I’ve been quite excited about the second season of HBO’s The Last of Us, but it seems to have stirred up a bit of controversy among fans. If you’re familiar with “The Last of Us Part II” video game, you might notice that the show departed from Ellie’s intense pursuit of vengeance in a way that felt different from the game. For those who haven’t played the game, let me tread carefully here: In episode two, Joel, our main character from season one, meets an untimely end. I apologize for any spoilers I may have unintentionally shared.
What might come as an even bigger surprise is that the third season seems to be steering away from Ellie and Joel’s storylines, focusing instead on a character named Abby. Yes, you read that right – Abby, the WLF soldier who was responsible for Joel’s demise in season two. In fact, Neil Druckmann, the creator of both the game and the show, confirmed this during an Emmys FYC panel.
In the series, Kaitlyn Dever portrays Abby, who’s the child of the Firefly doctor seeking a cure for the cordyceps disease. Unfortunately, Joel ends up killing him before the cure could be found. This tragic event leads to Abby hunting down and brutally avenging her father’s death. In the game, this twist is startling, but even more stunning is that players must assume control over Abby for a significant portion of the remaining gameplay.
As a movie critic, I found myself utterly astonished when Neil Druckmann revealed that HBO gave us the creative freedom to make those daring, divisive choices, such as ending Joel’s life so prematurely. However, it seems that these decisions were integral to the story’s progression. In fact, even now, I can scarcely believe that we had the opportunity to shape the series in this manner. And here we are, with season two freshly concluded, and season three set to revolve around the enigmatic Kaitlyn – spoiler alert!
The originator went on to say, “I initially thought they wouldn’t allow us to approach it this way when we began adapting it, but they’ve embraced what I feel sets the story apart. They not only provided us with the necessary time but also creative liberty to make bold moves, and I believe the audience is enjoying that freedom.
It seems that not everyone might be fully on board with it, especially the dedicated fans of Pedro Pascal. However, this show offers something unique compared to previous series. Each season focuses on a different central character. As for whether or not the story will conclude in season three or evolve into a fourth season based on the game’s final hours, that remains uncertain. Given the popularity of The Last of Us, I find it hard to imagine HBO would cut it short unless they absolutely have to.
Kyle Anderson serves as the Senior Editor at TopMob, where he also presents the weekly podcast Laser Focus that delves into pop culture topics. His film and television reviews are available for reading here. Connect with him on Letterboxd.
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2025-06-10 23:03