The Last of Us Season 2

Taking place four years after the original, this sequel follows Joel and Ellie after the latter learns that Joel stopped the Fireflies from killing her and ...

While Ellie starts out as a 15-year-old in the show’s first season, her character is supposed to be 19 years old in the second game. For the rest of new cast, it’s anyone’s guess who HBO will have joining the series in season 2. There’s still the matter of casting the newcomers. Armed with his trusty bow and arrow, Lev fights alongside Abby as a member of the Washington Liberation Front. They help Abby murder Joel, but these two lovers are among the more compassionate and merciful characters in the story,with both preferring not to engage in violence. Abby is a young woman who seeks revenge against Joel for murdering her father, one of the Firefly doctors who tried to operate on Ellie to create a Cordyceps cure. The two of them meet in the second game while living in Jackson, Wyoming. Though she starts off jaded and ruthless, she regains her sense of compassion and morality as she faces Ellie and the Seraphites, making her one of the most compelling characters in the franchise. The Last of Us Part II introduced many new characters who play important roles in Joel and Ellie’s story. Given Pedro Pascal’s massive popularity as Joel, staying true to the source material and killing his character off will surely ruffle a lot of fans’ feathers. Here’s everything that audiences could see in terms of the story. “Probably the amount of remaining story would take us more than a season to tell,” said Mazin.

The first season of The Last of Us ends exactly where the 2013 game did, too: on a hill overlooking a survival settlement, Joel and Ellie both having ...

Pedro Pascal will likely return as Joel, and Bella Ramsey could also return as Ellie, though the character is largely aged up in the The Last of Us Part II game, so it's possible that she could be recast with an actress who has an older look. Ramsey, who is playing a 14-year-old in Season 1, is actually already the same age as Ellie in Part II, 19. In other words: if you watch it, more of it will come. Shortly after the show aired, HBO renewed the series for another season. Who will be in The Last of Us Season 2? The first season of The Last of Us

Faithful to the video game the HBO series is based on, the final episode wraps up with Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) arriving safely back in ...

He said that teaming up with the British actor for the show has been nothing short of "a match made in heaven." "I don’t want to go into it comparing the experience to the first season. In this moment, Joel accepts being a father figure to Ellie, despite the pain he still has over the "I'm really excited. What to expect from Season 2 of "The Last of Us" [Comicbook.com](https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/the-last-of-us-ep-8-bbella-ramsey-podcast-interview/) podcast "The Last of Pods," but said she's keeping her expectations in check. Upon finding shell-shocked Ellie (who's discovered a pastor and his flock have been eating fellow parishioners instead of venison), the pair share a pivotal moment in the series with Joel tenderly saying, "It's OK, baby girl. [loss of his own daughter](https://www.today.com/popculture/tv/last-us-star-nico-parker-sarah-miller-interview-rcna65897) on the first day of the pandemic. ["The Last of Us"](https://www.today.com/popculture/-last-us-latest-episode-menstruation-cup-apocalypse-rcna71706) will return, whether cast members Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal will reprise their roles and what to expect from Season Two. [Pedro Pascal](https://www.today.com/popculture/tv/pedro-pascal-movie-tv-shows-rcna69682)) and Ellie ( [Bella Ramsey](https://www.today.com/popculture/last-of-us-bella-ramsey-gender-fluid-rcna65721)) arriving safely back in Wyoming after Joel has chosen to save her life over the rest of humanity. [The Last of Us](https://www.today.com/popculture/tv/the-last-of-us-bella-ramsey-storm-reid-on-homophobic-backlash-rcna72935)" will be released to learn what happens next, take a number and get in line. [The Last of Us](https://www.today.com/popculture/tv/the-last-of-us-first-trailer-hbo-rcna49465)" Season One finale has left our moral compasses in tatters.

“The Last of Us: Part II” returns several of the core characters from “Part I,” including Joel (played by Pedro Pascal on the HBO series), Ellie (Bella Ramsey), ...

And perhaps different kinds.” [VIP+ Analysis: PlayStation’s Plan for HBO’s ‘The Last of Us’](https://variety.com/vip/the-new-playstation-strategy-behind-hbos-the-last-of-us-1235488177?cx_navsource=vip-insertion-text) When asked if Season 2 will include the entire “Part II” story, Mazin said, “No. Released on the PlayStation 4 in 2020, seven years after the original game debuted, “The Last of Us: Part II” tells a bigger, more complex story than its predecessor.

HBO is yet to set a Last of Us season 2 release date, but we do know that Bella Ramsey is likely returning and that it'll take multiple seasons to adapt ...

Speaking on the [Happy Sad Confused podcast](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6CmLgAwiKo) (opens in new tab), Ramsey also explained that they are keen to explore "the complexity of her [Ellie's] relationship with Joel and how that gets decidedly... In The Last of Us: Part 2 video game, there is a five year timeskip. Though Ellie is five years older in The Last of Us 2, Bella Ramsey isn't going anywhere. [Bella Ramsey has already gone on record](https://www.gamesradar.com/bella-ramsey-excited-the-last-of-us-season-2/) stating that they are excited for "the Ellie and Dina story" – a budding relationship between the two Jackson residents. [The Last of Us Episode 9 review](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-last-of-us-episode-9-review-recap-season-finale/), the HBO show "signs off with a finale that is equal parts crushing and cathartic." [have already signalled that the events of Part 2 will require multiple seasons](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-last-of-us-season-2-part-2-multiple/) to properly bring the ambitious storyline of the second game to life. It's a question that many of you are no doubt wondering following the finale of The Last of Us Season 1. As for how many seasons The Last of Us will need to tell the next part of Joel and Ellie's adventure, well, that remains to be seen. However, HBO has taken lengthy breaks on its hit TV shows in the past, so it's likely that 2024-2025 will be the earliest that we see season 2 of The Last of Us debut on HBO. Oh, and if you're wondering how closely the original ending aligns with that seen in the show, here's [the biggest changes between The Last of Us episode 9 and The Last of Us: Part 1's finale](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-last-of-us-episode-9-game-changes-differences/). [The Last of Us: Part 1](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-last-of-us-part-1-ps5-review/) has been a massive success, and so it should come as no surprise to learn that a second season will be entering production. Will there be a season two for The Last of Us?

The showrunnner reinforced his statement by promising more infected for the second season of The Last of Us, just as the show aired its first season finale last ...

It remains to be seen how the town plays a role in the show's second season. [Ashley Johnson as Ellie's mother](https://collider.com/the-last-of-us-hbo-image-ashley-johnson/), in a flashback sequence that depicted how the girl was born. The girl needed to be taken to a hospital controlled by Fireflies, so they could scientifically understand why she was immune to the Cordyceps virus, hoping her blood would be the secret needed to manufacture a cure that could bring civilization back. Here's what Mazin said about the team's use of the infected in the series: And although a lot of people do like to watch gameplay, it needs to be a little more focused and purposeful when we’re putting it on TV. During a recent virtual press conference, [Variety](https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/the-last-of-us-season-2-more-clickers-action-1235546747/) reports that the show's creators, [Craig Mazin](https://collider.com/tag/craig-mazin/) and [Neil Druckmann](https://collider.com/tag/neil-druckmann/), addressed fan complaints regarding the fact that the people infected with the Cordyceps virus weren't in enough sequences over the course of the adaptation's first season, which focused heavily on the main characters and their relationships with the world around them instead of the gruesome action.

Fans of the video game already know what's coming, but fans of the series might be surprised. Neil Druckman has already made a statement that he doesn't want ...

But, if Laura Bailey’s performance in The Last of Us Part II is any indication of what we might see in season 2 of the series, this actress better have some thick skin. However, the creators of the show might decide to leave us on a particular cliffhanger; the inciting incident for The Last of Us Part II. But if production times for season 1 are any indication, we can expect to wait a couple of years. Fans should prepare for some controversy with the new members of this cast, as the actor who portrays Abby Anderson will probably get some serious hate mail. We can expect the big names to return: So Joel, finally realizing that Ellie is now more like his adopted daughter instead of a mission, decides to rescue her and subsequently sabotages the cure. In the chaos unleashed in the first days of this fungal pandemic, Joel, already a single father, lost his only daughter. So be warned, the following report will include spoilers about season 2 of The Last of Us. [The Last of Us video game](https://movieweb.com/the-last-of-us-is-the-most-successful-video-game-to-tv-adaptation-ever/) has a sequel, and it’s the logical direction to continue the series. There are already reports confirming a controversial character about to be introduced, and fans who haven’t played the games may not be ready for this emotional roller coaster. Fans of the video game already know what’s coming, but fans of the series might be surprised. But not everything will be the same moving ahead.

Druckmann and Mazin have already confirmed that Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey are returning as Joel and Ellie in season 2. Some fans pointed out the time jump ...

[only adapt the events of the video games](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/the-last-of-us-hbo-pedro-pascal-bella-ramsey-interview-1235290103/) and nothing more. In an interview with GQ U.K., the showrunners confirmed it will take " [more than one season](https://ew.com/tv/the-last-of-us-part-2-multiple-seasons/)" to adapt Part II. The showrunners did not address that in season 1 of HBO's The Last of Us. [Pedro Pascal](https://ew.com/person/pedro-pascal/) and [Bella Ramsey](https://ew.com/person/bella-ramsey/) are returning as Joel and Ellie in season 2. Given her role in the game, it also seems fair to say that [Rutina Wesley](https://ew.com/tv/the-last-of-us-rutina-wesley-maria-interview/) will return as Maria. [Laura Bailey](https://ew.com/tv/the-last-of-us-finale-laura-bailey-cameo/), who plays Abby in the game, could come back in some alternate cameo or guest arc. "So we will use what we can use in a new medium to tell that story and we will go through the same process of adaptation." [he already sent some ideas to Mazin and Druckmann](https://ew.com/tv/the-last-of-us-season-2-gabriel-luna-tommy-pitched-a-few-ideas/) about what they could do with Tommy for season 2. "We will also take advantage of the freedom we have in television that wasn't there in the games, specifically the advantage of changing perspective," he said. [Joel's decision at the end of The Last of Us season 1](https://ew.com/tv/the-last-of-us-finale-ending-joels-difficult-choice/) will have a direct impact on the events of season 2, assuming the material is being adapted faithfully. Because the character's name has already been referenced by The Last of Us showrunner and game co-creator Neil Druckmann, we can say that a new figure, Abby, has a crucial part to play in the events to come. Well, prepare yourself for [season 2](https://ew.com/tv/the-last-of-us-season-2-renewed/) of the HBO adaptation, because it's bound to be even more of a flashpoint among viewers than the first.

“I am your cool, slutty daddy,” The Last of Us star Pedro Pascal famously said on the red carpet for HBO's latest blockbuster series, based on the ...

Players of the game were forced to wait seven full years between the first and second games to learn the fates of Joel and Ellie, but it seems unlikely that the TV watchers will have to wait anywhere near that long. In the GQ interview, the interviewer references viewers needing to wait “two years” to find out the fates of the main characters, which neither creator disputes. “My goal is to do better next season, now that we’ve learned some lessons,” Mazin said in a press conference, [according to TV Line](https://tvline.com/2023/03/13/the-last-of-us-season-2-setting-canada-craig-mazin-interview/). Still, the creators acknowledged some things that season two could do to improve on the first season. From a bird’s-eye view, Mazin and Druckman seem pretty happy with the first season of the show and ready to give another installment along those same lines. The first season, which aired [its harrowing finale](https://www.vulture.com/article/the-last-of-us-recap-episode-9-finale-review-look-for-the-light.html) on Sunday, March 12, was largely a faithful adaptation of the original game, besides a [few notable exceptions](https://www.vulture.com/article/last-of-us-craig-mazin-season-finale-ending-interview.html), and ended [in the same spot as the game](https://www.vulture.com/article/last-of-us-season-finale-ending-game-adaptation-comparison.html). “Our goal remains exactly what it was for the first season, which is to deliver a show that makes fans happy,” Mazin said to GQ. The critical darling tells the story of smuggler Joel (Pascal) who must deliver an important child (played by Bella Ramsey, not Grogu) across America after a [fungal outbreak](https://www.vulture.com/article/the-last-of-us-fungus-infection-cordyceps-explained.html) created a swath of cannibalistic zombie-esque people-creatures. [record viewership](https://www.vulture.com/2023/01/last-of-us-hbo-ratings.html) might be the main reason. When pressed on how many seasons the game adaptation will take, Mazin and Druckman went cold. The show’s [co-creators, Craig Mazin](https://www.vulture.com/article/last-of-us-craig-mazin-season-finale-ending-interview.html) (Chernobyl) and Neil Druckman (co-president of Naughty Dog, the video-game-development company behind TLOU), haven’t been super-forthcoming with details about Joel ( Pascal) and Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) televisual fates, which makes sense, given that season one just finished up. [The Last of Us](https://www.vulture.com/article/the-last-of-us-hbo-review.html) star Pedro Pascal [famously said](https://twitter.com/vulture/status/1615390961781047304?s=20&t=WU_wxlIzfbeDbncAoGbzLw) on the red carpet for HBO’s latest blockbuster series, based on the post-apocalyptic video game.

“It's more than one season,” executive producer Craig Mazin tells GQ UK in a new interview. While he and executive producer Neil Druckmann decline to say ...

If that does take place, it’s not a wild leap to presume that The Last of Us could return in 2024. [The Last of Us ](https://tvline.com/tag/the-last-of-us/)Season 1 told the story laid out in Naughty Dog’s 2013 video game, rather faithfully, from start to finish. Later, when she made him swear that he was telling the truth, he did so readily… And I think it’s exciting, because it leans into those feelings you had from the game, really heavily, in a new way.” When Ellie — who’d been anesthetized and therefore unaware of both Joel’s actions and the danger to her — came to, Joel lied and said the experiment hadn’t worked. A Season 3 renewal has not yet been announced.

HBO's post-apocalyptic drama, which aired its Season 1 finale Sunday (read a full recap), chronicled Pedro Pascal's Joel and Bella Ramsey's Ellie as they made a ...

Did The Last of Us‘ location shoots grab your attention for the wrong reasons? “But my goal is to do better next season, now that we’ve learned some lessons.” Top of the list? “What it came down to was a lot of anxiety and planning and building, and then some terrific extension work by our visual effects team, led by Alex Wang.” Mazin cited the infected attack near the end of “THE LAST OF US. “Good news: The Rockies went right through there, and it’s one of the most beautiful landscapes you’ll ever find.” “Do you really want to tell me that’s 10 miles west of Boston?”

It's a chilling sequence that hits the same dubious, morally horrifying notes as it did in the game, and little is changed. We see Joel kill the surgeon about ...

It’s likely just the show paying tribute to the game’s cast (as it did in episode 8 with Troy Baker, who voiced Joel in the video games), but it’s also another way to tease what’s to come in the next season. That may sound like a small cinematic altercation, but that lingering shot is very meaningful to those of us that played The Last of Us Part II. Eagle-eyed fans may notice that one of the nurses during the scene is played by Laura Bailey, who portrays Abby in The Last of Us Part II. It’s a chilling sequence that hits the same dubious, morally horrifying notes as it did in the game, and little is changed. [The Last of Us](https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/the-last-of-us-hbo-review/), which brought the iconic ending of Naughty Dog’s critically acclaimed game to life in live-action. However, a key change was made that will help the show more gracefully transition into its adaptation of [The Last of Us Part II](https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/the-last-of-us-part-2-review/).

Joel (Pedro Pascal) killing a doctor in 'The Last of Us' finale wasn't just shocking. It's also a clue of what may happen to Joel in 'The Last of Us' Season ...

Even the existence of Bailey and her nursing peers is a callback to the games. Early in the second game, Abby and her band of buddies from the Washington Liberation Front (WLF) hide from a group of Infected with Joel and his brother Tommy (voiced by Jeffrey Pierce). In The Last of Us Part II, players learn that Jerry, the surgeon Joel (voiced by Troy Baker) killed, had a daughter named Abby (voiced by Laura Bailey). Of course, The Last of Us series could never fully replicate this interactive experience. The cut scene then ends, and the player is given control of Joel, forcing them to murder the surgeon. Part II becomes a saga about the toxicity of revenge. [HBO](https://go.skimresources.com?id=93051X1547101&xs=1&xcust=dec---&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hbomax.com%2F) subscribers finally know how hard it is to be a fan of [The Last of Us](https://decider.com/show/the-last-of-us/). When he stands up to Joel, arguing that they need to perform this operation, Joel barely hesitates before shooting him in the head. He’s killed violent revolutionaries and FEDRA agents all to protect his surrogate daughter and humanity’s last hope for a cure, Ellie ( [Bella Ramsey](https://decider.com/tag/bella-ramsey)). Up until “Look for the Light,” Joel ( [Pedro Pascal](https://decider.com/tag/pedro-pascal)) has been justified in his various murders. However, there’s another reason why fans need to remember this surgeon’s death: there’s a very real chance that this murder could lead to Joel’s death in Season 2. The Fireflies can make a vaccine for the Cordyceps brain infection using Ellie’s immunity.

Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann reflect on the hit HBO video game adaptation after the season one finale.

What is Ellie’s back story?’ And I was telling him all this stuff and was like, ‘Oh, right there’s this other story about Ellie’s mom,’ and blah blah blah, and kind of told him about it and he’s like, ‘Oh my God, that has to go in the show.’ So I’m reluctant to say anything about it because as I now found out several times, stories that I think are failures and will never see the light of day, sometimes see the light of day.” [greenlit a second season of The Last of Us](https://gizmodo.com/last-of-us-season-2-episode-1-streaming-online-free-1850040646) earlier this year and it sounds like Mazin and Druckmann are already hard at work. Knowing how close she was with Anna and that Anna’s dying wish was like, ‘Take care of my kid,’ I think gives more weight and maybe more tragedy the sacrifice she’s trying to make for the betterment of mankind.” It will be the show that Neil and I want to make.” I was talking to Ashley Johnson [who plays Ellie in the games and played Anna on the show] about her starring in it, and then we both got busy, so that fell apart and I had just kind of forgotten about it until Mr. I go back and forth and I think a lot of people will go back and forth on it.” We started meeting to talk about the show and he’s like, ‘What do you have that we haven’t seen? And it just became this little character drama that felt like it spoke to the same themes of parental love for their child, and how much you’re willing to do even when you’re on death’s door. “The short story of the origin of that little sequence is when we were wrapping up the game, there are these opportunities to do other pieces of art or storytelling to help promote the game,” Druckmann explained. “I think for the most part, viewers have been in alignment with Joel as far as what he’s trying to do and protect Ellie. The shocking ending of The Last of Us season one is certain to have everyone talking for a long, long time.

Pedro Pascal as Joel Miller and Bella Ramsey as Ellie Williams in 'The Last of. Liane Hentscher/HBO. Spoilers ahead for HBO's The Last of ...

Perhaps the most pivotal moment of Joel’s life arrived when a soldier shot and killed his daughter Sarah (Nico Parker) on the first day of the Cordyceps outbreak. “I got a text from Neil and he said, ‘Hey, Craig and I were talking and would you like to play Ellie’s mother?’ And I just burst into tears,” the actor told The Hollywood Reporter. [Joel lied to Ellie](https://www.bustle.com/entertainment/why-did-joel-lie-to-ellie-the-last-of-us-finale-explained) about what happened while she was under anesthesia, claiming that the procedure didn’t work and that he saved her from a murderous group of raiders that attacked the hospital. It won’t be exactly like the game. It will be the show that Neil and I want to make.” Including conditions where you really ought to be doing something that is not within the best interest of the person you love, at least according to some sort of moral code or a standard of ethics.” Needless to say, the pair’s bond had Twitter sobbing. But the mood took a dramatic turn once they were inside the hospital. When Joel regained consciousness, Marlene (Merle Dandridge) told him that Ellie was in an operating room about to undergo a brain surgery to help produce a cure for the Cordyceps infection that destroyed modern civilization — and that the teen would die in the process. Joel’s decision to save Ellie rather than the world sparked debate on whether that made him a hero or villain. [Craig Mazin explained](https://tvline.com/2023/03/12/the-last-of-us-finale-ending-joel-saves-ellie-season-1-episode-9-craig-mazin-interview/) to reporters during a virtual pre-finale press conference, per TVLine. In Episode 9, Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) finally arrived at the Firefly hospital in Salt Lake City but were immediately taken prisoner.

It's already been confirmed that there will be a second season of HBO's The Last of Us adaptation, but will Bella Ramsey return as Ellie?

But some now question if the actor looks too young for the time jump. The only way we would ever, ever consider recasting Bella is if she said, ‘I don’t want to work with you guys anymore.’ Even then, I’m not sure we would grant her that. Without getting into too much spoiler territory, the game is largely a revenge story in which Ellie embarks on “a relentless journey to carry out justice and find closure.”

"There will be Pedro, there will be Bella... There will be blood.” The Last of Us Episode 9 Pedro Pascal Joel Bella Ramsey Ellie ...

We will also take advantage of the freedom we have in television that wasn’t in the game, specifically the advantage fo changing perspective and we will use what we can use in a new medium to tell that story and we will go through the same process of adaptation and there will be Pedro and there will be Bella and there will be blood. Which is, we will look at what made that story special and what is the soul of that story and that needs to remain intact. Then the moment-to-moment beats and the characters, they might stay the same [or] they might change, we will do what needs to happen in that story as it transfers from one medium to another.

The Last of Us season 1 finale brought Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie's (Bella Ramsey) quest to deliver her to the Fireflies to a close, with Joel saving Ellie ...

Another small piece of The Last of Us season 2 set up in season 1's finale comes as Joel and Ellie return to Jackson. The Last of Us season 2's villain was also set up in The Last of Us season 1's finale. Instead of The Last of Us season 1 ending with Joel and Ellie looking upon a place they have never been, there is a sense of familiarity already. While the specific song Anna sings is never featured in either The Last of Us game, another hit A-ha song does have a role to play in Ellie's The Last of Us season 2 story. The Last of Us season 1's finale continues to add meaning behind The opening sequence in The Last of Us season 1's finale included Anna singing "The Sun Always Shines On T.V." Now that the Stalker has been introduced, the Rat King can be formed in The Last of Us season 2. Here is how The Last of Us season 1 finale sets up season 2. [The Last of Us a season 2 renewal](https://screenrant.com/last-us-season-2-joel-death-controversy-repeat/) well before the season 1 finale. The Last of Us finale includes the first proper appearance by the Stalker infected type, as one of them is used to attack Ellie's mother, Anna, in the opening scene. The Last of Us season 1 finale is not too heavy-handed with its setup for what is coming next for Joel, Ellie, and other characters. The Last of Us season 1 finale brought Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie's (Bella Ramsey) quest to deliver her to the Fireflies to a close, with Joel saving Ellie from an operation that would have killed her but possibly created a cure for the Cordyceps virus.

The Last of Us co-creator Neil Druckmann shares a behind-the-scenes photo from Season 1 modeled on a meme spawned by CW series The Flash.

The pair declined to say exactly how many seasons The Last of Us will run for, although Druckmann made it clear that he and Mazin expect The Last of Us Part II's story will need more than one batch of episodes to adapt. "Which by the way is the age of Ellie in [video game sequel] The Last of Us Part II. [additional seasons of The Last of Us](http://www.cbr.com/the-last-of-us-season-3-planned/), beyond Season 2. "Look for the Light" was the most-watched entry in the show's nine-episode run and set new The levity of the photo stands in stark contrast to the somber mood of "Look for the Light." It features Bailey making a two-fingered salute while leaning over a prone Dolynski, during a break from filming Season 1 finale "Look for the Light."

A spoiler-heavy look at how the showrunners of the hit HBO series could adapt 'The Last of Us Part II' in the show's second season—and beyond.

Considering the massive success of the show’s first season and the fact that there isn’t a Part III for the series to work off of, it feels like a no-brainer for The Last of Us team to split the second game into multiple seasons. And given how much time passes between depictions of Ellie and Abby’s big fight in Seattle, and how many narrative gaps exist in the game thereafter, there’s ample opportunity for a potential Season 3 or 4 to expand on Ellie and Dina’s relationship, as well as Abby and Lev’s wayward journey to locate the last of the Fireflies. In adapting Part II, there will be plenty more opportunities for the show to feature Infected, and the scarcity of them to this point will make them all the more exciting (and terrifying) when they arrive. A third season of the series has yet to be officially announced by HBO or the showrunners, but back in January, Mazin alluded to the potential need for one given the scope of Part II’s narrative. For Mazin and Druckmann, the overarching concept of the series always comes back to love—and the danger that comes with it. The choice to be more selective with Infected appearances in the first season—and with acts of violence in general—added greater significance to them when they did occur, as what would have been routine encounters for gamers became momentous events on TV. [the cost of revenge](https://www.theringer.com/2023/2/10/23595121/the-last-of-us-episode-5-recap-sam-henry-kathleen-hbo)—and the cycle of violence it breeds—is a theme that Mazin and Druckmann often return to. For Joel, the answer is ‘Yes, I do.’ That is profound, and the ambiguity of the positivity of love is what we should be taking forward. The writers room for Season 2 wasn’t convened until February, so it’s safe to say that we’re a long way from the premiere, but thanks to the existence of The Last of Us Part II, those of us who have played the game have a solid sense of where Joel and Ellie’s story is going. Or if you’re just looking to satisfy your TV craving for a character played by Pascal shooting people and protecting a child, you can always read about [The Mandalorian](https://www.theringer.com/mandalorian).) If you’re already familiar with The Last of Us Part II or you’re not averse to spoilers, though, let’s get to it. Please note: The spoiler warning above applies to the events of both the first season of the TV series and, more important, The Last of Us Part II. But backed by a tremendous cast led by Pascal and Bella Ramsey, showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann (the latter of whom also cocreated the video game) managed to strike the perfect balance in an adaptation that could engage veterans of the game and Last of Us newbies alike.

The first season of The Last of Us recently wrapped up on HBO in what The Guardian called "a brutal, sadistic triumph of television." I guess that's good, ...

You'll need an RTX 2070 Super to hit 1080p 60 fps at high settings, but you can dial it back a bit if you need to—here are the full [system requirements](https://www.pcgamer.com/the-last-of-us-part-1-pc-system-requirements/) (opens in new tab). The whole series was met with [acclaim](https://www.pcgamer.com/the-last-of-us-tv-show-is-a-massive-critical-hit/) (opens in new tab) from critics and viewers alike, and to absolutely nobody's surprise a [second season](https://www.pcgamer.com/the-last-of-us-has-already-been-renewed-for-season-2/) (opens in new tab) was announced in January. "Sometimes it will be different radically, and sometimes it will be [barely] different at all. Mazin also said that "we are making it with Bella," a reference to questions about whether Bella Ramsey, who plays Ellie, would return for the second season. [The Last of Us](https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/the-last-of-us-part-1/) (opens in new tab) recently wrapped up on HBO in what [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/mar/13/the-last-of-us-finale-recap-what-a-brutal-sadistic-triumph-of-television) (opens in new tab) called "a brutal, sadistic triumph of television." An episode that explored the relationship between supporting characters Bill and Frank, for instance—something the game never did—was widely hailed for its portrayal of their "whole, beautiful, devastating love story," as