How Much of Jackson in The Last of Us Season 2 is Real? Showrunners Reveal Truth Behind Pedro Pascal Starrer

by

In Season 2 of The Last of Us, we find ourselves five years after Joel made the life-altering decision to protect Ellie from the Fireflies, potentially sacrificing the cure for all humanity. The opening episode sets a serene yet tense atmosphere in the Jackson region of Wyoming, where Joel and Ellie have established a somewhat uncomfortable existence.

In contrast to their close bond in Season 1, Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) have grown apart as time passes. Now that Ellie has reached 19 years of age, she’s become more reserved, establishing her own living space in a garage near their home and seldom engaging in conversation with Joel. The heavy silence between them carries a profoundly intimate weight.

In the grips of guilt and estrangement, Joel embarks on therapy sessions with Gail, a mournful lady whose spouse, Eugene, has passed away.

In one of co-creator Craig Mazin’s cherished sequences, an intense confrontation forces Joel to reveal a truth he’s concealed for years concerning Ellie. Prompted to discuss her, Joel merely replies, “I protected her,” and then departs. This understated scene packs a powerful emotional punch, hinting at the undisclosed slaughter of the Fireflies by Joel.

The town where Jackson resides, overseen by Tommy (Gabriel Luna) and his spouse Maria (Rutina Wesley), has blossomed into a bustling, yet delicate, settlement. According to Joel, it may be taking in survivors at a pace that’s too hasty.

In her current training focusing on combat and wilderness survival, Ellie teams up with Tommy and her closest friend Dina (Isabela Merced) to monitor the periphery for the contaminated. The opening episode subtly suggests a transformation within the infected as well. A particularly chilling moment finds Ellie face-to-face with a fresh type of stalkers who ambush rather than charge recklessly, signaling an alarming development in their behavior that foreshadows more dread to come.

Inside Jackson’s fortifications, the heart of the opening episode revolves around the deepening relationship between Ellie and Dina. On New Year’s Eve, they peacefully dance and exchange their initial kiss amidst festivities.

Ramsey, who studied gameplay walkthroughs prior, commented that the experience seemed dreamlike: “It genuinely seems like I’m playing the game,” she expressed to Variety. The bond between Ellie and Dina is tender, delicate, and brimming with apprehension. Uncertain whether Dina is still with Jesse (portrayed by Young Mazino), Ellie hesitates. However, when Dina draws closer, Ellie starts to allow herself to feel something optimistic, possibly for the first time in a while.

During the creation of the set for the series, they meticulously focused on every little detail when constructing Jackson. The filming location was Minaty Bay, Canada, where they built replicas of stores, houses, including Joel’s own home, even going as far as recreating the jacket hanging in his closet.

In simpler terms, Bella Ramsey expressed that the surroundings were extremely engaging. A character named Gail, introduced exclusively for the series, shares a connection with Eugene, a figure that may be familiar to fans of The Last of Us Part II.

In a recent reveal, co-creator Neil Druckmann mentioned that the character of Eugene will make appearances during flashback sequences, with actor Joe Pantoliano bringing an emotional dimension to Joel’s therapeutic scenes.

Craig Mazin mentioned that the therapy session scene had been under development for quite some time and was initially thought about for Season 1. He described therapy as a potent reflection tool, referring to the scene as one of his favorite scenes to craft and capture on film. Essentially, he likened this dialogue-driven sequence to an exciting action scene composed entirely of words.

Read More

2025-04-14 09:22