They were often in the presence of enemies, and at times they feared evil.
But Joel was with Ellie, and Ellie was with Joel.
Through the Valley reminds us that in this new world, comfort is fleeting.
Bella Ramsey in ‘The Last of Us’ season 2 episode 2.Credit:Liane Hentscher/HBO
And as the credits roll, Joels not with Ellie anymore.
His brains are on the floor, first Abby warns.
Second Abby doesnt listen.
Rutina Wesley and Ezra Agbonkhese in ‘The Last of Us’.
Does knowing her motivations make whats to come easier?
But she had her reasons.
This collision course is nothing but shades of gray that inevitably lead to slowly oozing red.
Owen (Spencer Lord) assures Abby that he has a plan to find Joel.
Jesse busts her chops a bit before blowing it off and hustling her out the door.
Theyre using their dead brethren as insulation and camouflage, maybe?
Rutina Wesley and Ezra Agbonkhese in ‘The Last of Us’.
Nothings ever gonna change that, ever, she says.
Oh, baby girl.
And if the worst happens, for gods sake, stay off the main street.
Young Mazino in ‘The Last of Us’.
Im sure this wont come in handy anytime soon!
He apologizes for what he said about Ellie and Dina the night before, and for even thinking it.
He also made Ellie Im sorry steak sandwiches to take with her.
Kaitlyn Dever in ‘The Last of Us’.
Ellie appears to feel similarly, and she and Jesse head out on horseback.
He issues an order to Amy in the radio room to crank the signals and call the patrols back.
The weed farm belonged to Eugene,therapist Gails husband, before Joel had to put him down."
Every 10 seconds, he says after fruitlessly bellowing his own message to Joel into the radio.
Her descent quickly turns into an uncontrolled fall that dumps her into a frozen pile of infected.
And how does that feel now?
He saved another lost girl.
Thats what Joel does.
Its too much for three people on horseback.
And its too much for one town.
Tommy takes charge, although he kisses Maria slightly longer than they probably should given the circumstances.
She takes the roof, he takes the wall and Main Street.
And in the tense few minutes before the assault reaches the walls, Tommy checks on his people.
Hes scared and determined as he shouts, Jackson Hole!
Then the infected slam full force into the walls.
The citys defense is positively medieval orMiddle-earthorWesteros.
A massivebloaterchanges the stakes, breaking through the wall and allowing the infected to pour inside.
Jackson Holes ready for them, though.
Tommy tries to take shelter, but the buildings are blocked.
The bloater advances, blackened and burning, until it finally drops at Tommys feet.
(DO NOT SMELL LIKE MUSHROOMS AROUND THESE VERY GOOD BOYS AND VERY GOOD GIRLS.)
As the battle rages in Jackson, Joel, Dina, and Abby have reached the lodge.
The explosions are visible from the mountain, and Joel wants to return immediately to help.
And then Abby announces, Her name is Dina.
And he is Joel.
Mel injects a sedative into Dinas hand, knocking her out.
Its a kindness, Abby says.
Itll spare her hearing and seeing and remembering whats about to happen.
I saved your life, Joel reminds her, glancing over his shoulder as his city burns.
Abby spits back before raising her gun and blasting off his knee.
Unlike Dina, Joel needs to be alert for whats to come.
And here we learn the identity of the person Abby lost.
The person Joel killed.
Eighteen soldiers died that day, along with one doctor.
He was Abbys dad.
But 19-year-old Abby looked at what this stranger did to her father.
What Joel did to her father.
You stupid old man, she says, brandishing a club.
You dont get to rush this.
Then she brings it down on his destroyed knee, again and again and again.
He screams, and her friends watch, their expressions a mixture of satisfied, concerned, horrified.
Abbys been beating Joel for so long that shes sluggish, tired, covered in his blood.
Joels unresponsive on the floor, and Owen calls her name, needing this to be over.
Her screams turn to begging, and although Joels barely conscious, he tries.
But he cant stand, and Abby picks up the broken shaft of a golf club.
She begs this woman shes never met, crying and pleading for her not to do it.
And then she wails as Abby sinks the sharp edge into Joels neck.
Im gonna kill you, she whispers to Abby.
And if her voice is broken, theres no doubt that she means it.
Then she screams it and takes a kick to the stomach courtesy of Manny because of it.
The former Fireflies leave in silence, and Ellie crawls to Joel.
In Jackson, the battles over, and those who suffered bites accept their fate.
