Well that was a lot. You’re probably still digesting that brutal The last of us finale that capped off a season filled with monsters, murder, and widespread emotional devastation, but once the dust settled, one inevitable question rose from the fungal ashes: What’s next for our plucky duo?
Where will season 2 take Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey)? What does the next chapter contain? What was left unanswered at the end of season 1?
People keep eating bread in ‘The Last of Us’ and I don’t understand why
We’ve rounded up some of the burning questions we were left with as the end credits rolled. because this is The last of us As far as we’re talking about, only one thing seems certain at this stage: there’s likely plenty more heartbreak to come. (Oh, and just to be clear, this story is written without any knowledge of Naughty Dog video games, including The Last of Us Part II that season 2 will address, so it’s all speculation and no game spoilers).
1. Will the fireflies come looking for Joel and Ellie?
What happened to Marlene will surely have repercussions.
Credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO
No matter what you think about Joel’s violent rescue of Ellie in the final episode, it seems pretty clear that there will be repercussions. She might be able to get away with dispatching the freaky fireflies here and there, but an entire hospital full of them? Including their leader, Marlene (Merle Dandridge)? No, that’s going to have consequences.
It’s possible, of course, that Marlene hasn’t told anyone beyond the Salt Lake City medical team that Ellie is immune. Possible, but unlikely: The fireflies Joel killed presumably had this information on a need-to-know basis. With Firefly units primarily assigned to retrieving QZs across the country, and relying on a hot item in this post-apocalyptic reality, Marlene seems to have been holding onto something world-changing as a potential cordyceps cure for all these years. Not even her Boston core team knows exactly why Ellie is so important. Our guess, though? Does anyone else know. Another high-powered firefly will be in charge of tracking Joel and Ellie in a hurry. it’s not a matter of willpower they come looking for them, but when.
2. Will Ellie find out what really happened at the Firefly base?
Will we see a rift forming between these two?
Credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO
For one thing, Joel and Ellie are closer than ever at the season 1 finale. Joel has literally called Ellie “girl,” the nickname he used for his own daughter, and they’ve both saved each other’s lives countless times. But, and he is a big but, now there is a secret between them. A secret the size of a Bloater. Joel has told Ellie that a) there are others like her, b) that the doctors couldn’t make anything work and gave up looking for a cure, and c) that the raiders were the ones who attacked the hospital. All of which is a big lie.
Joel may be good at surviving, but is he a good liar? Ellie’s final confrontation with Joel, asking him for the truth, was left open to interpretation, whether she believes it or not; if you can read Ramsey’s facial expression in that final scene, good for you. Even if he’s a good liar, can he stop the lie from getting to him and Ellie? We think not, especially if fireflies knock on the door.
3. Will Joel and Ellie be allowed to stay at Tommy and Maria’s camp?
Maria is not Joel’s biggest fan.
Credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO
Joel and Ellie’s welcome to the camp in Jackson, Wyoming where Tommy (Gabriel Luna) and Maria (Rutina Wesley) reside isn’t exactly warm in episode 6. Tommy is obviously happy to see Joel, but it seems pretty clear. at first. time Maria is not so excited. “Clearly, there are things you don’t know about Joel,” she tells Ellie as she cuts her hair, before advising her to be careful who she puts her faith in. “The only people who can betray us are those we trust.”
Since she’s already suspicious of Joel, how will Maria react to his return? What questions will she have for Joel? Will he discover her lies? If we had to guess, we’d say Joel and Ellie will probably be fooled initially, but if there’s any clue as to what Joel did, Maria will order him to go.
4. What will become of FEDRA and the QZ?
Are the FEDRA QZ disappearing?
Credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO
Phaedra’s control over the country is shown to be shaky at best in Season 1. Not only do they have to deal with the Infected and Fireflies, but there are other revolutionary militia groups like the one in Kansas City led by Kathleen (Melanie Lynskey) who have actually succeeded in overthrowing the corrupt military arm of their respective Quarantine Zone government.
Will other QZs be taken in season 2? Is it possible for the Fireflies to make a bigger move across the country to destabilize Phaedra, or will they collapse without Marlene’s leadership? Given the way things are going for Phaedra in Season 1, it certainly seems possible that her power will falter.
5. Will Joel and Ellie find their farm?
We just want them to be happy!
Credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO
Wouldn’t it be great if Joel and Ellie could find some peace in season 2? The trip to space that Ellie has always wanted can be a bit tricky, but what about the sheep farm that Joel dreamed of in episode 6? If Joel and Ellie are evicted from Tommy and Maria’s settlement, they’ll need somewhere to lie low for a while, so a remote farmhouse might just be the ticket. Maybe, even if it’s just for a while, they could get a chance to get closer to Joel’s utopian dream in season 2?
It’s okay, it’s an illusion. We know. But at this point we’ll take whatever happiness we can get, even if it’s just a fleeting moment before the past inevitably knocks on the door.
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