Thomas Hoffmann
The first season of The Last of Us, from HBO and available on HBO Max, proved that a video game adaptation can be respectful and maintain an independent spirit. The production headed by Craig Mazin told the tale of an America devastated by the apocalypse in an adult and realistic tone. The Joel played by Pedro Pascal became the epitome of the tragic antihero, whereas the Ellie embodied by Bella Ramsey did so in the face of a generation born from the ashes.
In between, the story imagined by Craig Mazin explored a shattered scenario from the tragedies of its protagonists. Criticized and praised almost with equal enthusiasm, it showed the possibilities of a material that, already on its release in 2013, was considered novel. The Last of Us is much more than a narrative that bases its effectiveness on gory scenes, lurking monsters and explicit on-screen deaths.
The production team of the series decided to show the survivors from their dark and luminous shades. Which resulted in a solid storyline that spans different scenarios. From goodness to the perversion of faith. The Last of Us has been able to bond even with an audience unfamiliar with the source material.
The Last of Us is the premiere of the year and you can only watch it on HBO Max.
Unanswered questions on The Last of Us
The question that arises now that the first installment of The Last of Us has finalized is what to expect from its second season. Neil Drukmann and Graig Mazin announced that it will be based on the events of the second part of the game, which began selling in 2020. But, contrary to what was assumed, it will not cover them completely, but the narrative will be divided into more than one season.
The producers also noted that the story on the TV screen will be significantly different from the content from which it comes. Does this mean that the ultimate fate of the characters will be different from that shown in the game? What narrative twists from the acclaimed source material would make it to the small screen?
For the time being, and judging by the shocking final scene of its season finale, Joel’s decision will be of considerable importance in the development of the second season of The Last of Us. From concealing the murders he committed while rescuing EllieThe revelation in the game causes a rift between the man and his protégée. In the game, the revelation causes a rift between the man and his protégé. Will it happen the same way in his adaptation?
If so, events would transpire in the same way as in Neil Druckmann’s story, in which the estrangement between the two is a significant event. To the extent of changing the way in which Ellie Is perceived and conceived of her purpose in life. The new episodes of The Last of Us Would explore the evolution of the relationship as father and daughter. Also, the revelation of Joel’s performance inside the field hospital of the FirefliesWill this secret be important enough to be the focus of the second season of the series?
Everything that could mean a total change in the story.
If so, it is likely that the second season of The Last of Us focuses on the consequences of Joel’s attack on the subversive group. Which, without a doubt, includes what concerns the context of Abbya central character in the gaming world and one of the most controversial in pop culture.
In the classic Naughty Dog, Abby is the daughter of the doctor to whom Joel is shot in the operating room of the Las Luciérnagas hospital. This leads her to embark on a tenacious search for the culprit and, later, to consummate her revenge. This could be added in the plot of the series as an effect of everything that caused the action of Joel by saving Ellie. The most critical uncertainty is whether the adaptation will include the character’s key moment in its second season. For, driven by rage and grief, Abby ends up murdering Joel after torturing him.
Pedro Pascal and Anna Torv in The Last of Usthe television adaptation of Naughty Dog’s game.
Will the HBO production dispense with Pedro Pascal, already turned into an element of considerable importance on The Last of Us? For now, Neil Druckmann has insisted that the events in the second season adaptation will differ from those narrated in the video game. Which perhaps means that, although Abby is integrated into the plot, not murdering one of the main characters. A decision that would completely detract from the solidity of the series, based mainly on inevitable violence and irremediable moral decisions and losses.
Abby’s role in the second season of The Last of Us
Of not reaching the climax of his revenge, Abby would lose a fundamental weight in the story. However, the script of The Last of Us could make it a component of the process of Ellie by understanding her violent side.
This nuance in the young protagonist’s behavior was already explored in chapter eight, when she murdered David (Scott Shepherd), leader of the cannibalistic sect. In his version in the video game, Ellie pursues Abbydetermined to reclaim her life after Joel’s death. At the same time, the more sinister and volatile side of her personality is carefully explored.
However, she ultimately forgives her enemy, realizing that her adoptive father’s legacy is far more powerful than her need for aggressive vindictiveness.How might this major plot twist carry over to the second season of The Last of Us not including the death of Joel?
And what would be much more complicated, how could one understand to Abby Without her abrupt evolution after her father’s death? So far, The Last of Us has distinguished itself by capturing the essentials of the video game, without compromising its quality as a derivative story. A decision as relevant as avoiding a central event would transform the adaptation into a narrative very different from the original.
Tommy, a character that could have more growth in the second season.
The series The Last of Us has only shown, so far, two versions of the sibling of Joelplayed by actor Gabriel Luna. A very young one, in the middle of a nocturnal escape in the first episode, and a more mature one in the sixth. Then, he finds himself married to Maria (Rutina Wesley) and is a resident of Jackson, the peaceful secret enclave where they would reside. Joel y Ellie.
For the second season, the character should have a greater participation in the central events of the plot. In particular, in the event of Joel’s death and the subsequent pursuit of Abby by Ellie. If this critical element is modified in the argument, it is most likely that the approach of The Last of Us explore in his life beyond violence. Tommy succeeded in founding a family together with Maria, if his brother ends up joining their small community, the narrative would give greater strength to the bond that unites them.
But is such a perspective enough for a figure who was defined, in no small part, by the death of his brother? So far, Tommy has only been integral to a larger story in which. Joel is the center of events. In both the video game and the series, the relationship between the two becomes more important as harsher and more complicated events are recounted.
In the HBO version of The Last of Usis the little brother of Joel who listens to the latter confess his trauma over the death of Sara (Nico Parker) and her fear of not being able to protect Ellie. Her appearances in the second season will depend largely on the survival of Joel and the way in which it is analyzed to Ellie and her environment. So it’s not entirely clear what will happen with Tommy in the continuation of production.
The Last of Us and the ending that divided its audience
Will the television adaptation of The Last of Us the opportunity to provide another ending to the controversial sequel to the original game? Since its release, the conclusion of the journey through an apocalyptic world left a considerable number of players unsatisfied.
Since the death of Joel up to the open closure with Ellie Isolated and with some fingers pointed, the game was accused of betraying its essence and bringing incomplete scenarios to the beloved characters. Also, of creating with Abby the symbol of dystopian violence, with the concept ultimately going nowhere.
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Some of the changes announced for the second season of its television adaptation may add a new run on its more controversial elements. Such as. Ellie does not end up as the victim of a story that overtakes her or Abby Is it in Neil Druckmann’s plans to explore new motivations in his characters? Most likely yes. Even if doing so means rewriting a fundamental pop culture story.