When it comes to video game adaptations, HBO’s The Last of Us has become the gold standard for the industry going forward. The PlayStation franchise, which began in 2013, quickly took over pop culture thanks to its rich characters and pitch-perfect zombie horror. The second season of the series, adapting The Last of Us Part II, is set to debut in 2025. Its first full trailer was released on Thursday, September 26 in honor of “Outbreak Day”. This was the in-universe date when the cordyceps virus took over the world. However, the trailer wasn’t the only thing Last of Us fans were treated to during this yearly event, as it's been revealed that we’re getting new action figures for Joel and Ellie.
This PlayStation official figure two-pack from Spin Master features Joel and Ellie in their main game looks from the first Last of Us game. That means these aren’t based off the series where they’re played by Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, respectively. These 6-inch scale figures also come with a handful of accessories. This includes interchangeable hands, a backpack for each character and weapons. The latter of which features a machete for Joel and Ellie’s signature bow, among other survival tools. The set will be $49.99 USD.
The State of Joel & Ellie’s Relationship Heading into ‘Last of Us’ Season 2
While The Last of Us is a frightening horror franchise, its emphasis on meaningful character relationships and relatable human storytelling has made it have a wider appeal. There’s no bigger example of that than Joel and Ellie’s surrogate father-daughter dynamic. After the events of the first game, which are mirrored in Season 1, their relationship is left a bit fractured. Instead of sacrificing Ellie’s life to potentially find a cure for the virus, Joel kills the Fireflies’ leader and the doctors involved in the proceedings.
Joel took Ellie with him during the chaos. To make matters worse in Ellie’s eyes, Joel lied to her about what went down. That has eaten away at her in the years leading up to The Last of Us Part II, which Season 2 will begin to cover. Joel’s decision, no matter what fans thought of it, had major consequences for the sequel's plot. Not just for his relationship with Ellie, but the larger cordyceps-filled universe. It’s going to be exciting to see how Season 2 adapts those dire choices that fans are still talking about over four years after Part II’s original release.
Where Can You Stream ‘Last of Us’?
The Last of Us Season 1 is currently streaming on Max. It’s also available to purchase on 4K and Blu-ray. If you want to tackle the source material ahead of Season 2’s debut in 2025, both the remakes of The Last of Us Part I and Part II are available for PS5. Before your next horror-filled binge or gaming session, you can pre-order Joel and Ellie’s new figure two-pack on Amazon. The set will be released on November 1.
