Warning: Spoilers ahead for The Last of Us Part II - which will be used to adapt season 2 of the TV show.The Last of Us season 2 introduces a huge original addition to the adaptation that is not only absent from the source material but also rectifies a common grievance with the show's inaugural run of episodes. The smattering of changes made to the game for The Last of Us season 1 will invariably impact the story moving forward. However, one of the newest alterations arguably didn't need to be included at all. That being said, it looks as though it will vastly improve what was already likely to be a thrilling second season.
Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey will reprise their respective roles as part of The Last of Us season 2's cast. The adaptation will also introduce new actors to play established characters from the games. Season 2 also continues the trend of creating characters who never appeared in the source material - such as Catherine O'Hara's as-yet-unnamed The Last of Us persona. In line with the games, season 2 appears to include a small time jump, meaning there will be a multiyear gap between the ending of The Last of Us season 1 and the start of the upcoming run.
The Last Of Us Season 2 Trailer Teases Jackson Will Be Stormed By Zombies
Jackson has often been presented as an impenetrable fortress
The word "Zombie" isn't used in The Last of Us. Instead, the various undead creatures fall under the umbrella term of "The Infected." Although the franchise doesn't really take its narrative from the presence of the Infected, they do inform large parts of the plot and the world in which it's set. In the games, the Infected are often a massive obstacle that needs to be overcome, but they were used sparingly in season 1 - much to the chagrin of existing fans. The Last of Us season 2 trailer has several moments that promise the show's formula is being changed.
The fenced-in community of Jackson in The Last of Us has already been established both in the games and the show to be a safe haven from the horrors that exist outside its boundaries.
The fenced-in community of Jackson in The Last of Us has already been established both in the games and the show to be a safe haven from the horrors that exist outside its boundaries. Within the context of a video game, it makes perfect sense to have an area like this. In a live-action equivalent, it's perhaps a little too idyllic to warrant an ongoing state of peace. Therefore, the TV show has decided to make the implied addition of having a huge horde of the Infected storm the gates of Jackson.
Setting too much of the source material at Jackson wouldn't make for a very exciting experience. So, although some key moments do unfold there, it's not a setting that's commonly used. Because of this, the terrifying moment shown in the trailer may have a counterpart within the world of the games, and perhaps it's just never shown or acknowledged. It's unlikely, but it's an interesting thing to ponder. What's more likely is the scene has been included to account for the disappointment of certain viewers when it comes to the show's reduced presence of the Infected compared to the games.
Why It Makes Sense To Include More Zombies In The Last Of Us Season 2
Joel & Ellie's dynamic needed to be strongly established before the Infected could take to the limelight
The Last of Us' larger narrative all comes down to the dynamic that develops between Joel and Ellie - regardless of whether it's the source material or the adaptation that's being experienced. Although the surrogate father-daughter relationship that slowly evolves wouldn't exist without the post-apocalyptic setting, this doesn't change the fact that the Infected have never been intended as the franchise's biggest pull. The undead monsters are certainly a huge factor in The Last of Us' success, but allowing them to overshadow Joel and Ellie in season 1 would have been a mistake.
Ramping up the presence of the Infected in The Last of Us season 2 won't hide how vital Joel and Ellie's relationship is or was.
Even though Joel's death in The Last of Us Part II game strongly suggests a rapid exit for Pascal's version of the character in season 2, Joel's bond with Ellie and how she processes his loss continues to be the story's main driving force. However, the importance of their relationship has now been strongly proven to be the real point of the franchise's existence. So, ramping up the presence of the Infected in The Last of Us season 2 won't hide how vital Joel and Ellie's relationship is or was.
Zombies Still Won't Be The Real Villains Of The Last Of Us Season 2
The Last of Us' human characters are far scarier than the Infected
The beauty of the Infected is that a scene can be full of them, and they still aren't the real antagonists. Sure, they're not heroes either, but that's not the point. Instead, they're just another struggle that the human characters have to survive in order to live what remains of some form of a normal life. The Infected are mindless beasts with no real agenda other than to instinctively kill whoever crosses their paths. They have no say in their villainy.
The Last of Us's bad guys are invariably those untouched by the rampant Cordyceps. While there are those looking to exploit survivors' hardships for personal gain, many of the franchise's bad guys aren't villains in the traditional sense. Instead, they're very easy to perceive as just as morally gray as characters like Joel and Ellie. For instance, one of the biggest "villains" in the coming season will be Kaitlyn Dever's Abby - and as existing fans know, Abby has her reasons for wanting Joel and Ellie dead. There are also more nefarious human characters lurking in The Last of Us canon.
