The Last Of Us will officially return for a second season.
Based on the 2013 game by developer Naughty Dog, the show follows Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) 20 years after civilisation has been ravaged by a deadly infection.
The show’s first season came to an end with the episode Look For The Light, which aired in March, 2023. HBO renewed the series for a second season back in January.
What happened in The Last Of Us season one finale?
The first season concluded at the exact same point as the original game. In the episode, Joel decides to save Ellie from the Fireflies, who want to operate on her in the hopes of producing a vaccine for the infection – with the caveat that she will be killed.
After interrupting the operation, killing Marlene and saving Ellie in an unconscious state, Joel lies to her about what actually happened. Instead, Joel tells Ellie the Fireflies found other immune people like her and had failed to create a cure from them. After Ellie asks again, Joel insists this version of events is true.
What will happen in The Last Of Us season 2?
The show’s second season is set to be based on the game’s sequel, The Last Of Us Part II, which was released in 2020.
The main question is how much of the game will be adapted in the second season. Speaking to Gizmodo, co-creator Craig Mazin suggested additional seasons may be required to fully adapt The Last Of Us Part II.
“I think that the amount of story that remains that we have not covered would be more than a season of television,” Mazin said. “So assuming we can keep going forward, the idea would be to do more than just one more season. But this isn’t the kind of show that is going to be seven seasons.”
As such, it’s likely the second season will cover the first half of The Last Of Us Part II. The sequel takes place four years later, where Joel and Ellie have built life in Jackson, Wyoming. Their relationship however has become strained in the intervening years.
The plot is driven by the introduction of Abby Anderson, who is part of a militia group based in Seattle, Washington. After Joel and Tommy rescue Abby from the infected while out on patrol, the pair follow her to an outpost being used by her group. The long absence of Joel and Tommy causes Ellie and her girlfriend Dina to search for them, where they discover the outpost and witness Abby beat Joel to death.
This catalyst is the main thrust of The Last Of Us Part II, as Tommy, Ellie and Dina pursue Abby in a hunt for revenge. As all these events take place in the opening hours of the sequel, it’s reasonable to assume this will be covered in the second season. The big question is how much further the show will dive into Part II’s story.
The Last Of Us is available to stream on HBO Max in the US and NOW in the UK.
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