With back to back gut wrenching and incredible episodes, this HBO series has proved all skeptics and critics wrong. I mean you know a quality show when you see one and The Last of Us is definitely up there with the most quality shows ever made. It doesn’t matter if you have played The Last of Us games or not, this show is clearly for everyone. With the execution, direction, and performances we have seen so far and the solid source material backing it, we al knew we were in for an exhilarating ride but sadly that ride is now over. Without further ado, lets dive deep into our verdict for HBO’s The Last of Us Episode 9 aka the finale and beware that some major spoilers for the episode follow below! Review Marathon – Episode 1 / Episode 2 / Episode 3 / Episode 4 & 5 / Episode 6 / Episode 7 / Episode 8.
The Last of Us Episode 9 – Presenting Joel the Ruthless
Rating – ★★★★★
I can’t believe it is over already as HBO just released the finale for The Last of Us. It feels like Joel and Ellie’s journey just began but we’re already through season 1 and what an incredible season it was! If you have followed our weekly coverage, you might be aware that there was just one episode that we found a bit mediocre and that was Episode 7. That aside, the entire season has been the stuff of legends and has established a benchmark against which rest of the shows this year will be measured. After that horrifying and gut-wrenching episode last week, it was really hard to wait for this episode and see how all that mess had affected Joel and Ellie. Well, the episode did not disappoint and was in fact, much more than what we expected.
The one thing that this finale completely excelled at were the heartfelt character moments especially the ones between Joel and Ellie. The episode opened with some emotional moments between Marlene and Ellie’s mother which was preceded by a graphic child birth scene (which HBO clearly loves considering how many there were in House of the Dragons last year). Anyways, through that scene we not only got to know Elli’s origin but also what kind of bond she must have shared with Marlene. That is why Marlene’s choice of sacrificing Ellie and keeping her in the dark hit even harder, instantly changing viewers positive opinion of her.
As it happens, she wasn’t the only character about whom viewers changed their opinion as Joel choices in this episode certainly messed with our minds. On the one hand, he derived the world of a potential cure but on the other hand he saved Ellie from a certain death however, in the process killed dozens including Marlene. So, who’s to say what’s right or wrong in this crappy world? One thing which all viewers would agree however, is that both Joel and Marlene didn’t give Ellie a choice and in fact, lied to her. And while some of you might argue that this choice is Ellie’s alone, well, Joel certainly didn’t see it this way. In fact, Marlene’s oppressive methods forced Joel’s hands at rescuing Ellie. But again, he could’ve told Ellie the truth later or maybe he will in the coming seasons when he considers Ellie mature enough to take such grey decisions.
Anyways, Joel’s hospital mayhem was an incredible action sequence full of ruthlessness as well as high emotional stakes. Pedro Pascal delivered a terrific performance throughout the episode but in the final few sequences, he was just too good. You could actually see the warmth in his eyes for Ellie and absolute cold-heartedness for everyone else. He didn’t even flinch while killing all those people and Marlene, but at the same time you could feel his protective instincts and love for Ellie. The only time he flinched was when he had to lie to Ellie in order to protect her. Such incredible writing, ain’t it?! So, we sure can’t say that the season ended on a hopeful note but given the kind of series The Last of Us is, that’s the best we could’ve gotten.
The highlight of this episode, however, remain the tender and bonding moments between Joel and Ellie. Whether it was Joel trying to comfort Ellie and make her hope, or both of them rating unfunny puns, or Ellie telling Joel she’d follow him anywhere (Laughs and cries like that Pedro Pascal meme). As for the technicalities, the production design and the cinematography in this episode were masterclass, never once making the show feel cheap or unreal. The highly realistic and dark tone of the show is further amplified by the score, especially during the hospital shootout. The almost un-hearable gunshots and the score gave that scene a really cold and eerie vibe which perfectly reflected how Joel must have been feeling during that sequence.
Final Verdict – The Last of Us Episode 9 is a worthy finale which ends this highly impressive series on satisfactory yet hoping for more mood. As mentioned above, this series has rightfully earned its place among the best series ever made and will serve as a perfect example of what to do when adapting a story from other media sources. The Last of Us is the best video-game adaptation of one of the best video games ever made and that pretty much sums it up. Kudos HBO and if possible, do not disappoint us next season, please?
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