‘The Last of Us’ Episode 6 Recap: An Awkward Reunion #GeekLeap

The Final of Us episode 6 got here to HBO and HBO Max on Sunday, rejoining Ellie and Joel (Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal) after they noticed new pals Henry and Sam undergo horrible fates.

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Nevertheless, they managed to flee Kansas Metropolis’s marauders and contaminated. This episode finds them again on their actual quest — re-connecting with Joel’s estranged brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna). 

He is the one who can join Ellie to the Fireflies, a insurgent group that wishes to duplicate her immunity to the fungal an infection that is turned billions of individuals into monsters and probably restore this damaged world. Let’s examine how profitable they’re by diving into SPOILERS.

River of loss of life

Three months after shedding Henry and Sam, Ellie and Joel have gone far west and gotten themselves misplaced within the wilds of Wyoming. There they occur upon Florence and Marlon (Elaine Miles and Graham Greene, actors of respective Native American and First Nation origins), a darkly charming aged couple that survived the outbreak as a result of they lived in isolation.

Regardless of our heroes’ threatening to shoot the couple, Florence offers them soup as a result of chilly climate and Marlon warns them to not cross Yellowstone River (the map reveals that they are in Yellowstone Nationwide Park) — solely “loss of life” lies that method.

Again on the highway, the pair cease for the evening and categorical their hopes for the longer term if Ellie’s blood does certainly ship the world again to a pre-outbreak society.  Joel desires to cool down on a ranch and lift sheep as a result of “they’re quiet, do what they’re advised.”

Ellie is a little more bold, declaring her need to turn into an astronaut just like the late Sally Trip (who grew to become the first American girl to fly to area in 1983). There is a trace of melancholy after Ellie says it although, suggesting she’s not satisfied it will probably ever occur. Joel expresses an uncharacteristic confidence that the remedy will work, subconsciously slipping a reassuring dad mode.

These moments trace at components seen in The Final of Us Half 2 sport, however we can’t dive into these right here since it will seemingly come up in season 2 of the present.

Tense encounter

Crossing the river, Ellie and Joel encounter a bunch of people that set a sniffer canine on them to find out in the event that they’re contaminated. The pup offers Joel the all-clear, then it looks as if Ellie will not be so lucky — we all know she’s bitten, so the canine may tear her to shreds. Joel steels himself up for the worst, however the doggo stays pleasant to Ellie. Phew.

A girl within the group (Rutina Wesley, whom you may know from True Blood) seems to be Tommy’s spouse, Maria, and brings them to their slightly pretty settlement for a reunion. Joel is a little bit weirded out by the truth that his little brother acquired married with out him figuring out, however Ellie helps him categorical his congratulations. Awkward.

This performs out fairly in another way within the sport, the place Ellie and Joel occur upon Maria and Tommy’s settlement. There’s additionally a big set piece on the hydroelectric dam, which we solely glimpse within the present.

Maria and Tommy reveal that they constructed “river of loss of life” popularity by littering the realm with the our bodies of any nasty marauders that attempted to get into the city — the kinds of individuals we noticed Invoice keeping off.

Issues get tense between Tommy and Joel, since their protecting measures resulted in him slicing off radio contact with Joel. Maria can be pregnant, which makes Tommy much less inclined to take accountability for shepherding Ellie to the Fireflies. And Joel’s trauma over the loss of life of his daughter Sarah makes it robust to see his brother shifting on along with his life.

“Simply because life stopped for you, does not imply it has to cease for me,” Tommy says, earlier than Joel storms out.

Ouch. Out on the road, Joel appears to undergo a panic assault when he spots a lady with comparable hair to Sarah, suggesting that his bond with Ellie and chat with Tommy is resurfacing buried trauma.

A touch of security

Ellie learns about Sarah from Maria, giving her new perception into her father determine. She’s additionally handled to a screening of The Goodbye Lady — a 1977 film a few prickly man who bonds with a precocious lady. Richard Dreyfuss gained an Oscar for his efficiency on this one, so it looks as if a strong selection (if a little bit bit meta).

Tommy in the end apologizes for his remark, and Joel confesses the depths of his trauma and the agony brought on by his attachment to Ellie. Studying of Ellie’s immunity, Tommy agrees to take Ellie to the Fireflies… however Ellie will not be having it.

They briefly argue over Joel’s try and cross accountability onto Tommy, however Joel in the end decides to let Ellie select which brother she’d favor. Predictably, she chooses Joel and the dream crew heads out to I-25.

Put up-apocalyptic school expertise

Arriving on the College of Japanese Colorado (the identical fictional establishment seen within the sport), they discover the Fireflies’ outdated lab deserted apart from a couple of monkeys including to the mess. After figuring out that the insurgent group is probably going in Salt Lake Metropolis, they’re pressured to flee as a bunch of marauders arrive.

Joel scuffles with considered one of them and in the end breaks his neck, however discovers that he is been stabbed within the abdomen with a chunk of wooden. The pair flee on horseback and seem to have gotten clear, then Joel falls off their mount and loses unconsciousness within the snow.  

This part performs out equally to the sport, although the method to the lab sees you taking up Clickers and exploring extra totally. Each variations find yourself with Joel badly wounded and Ellie answerable for their fates, however the present offers us a slightly wonderful cowl of Depeche Mode’s By no means Let Me Down Once more — the identical tune that performed on the finish of episode 1.

Episode 7 of The Final of Us hits HBO Max subsequent Sunday, Feb. 26.