The Last of Us: A New Dawn Unfolds for Season Two

The Last of Us has just concluded its second season, culminating in a finale that signals a significant shift for the series. This transformation echoes a similar change in perspective recognized by fans of the game, designed to make audiences perceive the narrative in an entirely new light.

This article contains spoilers for the first two seasons of The Last of Us, as well as both video games.

Following a relatively calm and reflective episode in season 2 that explored the evolving relationship between Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) over several years, the finale brings back the darker themes. This revolves primarily around Ellie’s mission to find and eliminate Abby (Kaitlyn Dever), who avenged her father’s death by killing Joel.

Despite the chaos of a war-torn Seattle and a pregnant girlfriend recovering from a severe wound, and the urging from Jesse (Young Mazino) about communal responsibility, nothing deters Ellie from her revenge. When she discovers that Abby might be at a nearby aquarium, she forsakes everything to pursue her, leading to the unintentional deaths of two of Abby’s friends, one of whom is also expecting.

This pivotal moment underscores Ellie’s determination and willingness to inflict and endure violence for revenge, but it’s not the conclusion of the episode. The final two minutes shift focus to Abby, revealing her within a large community set inside a baseball stadium, transitioning from Ellie’s three-day journey to “Seattle: Day One.”