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The Last of Us continues to journey on its emotional and thematic depth, but episode 5 of Season 2 takes a new step forward by lining up somewhat closely with its source material—the video game.
While the HBO show has contained parts of it being a looser interpretation of the game’s story, this episode marks a slight turning point where fan-favorite scenes, visual descriptions, and dialogues from The Last of Us Part II are authentically adapted from game to screen—with enthusing precision.
Ellie’s pursuit of Nora mirrors the game with brutal accuracy in The Last of Us TV show
The Last of Us takes fans back to St. Mary’s Hospital, where Ellie hunts down Nora in an almost perfectly shot-for-shot scene that was lifted up from the game material.
From Ellie pulling her gun and asking for answers to Nora absconding and sprinting through the hospital corridors, every single moment from the TV show version feels pulled directly from the game.
As spores gather up in the air and red light covers the entire basement, Ellie’s immunity becomes incredibly hard to ignore.
Nora’s line— “You’re her”—is delivered with the same emotional weight as in The Last of Us Part II, just before Ellie delivers the final blow.
The game expresses multiple hits, while the show cuts to black after the very first swing, but the emotional repercussion remains just as chilling to fans of the game as well as the adaptation.
Future Days by Pearl Jam resurfaces in a familiar setting
Inside the deserted theater, The Last of Us makes use of sound to link the past and present. Ellie strums a chord; the opening section of Pearl Jam’s “Future Days” alone onstage, mirroring a game scene where Joel is seen performing the same song.
Although Ellie is seen to be singing just one line in the show, it’s enough to cause deep emotional nuances. The song’s in-game appearance made it a symbol of Joel and Ellie’s relationship, and its TV counterpart in Episode 5 did hint at a flashback.
This callback to the game helps the show in the musical reminiscence of The Last of Us, complete with a guitar that Ellie locates backstage—just like it is seen in the game.
The Seraphite ambush unfolds just like Day 2 of the game
The Last of Us doesn’t diverge for when it comes to Ellie’s very first frightening encounter with the Seraphites.
Going into a Seattle park with Jesse and Dina, Ellie sees the Scars kill a WLF soldier—a lingering scene that echoes the game’s Day 2.
As madness erupts, Ellie runs away and pulls up near Lakehill Hospital.
While the show deviates a tiny bit by having Jesse and Dina stick with her for far more time than they did in the original version, anxiety of this entire scene remains accurate to the original.
The Seraphites’ quiet ruthlessness is captured with frightening detail, just like in The Last of Us with the video game.
Dina’s surveillance methods are lifted straight from gameplay
Trailing enemy moves turns into an important tactic to follow with in The Last of Us. In both the video game and the show, Dina listens in on the WLF radio and uses a map to make a note of routes.
While the wordings might be a little different, the visualizations and the intentions remain right on track. This scene helps transport the duo’s survival skill sets and adds to the tensions for what lies ahead in the show.
Dina’s use of the radio also echoes similarly to her game self, underlining her character to act as Ellie’s main ally in Seattle. These tiny details are what actually solidify the show’s struggles to preserve the core gameplay ideas of TLOU narrative.
Theater setup and generator tasks replicate playable mechanics
One of the shrewder nods to The Last of Us game in the show is Ellie’s reaction to switching the generator on inside the theater.
Her excitement is directly pulled from the game, where players must reinstate power to progress.
The discarded music items scattered across the stage reflects what gamers have previously explored themselves. Though effortless, these moments—locating the guitar, restoring power, and exploring the stillness—help place the fans in the game’s rhythmic patterns.
It's not just about plot or picking out a scene-to-scene rendition; it’s about curating the right environment and TLOU knows exactly when to re-establish these gameplay moments to intensify its authenticity.
The Last of Us may be moving in new directions this second season, but episode 5 acts as a potent reminder of how impactful direct adaptation can be.
From an iconic dialogue to frightening imagery, the show doesn’t just look up to its source—it relives it.
And in doing so, it reiterates why TLOU remains such an emotionally significant journey, no matter whether in game or on TV.
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