serve as the basis for future seasons of the live-action adaptation.
Why HBO’s The Last Of Us May Avoid This Moment
Bella Ramsey’s Ellie missing fingers could be a tricky thing to sustain
As important and artful as Ellie’s upsetting guitar moment is, the fact she has to lose her fingers for it to happen may result in it being left out.Bella Ramsey’s hand would need to have the ongoing appearance of missing fingersfor the rest of the show’s run, which could be a difficult challenge that would limit her portrayal of the character as well as present unnecessary production challenges. The Ellie avatar in the games can easily have this change made to her appearance, whereas Bella Ramsey cannot.
New Last Of Us Set Photos All But Confirm How Much They’re Covering In Season 2
New leaked photos from the set of HBO’s The Last of Us all but confirm how much of the game will be covered in season 2 (and how faithful it’ll be).
However, there could be an alternative. WhileRamsey’s Ellie may not lose her fingers to Abby’s teeth, the moment with the guitar could be adapted to be altered so it still worked. When she returns to her and Dana’s new family home, as she does in the games, Ramsey’s Ellie could find that the guitar that once belonged to Joel has been damaged or destroyed when Dana left with her young son. It may not be quite as effective as the original versions of events, but it would create fewer problems withThe Last of Us' TV future.
The Last Of Us
Cast
The Last of Us is a post-apocalyptic drama series set two decades after a global catastrophe. It follows Joel, a seasoned survivor, who is tasked with escorting Ellie, a teenage girl, across a desolated United States, transforming into a harrowing journey of survival and companionship.
