The Last of Us Part 1qThe Last of Us Part 1 ending

Ashley Johnson - who played Ellie in the original games - appears as Ellie's mother, Anna. In its final episode, Season 1 of The Last of Us brought back a fan fave franchise actor and confirmed a massive fan theory. Was Ellie's Mom Being Bitten What Gave Her Immunity? HBO Whatever happens, this is a choice that will haunt the pair going forward. Pitting Joel and Ellie against the group would make a lot of sense and Joel would have the added stress of having to keep the truth from Ellie while protecting her. Though he took out all the witnesses it makes sense that other Fireflies will eventually head to the hospital and discover what he did. But while Joel saves her, he also lies to her about what happened, once again ignoring Ellie's right to make the decision for herself.Īs we look to Season 2, it's clear that Joel's choice here will be a major source of conflict. The Fireflies didn't give Ellie a choice whether to sacrifice herself or not, though the show has led us to believe she may have taken it.

It also raises massive questions about agency.

But, seeing as he just slaughtered a bunch of Fireflies and maybe the only man able to make a cure, this isn't a decision that'll be without ramifications.

Just like in the game this represents the central moral conflict of the story: Is it worth sacrificing one life to potentially save millions? To Joel the answer is clearly no. He plays possum just long enough to get the drop on the Fireflies, and then shoots his way through the hospital to get to Ellie before ultimately facing off with Marlene in the parking garage. The bad news? The operation will kill Ellie - and it turns out the girl wasn’t brought up to speed on the whole dying thing before being put under.Īs expected, Joel takes the news quite poorly. The good news? The doctor thinks that they can create a cure from that. In an expansion on what we learn in the game where Marlene's reasoning behind Ellie's immunity is vaguely suggested to be 'a mutation' here Marlene explains to Joel that the scientists believe that Ellie has been immune since birth, due to the Cordyceps 'growing with her.' That's led to the Cordyceps in her body essentially sending out a message to others saying she is Cordyceps. Marlene (Merle Dandridge) explains that Ellie's already being prepped for surgery. After being waylaid by the Fireflies, Joel awakens in the facility. But nothing soft can last in the apocalypse and things are soon turned on their heads. We get some iconic moments from the game, including the awe-inspiring scene when Ellie discovers a giraffe and Joel helps her feed it. He's committed to his new life with Ellie and even suggests that they just head back to Jackson and give up on their quest. In the wake of the shocking final episode, we're here to break down the ending and break down the burning questions we have headed into the next season - with as few game spoilers as possible, of course! The Last of Us Finale Ending Explained HBOĪfter making their way to Salt Lake City, Joel is feeling pretty good. Gamers were likely fully aware of what was to come in the heartbreaking finale, but it was a violent ride that shifts our expectations of heroes and the sacrifices they're willing to make for those unfamiliar with the source material. Over an impactful first season we've followed Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) through the post-apocalyptic wastelands of Cordyceps infected America in the hopes of finding the Fireflies and their potential cure.

The Last of Us Part 1qThe Last of Us Part 1 ending