5 burning 'The Last of Us' questions we have after the finale
Welp, that was a lot. You're probably still digesting that brutal The Last of Us finale that capped off a season packed full of monsters, murders, and widespread emotional devastation — but once the dust has settled, an inevitable question comes rising 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 hold? What's been left unanswered at the close of Season 1?
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 we're talking about, only one thing seems certain at this stage — there's likely to be a whole lot more heartbreak to come. (Oh, and just to be clear, this story is written without any knowledge of the Naughty Dog video games, including The Last of Us Part II which Season 2 will tackle — so it's all speculation and no game spoilers).
1. Will the Fireflies come looking for Joel and Ellie?
No matter what you think about Joel's violent rescue of Ellie in the final episode, it seems pretty clear that there'll be repercussions. You might be able to get away with dispatching the odd Firefly here and there, but a whole hospital full of them? Including their leader, Marlene (Merle Dandridge)? Nope, that's going to have consequences.
It's possible, of course, that Marlene hasn't told anyone beyond the Salt Lake City medical team about Ellie being immune. Possible, but unlikely — the Fireflies Joel took out presumably had this information on a need-to-know basis. With Firefly units assigned mainly to taking back QZs across the country, and trust a hot commodity in this post-apocalyptic reality, Marlene appears to have kept something as world-changing as a potential cordyceps cure to herself all these years. Not even her core Boston team knows exactly why Ellie is so important. Our guess, though? Someone else knows. Another high-powered Firefly will make it their business to track down Joel and Ellie post-haste. It's not a matter of will they come looking for them, but when.
2. Will Ellie learn what really happened at the Firefly base?
On the one hand, Joel and Ellie are closer than ever by the close of Season 1. Joel has literally called Ellie "baby girl", the nickname he used for his own daughter, and they've both saved each other's lives countless times. But — and it's a big but — there's now a secret between them. A Bloater-sized secret. 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 raiders were the ones that attacked the hospital. All of which is a massive 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 or not she believes him — if you can read Ramsey's facial expression in that final scene, good for you. Even if he is a good liar, will he be able to stop the lie from catching up with him and Ellie? We think not — especially if the Fireflies come knocking.
3. Will Joel and Ellie be allowed to stay at Tommy and Maria's camp?
Joel and Ellie's welcome at the camp in Jackson, Wyoming where Tommy (Gabriel Luna) and Maria (Rutina Wesley) reside isn't exactly a warm one in episode 6. Obviously Tommy is happy to see Joel, but it seems pretty clear at the time that Maria isn't quite so thrilled. "There are clearly things you don't know about Joel," she tells Ellie while cutting her hair, before advising her to be careful who she puts her faith in. "The only people who can betray us are the ones we trust."
Given that she's already suspicious of Joel, how is Maria going to react to their return? What questions will she have for Joel, and will she see through his lies? If we had to guess we'd say Joel and Ellie will likely be taken in initially, but if there's so much as a hint as to what Joel did out there, Maria will order him gone.
4. What will become of FEDRA and the QZs?
FEDRA's hold over the country is shown to be shaky at best in Season 1. Not only do they have Infected and the Fireflies to deal with, but there are also other revolutionary militia groups like the Kansas City one led by Kathleen (Melanie Lynskey) that have actually succeeded in overthrowing the government's corrupt military arm from their respective Quarantine Zone.
Will other QZs be taken over in Season 2? Is it possible the Fireflies will make a larger, country-wide move to destabilise FEDRA, or will they crumble without Marlene's leadership? Given the way things are going for FEDRA in Season 1, it certainly seems possible their power could falter.
5. Will Joel and Ellie find their farm?
Wouldn't it be nice if Joel and Ellie could discover a little bit of peace in Season 2? The trip to space that Ellie's always longed for might be a tad tricky, but what about that sheep farm Joel dreamed about in episode 6? If Joel and Ellie do get evicted from Tommy and Maria's settlement they'd need somewhere to lie low for a while, so a remote farm could be just the ticket. Maybe, even if it's only for a little while, they might get a chance to come close to Joel's utopian dream in Season 2?
OK, it's wishful thinking. We know that. But at this point we'll take any happiness we can get, even if it's only a fleeting moment of it before the past inevitably comes knocking.
The Last of Us is now streaming on HBO Max.