Introduction:
We’re finally back in the broken world of The Last of Us, and Season 2 wastes no time reminding us how emotionally charged and brutal this journey can be. Five years after Joel and Ellie’s escape from the Fireflies, we now find them in Jackson, Wyoming, trying to build something resembling a life. But peace doesn’t last long here, and if you’ve played the game, you know exactly how dark things are about to get.
Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey step deeper into their characters, and the intensity only multiplies. I’ll dive into each episode with a full recap and review, so buckle up—this season will hit hard.
We open with Abby and her group standing among graves near the giraffes, grief and anger thick in the air. Abby’s mission is clear—find Joel and make him suffer. The rest of her team is hesitant, pointing out they’ve stayed behind for the wounded and are now behind Joel by days. Still, they compromise and plan a route to Seattle, with Abby quietly seething beneath it all.
We jump ahead five years. Ellie’s in Jackson now, tougher and more guarded, living with Joel and surrounded by new friends like Jesse, Dina, and others. But she’s restless. Her bond with Joel is fraying, especially after he tries to protect her in public, prompting more resentment.
Meanwhile, Joel’s in therapy with Gail, a woman who reveals he killed her husband, Eugene. It’s a heavy, guilt-ridden session that ends with Joel walking away in tears.
Ellie and Dina’s patrol ends in disaster; they find a bloody scene, and Ellie pushes further, eventually facing a smarter, more dangerous infected. She wins, but at a cost; she’s bitten again and self-harms to hide it. Later, she and Dina share a kiss at a New Year’s party, which Joel defends, only to be lashed out at by Ellie. On a distant ridge, Abby watches, closing in.
This episode sets a haunting tone for Season 2, slow, heavy, and emotionally complex. The show doesn’t rush. Instead, it lets relationships breathe, especially Joel and Ellie’s strained dynamic.
Pedro Pascal gives us a more broken, vulnerable Joel, while Bella Ramsey leans into Ellie’s pain and recklessness. Their roles are shifting, and fast. The commune feels more lived-in this season, but not everyone’s decisions land well. Ellie, facing no real consequence, feels… off.
Still, the tension is undeniable. Abby’s looming presence promises chaos. We’re in for heartbreak—and I’m ready.
