I'm Really Going To Need The Last Of Us To Provide An Update On Shimmer ASAP

The Last of Us' latest episode was filled with tense action sequences and several surprises, but Shimmer's absence makes me curious about what HBO is doing with the character, and I need an update soon. "Feel Her Love" was a real return to form for the zombie series as Dina and Ellie's confrontation against the stalkers was exactly the sort of intensity that makes the adaptation so good. Jesse's presence also adds an interesting new dynamic to Dina and Ellie's revenge mission, while The Last of Us season 2, episode 5's ending even featured an unexpected Joel cameo.

The war between the WLF and the Scars has also continued to heat up, and Ellie revealing her immunity to Nora before attempting to interrogate her confirmed that the story is only going to get darker. As a result, I'm worried about what the series plans on doing with one of its most wholesome characters, Shimmer. The reliable horse was first featured in season 1 and has now been tasked with taking Ellie and Dina across Seattle. However, after getting them there safely, she failed to feature in episode 5, creating questions about her future in The Last of Us.

Shimmer Was Last Seen In The Music Store During The Last Of Us Season 2 Episode 4

Ellie & Dina's Horse Was Curiously Absent In "Feel Her Love"

Although Shimmer was a vital part of getting Ellie and Dina to Seattle, she hasn't been seen since the music store in episode 4. After ensuring the shop was clear, Ellie and Dina guided Shimmer into the store where she posted up peacefully, but the duo then traveled on foot, leaving their trusted steed behind. Unfortunately, this left Shimmer's fate unknown. While she was in a relatively secure building that didn't have any immediate threats, Seattle is a bit of a war zone in season 2, meaning it's not out of the question for the WLF to find her.

Perhaps the villainous faction would find a use for her, but given they have access to more advanced methods of transport, it's hard to guarantee Shimmer's safety. However, assuming Shimmer stays safe from The Last of Us' Washington Liberation Front alongside the other dangers lurking in the city, Ellie, Dina, or Jesse may be able to find her and bring the horse to the theater that has become their temporary base of operations. This would give Shimmer a strong chance of surviving the season, which would hopefully mean avoiding her Last of Us Part II fate.

Shimmer's Absence Hints That The Show Will Avoid The Horse's Fate In The Last Of Us Part 2 Game

HBO's Adaptation May Give Shimmer A Much More Optimistic Ending Than She Received In The Source Material

With Shimmer being out of the picture for the last episode and a half, it seems probable that she will avoid her video game fate, which is great news. Considering Pedro Pascal returned as Joel in TLOU season 2's latest episode, it sets up a flashback for the penultimate outing of the season, further strengthening Shimmer's chances of survival. In the source material, Shimmer tragically stumbles across one of the WLF's mines, leading to her being severely wounded as Ellie and Dina are bucked off the horse, leading to an ambush by the evil faction.

Sadly, one of the soldiers swiftly shot Shimmer in the head as Ellie watched on, creating a heartbreaking fate that left players stunned. Given that she is one of the few truly innocent characters in The Last of Us franchise, watching Shimmer suffer such a sudden and brutal death certainly had a big impact, but it would be a nice change if HBO went a different route. Fortunately, with the series already on day 2 of Ellie and Dina's Seattle journey, Shimmer has lasted longer than her video game counterpart, meaning she may be spared in the TV adaptation.

Although The Last of Us tells an incredibly dark and depressing story, the TV show has made some key changes that have made it a little lighter in some areas, and allowing Shimmer a happy ending would be a wholesome tweak that doesn't detract from the story, especially since it has already established how sinister the WLF can be. Therefore, her recent absence suggests Shimmer could show up in season 3 safe and sound, getting a much better conclusion than The Last of Us Part II offered.