The Last of Us is a riveting post-apocalyptic thriller that brings the world of Naughty Dog's classic computer game to life. Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann created the series, which follows Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) as they travel across a ruined America, which has been devastated by a fungus infection that has transformed humanity into terrible animals.
The first season closely follows the storyline of the 2013 game, while the second delves into the dramatic narrative of The Last of Us Part II. With exceptional performances and hauntingly beautiful music, the series immediately became a cultural phenomenon, receiving critical praise as well as multiple Emmy awards.
5 best moments from the Last of Us
1) Joel’s Desperate Decision to Save Ellie
In one of the most heartbreaking turns in TV history, Joel chooses to kill the Fireflies in order to save Ellie, sacrificing humanity's hope of a cure for Cordyceps. Joel's decision to kill everyone in his way in order to save Ellie when Marlene tells him that the procedure would kill her completely changes the course of events.
He becomes a sad antihero as a result of his paternal attachment to Ellie, demonstrating the extent one would go to for love, even if the costs are immoral.
2) Tess’s Sacrifice
Fans anticipated Tess to be around for a while, so her death came as a shock. Her show of resistance against the infected, even knowing she had been bitten and had little time left, set a tragic tone for the series. Tess secures Joel and Ellie's safety by choosing to stay behind and detonate a grenade-laden explosive to take down the incoming infected, cementing her role as a vital player in Joel's journey and the show's emotional tension.
3. The First Encounter with the Clickers
Joel, Ellie, and Tess's terrifying encounter with the clickers in a pitch-black, deserted museum is a masterwork of suspense and terror. The spooky tone of the series is established when we hear the distinctive clicking sound for the first time. This encounter is made unforgettable, and the dreadful monsters are established as the stuff of nightmares by the gradual revelation of the clickers, with their horrible faces covered in fungus and their awful screeches.
4. Ellie’s Battle with David
Ellie's confrontation with David in the burning restaurant is one of the series' most dramatic, emotional, and psychologically charged scenes, and this starts out as a negotiation for medicine and quickly escalates into a deadly war for survival, as per the show's storyline.
As Ellie confronts David's warped psychological manipulation, her fierce and angry response marks her transition into a survivor. The event transforms Ellie from a defenseless kid to someone determined to do everything it takes to protect herself, emphasizing how tragedy reshapes individuals.
5. Joel and Sarah’s Narrow Escape
One of the most captivating scenes in The Last of Us's history is the opening sequence. A rapidly spreading sickness almost consumes Sarah and Joel as they attempt to flee the outbreak's mayhem.
Viewers were stunned speechless by the street pursuit and the horrific scene where they only managed to avoid being apprehended by a newly afflicted person. Given the terrible catastrophe that transpires soon after, which signifies the loss of Sarah and Joel's pre-apocalyptic lives, this scene lays the emotional groundwork for the whole series.