The first season of The Last of Us ended with an intense and epic ending. But the final episode could have ended otherwise. Warning, spoilers.
Warning, spoilers. It is advisable to have seen the first season of The Last of Us before continuing to read this article.
After nine intense episodes, the first season of The Last of Us ended on an epic and melancholy note. The final chapter, titled “Look for the Light,” marked the end of Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) journey to the Fireflies’ lair in Salt Lake City.
After the dangerous crossing of the United States devastated by an epidemic caused by the fungus Cordyceps, Joel and Ellie have grown considerably closer to the point of having built an almost filial relationship.
This is why the mercenary does not hesitate for a single second to kill all the members of the Fireflies and to flee with Ellie when he understands that the operation, supposed to allow the creation of a vaccine, means the death of the girl.
A different ending was considered
After they escape, Joel lies to Ellie about what really happened at the hospital and tells her that the Fireflies dropped the vaccine trail. They are on their way to join Wyoming and Tommy, Joel’s brother, in Jackson. Unfortunately, the car lets them go and they have to continue on foot.
HBO
It’s on a hill that Ellie talks about Riley and the various people they’ve lost, but more importantly she asks him to swear to her that everything he said about the Fireflies was the truth. Obviously, the viewer knows that Joel lied but the latter maintains his words.
But co-showrunner Craig Mazin revealed to QG that the final episode could have ended in another way. “[Le réalisateur de l’épisode Ali Abbasi] had the idea to shoot a bit longer and sadder version where Ellie says ‘OK, then she turns around and walks away. And Joel walks over to take care of her.”he explained. “You see them both walking, not really together but apart, towards Jackson. It lingers and then fades. There was something beautiful about that.”
This end imagined by Ali Abbasi (Border, Les Nuits de Mashhad) seemed to want to mark with greater precision the break between Joel and Ellie, who has a hard time believing the words of his protector. Seeing them walk separately could have been an enunciator of the sequel, told in the video game The Last of Us: Part II.
HBO
But showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann (creator of the video game work) preferred to stick to the end of the video game The Last of Us: Part Ias the creator of Chernobyl explains: “We wondered what we were going to do. And then there was this meta-discussion on the opinion of the players. Are they going to be disgusted not to have the original ending or is it that they will be disgusted to have an end that they already know. And in this case, what will be the reaction of those who have not played?
Ending the first season on this shot on Ellie’s face is very important according to Craig Mazin: “At the end of the day, there’s something very specific about this close-up of Ellie. Not knowing what’s coming next, not knowing what she’s doing. she walks away from him, does she walk with him, how does she feel? This moment is definitely on hold.”
Players obviously know what’s next, but neophytes will have to wait for season 2 of The Last of Us, whose production should start soon, to find out about the new adventures of Joel and Ellie.
Season 1 of The Last of Us is available on Prime Video.