The Last of Us: 10 Questions from Episode 1 Answered the HBO Tv Series?
After three games and two film adaptations, fans of The Last of Us can finally tune into HBO’s highly anticipated video game series. The premiere of the 85-minute series took place on January 16, 2023, and while it remained true to the video game, it also left fans and viewers with many questions. The awaited TV series of The Last of Us will be released on January 15th on HBO, while in Italy on the 16th on Sky and Now. All eyes will be on Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie; the two protagonists will have to prove that they are up to the two main characters of the iconic video game, committed to facing the horrors of The Last of Us Part I and Part II. Viewers will relive powerful and unforgettable emotions, which overwhelmed them already the first time when they played the video game.
The Last of Us: 10 Questions (And Answers) From Fans About The First Episode
From the onset of the pandemic and Sarah’s death to escaping Firefly Hospital to save Ellie, there are many key scenes that the series can’t overlook. Is it possible to enter that world, in that mood, catapulted into such a dense story while remaining anchored to the soul of The Last of Us? Because as we told you in our review of the first episode of The Last of Us the work done by Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin is masterful, but also from the point of view of absolute newbies.
1) Can you watch The Last of Us without playing the game?
One question that has been floating around the internet since The Last of Us premiered is whether people can watch the video game adaptation while never actually playing it. While there have been two full games and a milestone expansion in the last decade, for some The Last of Us is a brand-new story.
Because the series follows the game’s cinematic sequences so closely, it can easily be watched without ever having used a controller. The series quickly, yet effectively introduces each character and dives right into the action, from the moment the apocalypse begins to how main characters Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) cross paths.
2) Why Did the Series Start Out So Drastically Different from The Game?
For fans of the game, however, it’s easy to remember that the very first scene is of Sarah waking up on the couch, then giving Joel the repaired watch for his birthday. Later, she wakes up in the empty house, which happens in the first episode of the television adaptation.
Still, the series premiere started on a much more ominous note, opening with doctors on a 1960s talk show explaining how an apocalypse would start, delving into the issue of a mushroom epidemic. Showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann explained that the scene was meant to scare fans of the video game while also providing insight to viewers who have never played the game.
3) Will Sarah, By Nico Parker, Be Back?
Sarah at the beginning of the game is the perfect combination of sweetness and wit. She has a perfect father-daughter relationship, is a good person to her elderly neighbors and starts as the star of the show. Following the storyline of the game, Sarah is shot and killed while Joel tries to get her to safety after the outbreak begins, ending Nico Parker‘s run on the series about halfway through the first episode. Though the rest of the series will follow Joel’s journey with Ellie, it begs the question of whether the actress will ever return as Sarah in possible flashbacks, or even as an illusion.
4) Were Marlene and Ellie’s Mother Friends?
It is a known fact from the games that Ellie‘s connection with Marlene (Merle Dandridge), leader of the Lights, goes back to Ellie’s mother, her old friend. That’s why Ellie knows she can trust Marlene when she suggests she leave with Joel and Tess.
The series turns the tables when Ellie appears to meet Marlene for the first time while locked in a room, and Marlene reveals that she always knew who Ellie was. The young girl hilariously replies, “Are you my f****** mom or something?”. In the games, it is Ellie who reveals that Marlene and her mother were friends, causing fans to wonder after the first episode why the series decided to change Ellie’s backstory.
5) Does the Dog Die?
It’s a typical horror genre trope to kill a lovable pet, like when Michael Myers killed Lindsay’s dog on Halloween and Chucky killed the family cat in Chucky. The Last of Us did no different in making viewers fall in love with a pet, introducing Joel and Sarah’s neighbor’s dog Mercy.
Mercy is only seen a few times throughout the episode. Notably, once when a neighbor starts turning into a zombie and again when the dog finds Sarah after the outbreak started. But, for anyone who has wondered if the dog will die on the show, the answer is unknown, because they will never see Mercy again as Joel, Sarah and Tommy leave town.
6) Who is Riley?
During an important conversation between Ellie and Marlene, Ellie is reluctant to accept the presence of the woman, whom the teenager accuses of being a terrorist. Marlene responds to Ellie’s snapback with “Was Riley a terrorist?”.
The name thrusts a strange look into Ellie’s eyes for a moment, leaving viewers to wonder who Riley (Storm Reid) was. Time will tell how the series will introduce the beloved character, but fans of the game know that Riley is Ellie’s best friend, and eventual girlfriend, who appeared in The Last of Us: Left Behind.
7) Where is Ellie Being Sent?
For those who have never played, the series premiere ended on a shocking note when Joel and Tess discover that the girl is infected. Ellie shows them her bite mark, then informs them that she was three weeks old, explaining that most people don’t last a day after being bitten. Fans of the game know exactly what to expect in upcoming episodes — where Ellie is being sent and why — but anyone who hasn’t a clue will wonder, understandably, where Marlene is sending Ellie and why she’s such a central character.
8) Where is Tommy?
Despite not acting as a main character, Joel’s brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna) is there for some pivotal moments in both the game and the series. Tommy is the one who drives Joel and Sarah out of town when the outbreak occurs and is the one who ultimately saves Joel’s life just as Sarah loses hers. When the series flashes forward 20 years, Tommy is revealed to have been unreachable for three weeks, having never contacted Joel for more than a day. It’s unknown where or why Tommy disappeared, but it can only be assumed that Gabriel Luna’s run on the series isn’t over yet.
9) Will there Be Queer Characters in the Series?
The legitimate question viewers will be asking after the premiere is whether there will be any queer characters in the series, and luckily, the answer has already been revealed. It was previously confirmed in the game sequel The Last of Us II that Ellie is a lesbian and has had some significant girlfriends.
The series has promised to maintain LGBTQ+ representation in Ellie and the first episode already mentioned her former love interest, Riley, who trailers say will pop up in what can only be assumed to be flashbacks to happier times between her and Ellie.
10) What is the Song at the End of the First Episode?
It’s a significant moment when Ellie comes across radio codes hidden in a Billboard book. It’s a note explaining that a song from the 60s means there is no new product, a song from the 70s means the opposite i.e. they have new products, while a song from the 80s just gets a cryptic red X.
Ellie cleverly tricks Joel into admitting what an 80s song meant, confirming to the young girl that hearing an 80s song on the radio can only spell trouble ahead. The final scene of the episode focuses on the radio as Depeche Mode’s 1987 song Never Let Me Down Again plays, assuring viewers of Joel, Ellie and Tess that they are about to embark on a dangerous adventure.
