The following article contains spoilers for Episode 9 of The Last of Us and the games in the franchise.
The Last of Us was a much-awaited series for months before it premiered, and hardcore fans of the games waited to see whether the HBO series would do justice to the franchise. As the episodes were released, they compared every scene, action, and the plot to the game and even found hidden references in each episode. This week’s episode brought Joel and Ellie’s journey to an end, covering the entire plot of the first game in the franchise. But, along the way were some interesting Easter eggs.
HBO’s The Last of Us was the perfect way for fans to revisit the extremely popular video game of the same name. Even though they were aware of how things would end the minute Joel wakes up in that Fireflies hospital, it allowed them to see the franchise come to life in a new light, all while being able to spot the minute details that are hidden in plain sight. Whether it was the cameo from a returning cast member, a reference to the second game in the franchise, or the iconic giraffe scene, this week’s episode had a lot of fan service to offer.
Many video games are known for their Easter eggs. They’ll typically include hidden references that work as a nice surprise for the players, and when The Last of Us series was announced, it made sense to adopt this aspect. Throughout the series, several references to the game have been spotted by fans, and this week’s episode of The Last of Us isn’t any different. Most of the episode plays out exactly like the final mission in the game, with many dialogues being repeated verbatim. But, some references are more interesting than others.
Ellie, meet Ellie
When the episode begins, a young, pregnant woman is seen running through the forest, obviously trying to escape an Infected. It is later revealed that she is Anna, Ellie’s mother. The series honored the game in the most poetic fashion by bringing back Ashley Johnson, the actor who portrayed Ellie in The Last of Us games. The series places her as Ellie’s mother, and she is already known in the gaming community for bringing Ellie’s character to life. The HBO series brings her journey full circle.
The farmhouse
Ellie’s mother Anna seeks refuge in a farmhouse, where she gives birth to Ellie while fighting off an Infected. The appearance of the farmhouse is a subtle reference to the ranch that Ellie is seen living in during the events of The Last of Us Part 2.
Cut through the building
When Ellie and Joel are walking through the abandoned city in search of the hospital controlled by the Fireflies, Joel is about to suggest a plan at one point, but Ellie cuts him off. “Cut through the building to get around that stuff, find the skyscraper, go up and look around,” she says in the most monotone voice. This is a major callback to The Last of Us game, with the duo repeating these actions at multiple points during the story.
“Drop that ladder down”
Similar to the previous action, this is another one that players had a love-hate relationship with in The Last of Us. At several points during the game, Joel would have to boost Ellie up for her to drop a ladder. This particular instance plays out exactly like the game, with Ellie getting excited once she gets up on the ledge and almost hitting Joel when throwing the ladder down.
The iconic giraffe scene
The giraffe scene had been teased in previous episodes, and it wasn’t possible that the HBO series would go the entire season without including this moment in the show. Ellie and Joel come across a herd of wild giraffes in Salt Lake City, and this was an important and meaningful moment in the game. After seeing the duo fight Infected, hunters, raiders, and cannibals, it is refreshing to see them slow down and enjoy this quiet moment together. It’s a moment where Ellie, who has only seen death and abandonment since she was born, can truly be a teenager and enjoy the simple things in life. This scene was important in the game because it is also the final cheery moment that Joel and Ellie share before the brutal ending, which was beautifully captured in the live adaptation.
Learning to play the guitar
At one point in the episode, Joel asks Ellie if she would like to learn how to play the guitar. This is a reference to The Last of Us Part 2 when Joel does teach her to play. He sings “Future Days” by Pearl Jam in one of the most heartwarming scenes in the game, whereas Ellie later sings a cover of “Take On Me” by A-ha.
A secret cameo
Ashley Johnson wasn’t the only The Last of Us cameo in the finale. Actor Laura Bailey, who portrayed the role of Abby in The Last of Us Part 2, cameos as one of the nurses on the season finale. In the scene, her face isn’t fully visible, as she wears a surgical mask, which is what makes it a secret cameo. Bailey also played one of the nurses in The Last of Us game, and is an optional character to kill for players. The creators loved her work and decided to cast her as the main antagonist for the second game. Her involvement in the HBO series is also a huge reference to the franchise, as (spoiler alert) Abby is the daughter of the doctor that Joel kills and comes back to seek revenge.
The climax
The main climax of the episode and season arrives when Joel finds out what the Fireflies’ procedure will do to Ellie. He will go to any means to save her, which includes brutally murdering all the Fireflies present on site. Everything from the moment he wakes up in the Firefly hospital plays out exactly like the game, with Joel creeping around the hospital and killing anyone who comes in his way. He finally gets to the surgery room, and kills the doctor who tries to stop him. During the final moments, when he lies to Ellie about there being no cure is also a moment lifted directly from the game. The season even ends the same way as the first game does, with Ellie making Joel swear that he’s telling her the truth. The camera pans to a closeup of her conflicted face, and all she says is “OK.”
The Last of Us is streaming on HBO Max.