The TV series is based on The Last of Us Part II, the 2020 video game that's infamous for being a divisive sequel. While some found its subversion to be well-executed and intelligent, others were horrified by the shocking nature of its storytelling. HBO is a network that's made a name for itself by pushing the bounds of television, with shows like The Sopranos and Game of Thrones boasting major twists of a similar ilk. The Last of Us season 2's ending draws from the narrative techniques of the video game, and it's a bold move.
Abby Wasn't Dreaming In The Last Of Us Season 2's Ending
Everything We Saw Really Happened
First, it's worth noting that nothing that happened in The Last of Us season 2's closing sequences was a dream. Ellie, Tommy, and Jesse return to the theater after Ellie kills Owen and Mel, and Abby arrives seeking revenge for her friends. She initially thinks Tommy was the one who killed Owen, Mel, and Nora, but Ellie confesses to being the one. Before Abby fires her gun again, the show cuts to black, and we see Abby waking up on a couch with a book resting on her.
Abby speaks with Manny, one of the men present during Joel's murder, and she leaves her room to meet with Isaac. We saw Isaac earlier in the episode searching for Abby before heading off to a climactic confrontation on a boat. Season 2 introduced the Washington Liberation Front and the Seraphites, but there's still so much going on that will surely be confusing to TV viewers who haven't played the game.
Where Abby Is In The Last Of Us Season 2's Final Scene
Abby Is In The Washington Liberation Front's HQ
Abby is awoken in her room by her roommate, Manny, and is told to go talk to Isaac. She steps outside and into a stadium, which has been transformed into a military operation, set up with tents, vehicles, and tons of people. This is SoundView Stadium, a fictional location that was created based on the real-world Lumen Field, the Seattle stadium where the Seahawks NFL team plays. In The Last of Us, the stadium has been transformed into the headquarters for the W.L.F. This is our first glimpse at the paramilitary organization's full strength.
What "Day One" Means For Abby's Story In The Last Of Us Season 3
Season 3 Will Return To Day One From Abby's Perspective
The Last of Us season 2, episode 4 was titled "Day One," referring to Ellie's first day in Seattle. Rather than tell the story sequentially, we're now going to be returning to Day One, though this time from Abby's perspective, in The Last of Us season 3. This choice follows the video game, which shows the first three days from Ellie's perspective before switching to Abby. In that sense, the recent three episodes have hit many of the same critical story beats as the game, with season 2 ending on the same cliffhanger as the midway point in The Last of Us Part II.
For anyone who was confused by the absence of Abby and her friends throughout season 2, after they were introduced as prominent characters in the season 2 premiere, this is why. Catherine O'Hara confirmed season 3 would focus on Abby, which, of course, doesn't mean the total absence of Ellie and her friends. Abby's side of the story will primarily focus on her and her friends, but The Last of Us wouldn't be the same without our protagonists from Jackson.
