6 The Last of Us Part II Scenes HBO Must Include & Should Not Change

The first season of The Last of Us on HBO has proven to be a fairly faithful adaptation of the game that inspired it, and season 2 will need to do the same to continue the epic story. The Last of Us was first released for PlayStation in 2013, and gained notoriety for the game's incredible storytelling. While the narrative follows a zombie outbreak, the exploration of characters, relationships, and the nitty-gritty details of what life becomes in such dark times make it the perfect game to be adapted for television.

The Last of Us season 1 did a great job of adapting the narrative in a condensed format over nine episodes, earning the series dozens of awards, including eight Primetime Emmys. However, as with any adaptation, the story did see some moments altered to fit in with the medium of TV, and the creators, Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin, did a great job of knowing when to adjust, and when to keep things as they were. The Last of Us Part II digs even deeper into its characters, and several scenes need to be translated faithfully to properly tell the story.

6 Joel's Death In The Last Of Us Part II

Probably In TLoU Season 2, Episode 1

One of the most shocking elements of The Last of Us Part II is the death of its central protagonist, Joel. In both the game and the show, Joel (played by Pedro Pascal) is the first character introduced, and the story follows his life in the ravaged world. In the first game, and episode 1 of the first season, a pivotal moment is when Joel loses his daughter Sarah, which continues to plague Joel for decades. This loss is part of the reason Joel develops a fatherly connection with Ellie (Bella Ramsey).

In The Last of Us Part II, an essential moment for the rest of the story and Ellie's arc in the game comes when Joel is killed in front of her. The scene where this plays out in the game is grueling, slow, and traumatizing, but it is pivotal in introducing Abby to the story and realizing the pain and suffering caused by Joel's selfishness in The Last of Us' season 1 finale. The second game, and thus the second season of the show, is not Joel's story, and it needs to definitively shift to have Ellie as the central character, with Abby as another pivotal figure.

5 Joel And Ellie Visit The Museum

Ellie's Flashbacks

The second game jumps forward four years, and in that time, Ellie and Joel have grown and changed in many ways. The show will need to decide how the story is told, but the game already laid events out in the perfect order. By including such a gripping and intense moment as Joel's death early on, Joel was no longer the protagonist of the story. However, his influence remained throughout thanks to Ellie's flashbacks. One of the most emotional and touching flashbacks occurs one year after Joel saves Ellie from the fireflies when he surprises her with a trip to the museum for her birthday.

Much of the trip is playable in the game as Ellie explores the exhibits and the pair talk about the exhibits. The scene reveals how deeply Joel cares about Ellie and his desire to make her happy, as well as the happiness and peacefulness that Ellie gets to experience with Joel. Of course, the story then takes things to a darker place, but this flashback and the others are essential for expanding the complex relationship between Ellie and Joel, as well as bringing Joel back into the series despite his death.

4 Ellie Learns The Truth

That Joel Killed The Firefly Surgeon

For years, Joel tried to cover up the fact that he murdered the surgeon who hoped to use Ellie's brain to develop a cure. In the finale of The Last of Us season 1, Joel covers up the truth and Ellie's confusion and doubt can clearly be seen, just as they appear in the games. While what Joel did came from a place of love, it was also an extremely selfish act that essentially doomed all humankind. However, the story of The Last of Us is one that is fundamentally human, not superhuman. Joel's actions likely represent the same choice many others would make in that position.

3 Ellie's Darkest Moments

Seeking Revenge

After Joel's death, Ellie embarks on a maddening journey to get revenge on the people responsible. Much of The Last of Us Part II deals with Ellie finding her surrogate father's killers and inflicting pain and suffering on them. However, while Ellie is devoted to her mission, it leads her to exceptionally dark places. For example, when Ellie finds two of the people who were present when Joel was killed, she murders and tortures them for information. However, one of them is clearly pregnant, and Ellie's own violent and cruel actions affect her tremendously, leading to her developing PTSD.

Revealing these parts of Ellie's darker side and the path she begins to walk down for revenge is essential to telling her story. The pain and suffering she inflicts on others, no matter who they are, and the potential for life and a future permanently affects her. Ellie committing to these dark acts and then being haunted by them should appear in TLoU season 2 in order to effectively tell her story and see her changing from a young unburdened child, to a woman weighed down by her past and choices.

2 Ellie And Abby's Final Fight

The Last Stand

Ellie and Abby in The Last of Us Part II become the two central characters, with their stories intertwining until their inevitable conflict. Ellie builds up so much resentment and anger towards the person who killed Joel, and when she is finally standing in front of her, they get into a savage fight between two people with dwindling energy and strength. Ellie gaining the upper hand and having the opportunity to end Abby's life is another key moment in her story, leading to her stepping back, and sparing Abby.

Ellie has already developed so much trauma, lost her father figure in Joel, lost her lover in Dina, and lost her humanity in killing and torturing others. When it finally comes time to put Abby down, she sees how far she has fallen and the pointless nature of her attempt to find peace through more violence. This scene would need to play out in a later season if the game is broken up across multiple seasons, with Ellie losing her fingers, and the pair having next to no energy, or real desire to fight. The fight is fueled by the past, and it provides the perfect moment for letting go.

1 Returning To Joel's Home

Forgiveness Wins Out Over Revenge

The Last of Us Part II is defined by the narrative around vengeance, but the final scenes of the game change everything that came before when it reveals Ellie and Joel's final conversation before Joel was killed. Ellie went years not knowing the truth about Joel's actions in the Firefly hospital, and then when she learned the truth, she went another couple of years, keeping her distance from him. For most of the game, it appears that Ellie is seeking vengeance, in part, because she never got to have a resolution with Joel.

However, in the final moments of the game, when Ellie picks up a guitar and is unable to use the gift that Joel gave her in teaching her guitar thanks to her missing fingers, the flashback of their final meeting plays out. Joel once again confirmed that he stood by his actions, and Ellie forgave him, understanding his actions came from a place of love. It was this same ability to forgive that let Ellie spare Abby, and saw her walk away from her former home, letting go of the past and finally moving forward to a new chapter.