On January 16, HBO officially released the first episode of The Last Of Us (TLOU), a television adaptation based on the famous game of the same name by Naughty Dog. This series has introduced audiences to a dystopian world where humanity is threatened by the parasitic Cordyceps fungus, transforming people into hostile creatures, reminiscent of the themes of zombies in various other fictional works.
TLOU has made a significant impact, receiving positive reviews across numerous major platforms. On Rotten Tomatoes, the series currently boasts an impressive “certified fresh” rating, with a high score of 99% from critics and 96% from audiences. Not only does it stay true to the source material, but the successful debut of TLOU also showcases a well-crafted narrative structure, with a deeply emotional and unexpected conclusion.
Ellie’s Unique Immunity in TLOU
The first episode of TLOU concludes with one of the most crucial secrets of the game series: Ellie’s unique immunity to the Cordyceps infection, allowing her to be completely unharmed even after being bitten by one of the infected. This immunity is a central element in the first game of Naughty Dog, making Ellie one of the most distinctive characters in TLOU.
Initially, Joel and Tess do not understand why Ellie is so important to Marlene and the Fireflies. However, the climax of the first episode reveals everything when it is discovered that Ellie’s body has developed immunity against the Cordyceps fungus, meaning she has not been infected, even though she was bitten. This is a significant plot point that sets the stage for the survival themes present in TLOU, as those infected with Cordyceps can lose their humanity within 24 hours.
In other words, Ellie is completely immune to Cordyceps. This explains why Marlene and the Fireflies are determined to protect her at all costs, even willing to trade valuable supplies with Joel to ensure Ellie’s safety. However, Marlene also orders Joel and Tess to smuggle Ellie out of the quarantine zone and to meet with the Fireflies. This moment marks the beginning of the core narrative of the TLOU game, which will unfold more thrillingly in subsequent episodes.
Why Do Joel and Tess Need to Escort Ellie?
As mentioned above, Marlene has made a deal with the down-on-their-luck smugglers, Joel and Tess, to safely escort Ellie out of the quarantined area of Boston and to a rendezvous point at the Massachusetts State House to connect with the remaining members of the Fireflies. This can be seen as a risky mission for Joel, as he has not officially engaged in smuggling since the outbreak began, and he has no intention of helping anyone. However, due to Marlene’s insistence and her inability to continue guiding Ellie, Joel reluctantly agrees to the deal.
After reaching the rendezvous point, the Fireflies will continue to take Ellie to the West for further research on her immunity to the Cordyceps fungus. They hope to find a way to develop a vaccine to counter the horrific pandemic caused by this fungus. Fans of the TLOU game are well aware of whether the Fireflies’ plan will succeed or fail. However, we will not delve into specific details in this article to avoid impacting the experience of the audience who are new to TLOU through HBO’s series.
Who is Riley?
Riley is a character who appears in the DLC The Last Of Us: Left Behind and is Ellie’s best friend. This DLC focuses on the time Ellie was still living in the FEDRA military school within the Boston quarantine zone, a detail that has been introduced in HBO’s series.
Here, Ellie reunites with her childhood friend, Riley, and over time, the feelings between the two develop into a romantic connection. However, during one outing to the abandoned mall, both of them unfortunately encounter an infected creature. With nothing left to lose, Ellie and Riley decide to spend their final moments together. Ultimately, only Riley becomes infected, while Ellie remains safe, eventually falling into the hands of Marlene and the Fireflies. This incident happens just before the events of the main TLOU game.
In reality, Riley is a member of the Fireflies and is part of a group led by Marlene. This, along with Marlene being Anna’s best friend, Ellie’s mother, explains why the Fireflies know so much about Ellie. The first episode of TLOU has hinted that Marlene was the one who sent Ellie to the FEDRA military school to ensure her safety. The bond between Ellie and Riley will be explored further in upcoming episodes, as the girl recalls her experiences with her best friend during the traumatic events that helped her realize her own immunity to the Cordyceps infection.
The Meaning of the Song “Never Let Me Down Again” on the Radio
One of the final scenes of the first episode features Joel’s radio, which is used as a means of communication between him and two other smugglers named Frank and Bill. The song played during this scene is “Never Let Me Down Again” by Depeche Mode, released in 1987.
In the background, TLOU has made it clear that the song is significant within Joel’s universe, with its release in the late 80s carrying a sense of danger. Therefore, this scene suggests that Bill and Frank may have found themselves in a precarious situation while also “hinting” that the upcoming episode will continue to adhere closely to the source material, with the dangers looming over Joel as he goes out searching for Bill and Frank.
What Happened with Tommy?
Tommy is Joel’s younger brother and was his partner during the initial outbreak of the zombie apocalypse. However, 20 years later, the two are no longer as close as before, even though the first episode shows that Joel still tries to keep in contact with Tommy through the radio. However, Tommy’s silence for three weeks has caused Joel to feel anxious and want to set out to find his brother.
The opening episode of TLOU provides some information regarding what has transpired with Tommy, particularly in the section where Joel interacts with Marlene. Throughout the years from 2003 to 2023, Tommy has decided to join the Fireflies, despite the disagreements with his older brother. Joel even confronts Marlene for having caused his brother to turn his back on him.
These relationships, along with the sibling rivalry between Joel and Tommy, will be explored in greater depth in the upcoming episodes. Currently, all that audiences know is that Tommy is somewhere out west and has not yet been revealed to them in the series.
The Last Of Us Season 2 will premiere on January 23, 2024.
Source: ScreenRant, HBO
