Ahead of its return, GamesRadar+ interviewed Druckmann to discuss The Last of Us season 2. In talking about the season's five-year time jump, the franchise creator teased that "so much things have happened" in the gap between seasons, and that it will be "part of the mystery of the season" for Ellie, before going on to praise Bella Ramsey for their work capturing the "maturity" of the 19-year-old version of the character. Check out what Druckmann shared below:
I mean Bella is such an incredible actor that not only are they older, but they've also experienced so much trauma in season one. And so much things have happened in that five-year gap that that's part of the mystery of the season - what happened in those five years. When you're watching Bella perform, you could just see this maturity behind their eyes. That is, it seems very simple, and it's very difficult to pull off and very few actors can pull up the way that they have.
What Druckmann's Tease Means For Ellie's Story In Last Of Us Season 2
The Show's Already Making A Few Tweaks To Its Source Material
While the game does also feature a five-year time jump, Druckmann and co-writer Halley Gross largely used that gap in The Last of Us Part II to explore Abby's backstory, including her relationship with Isaac, as well as Ellie learning the truth of Joel's actions at the Firefly camp from the first game. As for the show's adaptation of the game, Druckmann has already confirmed that season 2 will make a change to how it depicts Abby's backstory, moving it up earlier in order to give audiences the chance to connect with her in a different way than the game.
In looking at his discussion of the five-year time jump providing some kind of mystery for Ellie, the most likely answer is her digging into whether Joel told her the truth about the Firefly camp from The Last of Us season 1 ending. The most recent season 2 trailer has already confirmed Ellie will learn the truth at some point, having a heated confrontation with Joel in which she points out he "swore" he didn't kill them all. With this having happened two years prior to the main story timeline, Druckmann's mystery tease could point to it being expanded into multiple episodes.
The creator's note of there having been a lot to happen between season 1 and 2 is also something that is sure to be important for Ellie's continued growth. Those familiar with the source material know Ellie is facing some of her darkest moments yet, but also some of her most formative, including her relationship with Dina and warmer dynamic with Gabriel Luna's Tommy. With season 2 trailers also teasing the massive Infected horde attack on Jackson, Ellie could find herself investigating how they were drawn to the town.
Our Take On Ellie's Mystery In The Last Of Us Season 2
Another Layer To Keep Even Die-Hard Fans On Their Toes
As with any video game adaptation, Druckmann and co-creator/co-showrunner Craig Mazin have a disadvantage with The Last of Us in having to find ways to keep viewers guessing while still staying true to their source material. Season 1 delivered just enough surprises that even those familiar with the games were kept on their toes, and if Ellie's mystery proves to be more than her investigation into the Firefly outpost from season 1, there may be something intense in store.
