Ellie's Emotional State After The Last Of Us Season 2, Episode 1 Explained By Bella Ramsey: "There's A Constant Questioning In Her Head"

Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Last of Us Season 2, Episode 1, "Future Days", and The Last of Us Part II.After Ellie suffered another confrontation with the infected in The Last of Us season 2, Bella Ramsey believes that her character could be struggling emotionally. In the five-year time jump between seasons 1 and 2, Ellie and Joel (Pedro Pascal) found a new home in Jackson, Wyoming, but that has not saved Ellie from another confrontation with the infected. After Joel killed many Fireflies during The Last of Us season 1's ending, Ellie has been grappling with her unexplained immunity. A new bite from the infected has forced her to reflect on that horrifying day.

In an interview with ScreenRant's Liam Crowley at the South by Southwest film festival, Ramsey discussed the impact that the bite has had on her mental state. While Ellie found it "more annoying" than distressing, Ramsey still believes that it is "very burdensome" for her, as the bite reminds her of everything that Joel potentially did to the Fireflies. Check out Ramsey's quote below:

ScreenRant: Ellie gets bit again, but now she's back to hiding it from the outside world because everything that happens with the Fireflies. What is it like for her to get back in that headspace of hiding something that is so crucial to her identity?

Bella Ramsey: I think there's a constant questioning in her head about where season 1 ends. I'm sure getting bit probably brings that up again. I think that it's just something that she carries and has done her whole life, and I think it's more annoying than anything to her that she has to hide.

This thing is pretty cool, but also very burdensome. It's burdensome to be the potential cure. Obviously, that didn't work out, but to know that she has this thing that she has to keep secret, I think is just a bit annoying more than anything.

What the Bite Means for Ellie

Ellie Has Already Been Bitten Several Times

While Ellie had only been bitten once in the Last of Us II game to this point, this is her third bite in the live-action adaptation. In season 1, she earned her second bite after an infected person captured her in front of Joel and Tess (Anna Torv). The supermarket bite is now Ellie's third, which makes it far more difficult to hide her immunity from the rest of Jackson's residents. Fortunately, it is on her torso, which should make it simpler, but Ellie will still need to wrestle with the potential of discovery.

Ellie previously erased bites by burning the skin and agreeing to a large tattoo over the site of the wound, but Jackson's citizens could begin to question if Ellie continues to have constant chemical burns. With Ellie still struggling with her crumbling relationship with Joel, she will have no one to confide in about her shaky emotional state. She may be attempting to live a semi-normal life, but her immunity is proof that she will never be able to enjoy anything of the sort.

Our Take On Ellie's Emotional State

Season 2 Will Challenge Her Immensely

In many ways, The Last of Us season 2 is about Ellie's relationship with Joel, and the premiere is already proving that their relationship has been shattered. No matter how close they were before the Fireflies, Ellie simply does not trust her former protector. If she is struggling emotionally, she will have no one to go to and no one to rely on. It is an immensely sad reality for the young survivor, as she is alone even among her friends. This bite may be a departure from the games, but it only further enhances Ellie's tragic story.