Sure, that occurred. Sure, that’s how the sport ends. No, we’re nonetheless not over it. Let’s sit down and discuss the season finale of The Final of Us.
Nowadays everybody loves to evaluate media by its size. “Lengthy is nice” and “brief is dangerous” is an accepted mind-set. Effectively, with “Search for the Gentle,” the ninth and closing episode of The Final of Us season one, that will get thrown out totally. It’s the shortest episode of the season, and but its 44-minute runtime is crammed with game-changing substance. Living proof, the episode’s chilly open, which begins mysterious and builds into perhaps probably the most important scene in the whole season. Till, properly, the tip of the episode.
A lady named Anna (Ashley Johnson) is working within the woods. She’s pregnant. Behind her, we hear the sounds of a clicker in pursuit. Anna finds an previous farmhouse that she expects could have folks in it nevertheless it’s empty. As she runs up the steps, her water breaks. This child is coming. She barricades herself in a room and takes out a knife. A knife that, by this level, ought to look fairly acquainted. Did you work it out at this level?
The clicker makes its manner into the home. It runs up the steps and is now banging on the bed room door. The door offers manner and the clicker assaults Anna. There’s a wrestle and nearly concurrently three issues occur: Anna stabs the clicker within the head, she will get bitten, and her child arrives. Anna cuts the umbilical twine and appears adoringly at her crying child. “You fucking inform ‘em, Ellie,” she says. Yup. We simply noticed the second of Ellie’s start and a possible rationalization of why she, out of everybody, is immune: an infection occurred on the time of start. It’s part of her.
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It’s loads to absorb (particularly while you notice Ashley Johnson performs Ellie within the video video games, so she form of offers start to herself)—so fortunately we’ve a couple of minutes to take a seat with what’s simply occurred because the opening credit roll. When issues choose again up, we’re nonetheless previously. Marlene (Merle Dandridge) arrives with a number of fellow Fireflies. They discover the home locked however take the again manner in and notice, due to the damaged window, one thing dangerous occurred right here. Upstairs, they hear singing. It’s Anna holding Ellie, lined in blood. She explains to Marlene that the child is hungry and must be fed however that she couldn’t feed her as a result of she’s been bitten. Marlene’s thoughts instantly goes to if the child is contaminated however Anna lies and says she minimize the umbilical twine earlier than she was bitten. It’s an enormous danger that places everybody in peril however they don’t realize it but.
Anna begs Marlene to take the child along with her to Boston and lift it, however Marlene doesn’t need to. After revealing that they’ve identified one another their entire lives, Marlene agrees. Anna additionally needs Marlene to kill her, however Marlene doesn’t assume she will be able to. Once more, Anna begs, and so towards her finest needs, Marlene kills her.
Earlier than transferring on, it’s value it to unpack this scene, which is a brand new addition to the mythology and never explicitly seen within the recreation (although it’s hinted at). Clearly, seeing how Ellie’s mother died and explaining how she’s immune are huge revelations. However the truth that Marlene not solely knew Anna her entire life, however was tasked with defending her, additionally actually flips some issues. Within the sequence’ first episode, it appeared as if Ellie had by no means met Marlene earlier than. Which means Marlene particularly selected to not act as a mom determine to Ellie. Additionally, figuring out their historical past collectively provides an entire different layer to what occurs on the finish of the episode. All of that is extremely highly effective and nearly an excessive amount of to digest, however the finale is simply getting began.
The sound of Marlene’s gunshot killing her mother cuts again to Ellie within the current. She’s distant. Zoned out. As you may be for those who’d just lately stabbed a person 21 occasions after he tried to rape and homicide you in a burning constructing. It’s unclear how a lot time has handed or how, particularly, she and Joel received from Colorado to Salt Lake Metropolis (bear in mind in episode six once they realized the Firefly scientists had moved there?), however they’ve. They’re near their closing vacation spot.
However Joel is retaining it mild. He’s excited they discovered some Chef Boyardee and Boggle and mentions perhaps once they get again to Wyoming, he can train Ellie the right way to play the guitar. She’s solely half listening although as she’s clearly not her previous self. Who is aware of if she’ll ever be once more?
Joel continues to be talkative as they enter town searching for the hospital. As they start to climb up a constructing for a greater view, one thing distracts Ellie and he or she bolts off. She’s being loud, screaming, and Joel runs after her attempting to maintain her quiet. Then we see what distracted her. It’s a giraffe.
If Ellie, raised in a Boston Quarantine Zone, had by no means seen an escalator earlier than, clearly she’d by no means seen a giraffe earlier than. She’s past glad and seeing her smile once more makes Joel smile. They feed the animal and see that there are a number of roaming across the metropolis. With the giraffes considerably lifting the cloud that’s been hanging over Ellie, Joel tells her that, they don’t have to do that. They will simply flip round and return to Tommy in Wyoming.
That’s not what Ellie needs. After all the things they’ve performed and gone via, she wants it to be for one thing. For it to imply one thing. Then, after that? She doesn’t care. She’ll go or do no matter Joel needs. It’s an odd factor for Joel to say so near the tip, however within the subsequent scene we discover out why. They stumble right into a medical space that’s been there for many years and Joel reveals to Ellie that previously he tried, and failed, to commit suicide. After Sarah died, and with all the things occurring, he didn’t see a degree in residing anymore. He was able to die. However, for some cause, he flinched and now, all these years later, he is aware of why. It was due to Ellie.
A few of that is implied between the strains of the present’s stunning writing, nevertheless it’s actually hammered residence when Ellie says to Joel that point heals all wounds and he replies, with a loving look, that it wasn’t time. No, for Joel, all the things they’ve been via, all of the ache and loss of life, it’s value it as a result of he has a daughter once more. It’s arguably probably the most touching second of the whole season, and it brings all the things collectively for Joel. He’s succeeded right here. He cares much less about Ellie’s potential for a remedy and extra about not shedding an individual he loves once more. He, is as soon as once more, entire.
After the emotional reflection, the pair get away the pun e-book and for a second, The Final of Us makes you overlook in regards to the world. It’s simply two characters telling jokes. However within the background you discover a soldier sneaking up on them—after which throwing a grenade. The gasoline knocks them each out and, properly. Right here we go.
Earlier than we get to the large occasion right here, I do assume it’s value noting that, for those who’ve performed the sport, the episode has a totally completely different power. Understanding what’s about to occur provides a sure concern and rigidity that’s most likely lacking from the expertise of somebody who nonetheless doesn’t know what’s about to occur. That individual might be extra apprehensive and curious. Both manner, Joel and Ellie’s seize here’s a second of utmost change on which the whole sequence pivots, and a part of why this present has been so successful is it really works whether or not you recognize what’s coming or not, simply in barely alternative ways.
Joel wakes up and sees Firefly symbols. They’ve made it to the hospital they wanted to get to. In walks Marlene, who’s shocked that the person she tasked with bringing Ellie to her folks nevertheless many months in the past has truly succeeded. She mentioned she misplaced half the individuals who have been assigned to get her from Boston to Salt Lake Metropolis however someway, Joel and Ellie made it. Joel says it was all Ellie and that she fought like hell to be right here. Which is true. Marlene says she’s in his debt.
Joel asks the place Ellie is and Marlene says she’s prepping for surgical procedure. That catches Joel’s consideration. Why is she going into surgical procedure? Seems the physician believes the virus has been in her since start (which this episode made clear) and so anytime she’s “contaminated,” it doesn’t take as a result of the virus already thinks she’s contaminated. He believes if he can harvest the cells which have that code, they’ll truly create a remedy.
It’s improbable information, and it’s all the things Joel, Ellie, and Marlene have been working towards the whole season. Besides Joel realizes that the virus grows within the mind. So the surgical procedure Ellie is being prepped for is mind surgical procedure. Mind surgical procedure that can kill her. He begins to freak out as a result of it’s like he’s shedding a daughter once more and yells to Marlene that she doesn’t perceive. Besides, with the revelations from earlier, we all know she does perceive. She’s been watching over Ellie her complete life. They’re not as shut, however she too is letting some she loves be sacrificed.
For Marlene, there’s no different selection. It’s Ellie versus actually each different individual on the planet and, she assures Joel, she’ll really feel no ache. He needs to see her although and it begins to appear to be he’s going to be an issue. So Marlene tells her males to take him to the freeway.
As Joel is being escorted out, he catches a glimpse of the hospital listing for an thought of the place Ellie may be after which *deep breath* he jumps and kills the 2 males who have been escorting them. He takes their weapons and begins to make his manner via the hospital, murdering each single individual in sight. Even individuals who beg for mercy get none—and immediately our hero, flawed as he may be, is one thing else. He’s a mass shooter and the visible of Joel sneaking across the hospital, killing each single individual he sees, is extremely onerous to observe, particularly as a result of we’ve seen the great in him. That is past surprising.
Watching the episode I misplaced rely of how many individuals Joel kills, nevertheless it’s round 15-20. Simply a lot loss of life and destruction. Lastly, and mercifully for the viewers, he makes it to the working room. He asks the physician to unhook Ellie and when the lead physician says he can’t let Joel take her, Joel shoots him within the head. The person who might save the world will get shot within the head. He lets the 2 nurses reside (one in all whom is performed by Final of Us Half II voice actress Laura Bailey, in a pleasant wink for followers), they take away all of the wires from Ellie, and he grabs her. The present can also be positive to linger an additional second on that physician for, you recognize, causes.
Then, someway, issues worsen. Joel takes Ellie all the way down to the storage to seize a automotive and runs into Marlene. She tells Joel that it doesn’t matter what occurs Ellie goes to die ultimately and he’s not seeing the large image. Collectively, they may save everybody—however as an alternative, he’s simply saving her. Joel yells that she wasn’t given the selection within the matter however he, Marlene, and most significantly the viewers know that doesn’t matter. Ellie made it clear that this journey needed to be about one thing and nothing would’ve been extra essential than a remedy. Marlene tells Joel it’s not too late.
Earlier than it’s revealed what occurs subsequent within the storage, we see Joel driving away. Ellie is laying within the again seat and wakes up confused about what occurred. Joel tells her that the docs have been working checks on not simply on her, however dozens of different individuals who have been resistant to the virus. Nonetheless, the docs couldn’t make it work and so they stopped searching for a remedy.
As we sit there shocked at Joel’s lies, we see the energy of his resolve. The present cuts again to him within the storage as he shoots Marlene. Again within the automotive, Joel’s gaslighting continues. He says that raiders attacked the hospital and he barely received Ellie out of there alive. Many individuals have been harm. When Ellie asks if Marlene is okay, Joel doesn’t reply. However the TV present does. After Joel shoots her, Marlene is crumpled up on the bottom. She asks him to let her go to which Joel replies, with an ice-cold demeanor that’s scary for even him, “You’d simply come after her.” And he fires one other shot into her head.
Days later, Joel and Ellie’s automotive craps out a number of hours away from Tommy’s. They begin to hike and Joel talks to Ellie about Sarah: how they’re completely different, how they’re related. Pedro Pascal’s efficiency right here is unbelievable as a result of he’s attempting to be glad, however you see that that is all simply justification. It’s Joel coping with the guilt of what he simply did to be with Ellie. What he simply determined the world should be for them to be collectively.
Once they attain the house stretch, Ellie stops Joel. For the primary time she reveals to him that the primary individual she ever needed to kill was her finest good friend Riley, and since then, so many individuals have died for her: Tess, Sam, and so forth. She makes Joel swear to her that what he mentioned in regards to the Fireflies was true. That their complete journey wasn’t for nothing and {that a} remedy actually wasn’t potential. He swears to her. And within the closing shot, a skeptical Ellie says the one factor she will be able to say. “Okay.”
So was this journey all for nothing? It is determined by your viewpoint. For Joel, it appears he would have killed each individual on the planet for an opportunity to recapture the love he misplaced on the primary day of the outbreak. And, in the long run, he form of did simply that. To take action although, he needed to deprive Ellie of what she believed was her true function: to save lots of folks. For one in all them to have what they needed, the opposite couldn’t.
The fallout of the lies and destruction all come into play in season two; if you wish to see what occurs subsequent, The Final of Us Half II is correct there. However taking this as the tip of a season of tv, it’s simply so extremely complicated. Each angle you take a look at it from presents new views. Joel’s actions have been deplorable, clearly, however does doing them within the title of affection make them okay? If Ellie had given her life, are we actually positive that the remedy would have labored? Might it have gotten to everybody or would some have tried to revenue from it? Greed is fairly prevalent on this world. Did skepticism in regards to the remedy weigh into Joel’s choice? And the way a lot do you’re keen on somebody for those who cause them to imagine not only a lie, however one thing that’s so removed from the reality, it’s nearly actually unforgivable? These questions and lots of, many, many extra will probably be mentioned within the coming months, which is the mark of a very nice piece of artwork. One thing that The Final of Us most actually is.
Stream all episodes of The Final of Us now on HBO Max.
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