Episode 3 picks up right where we left off, the Jackson massacre’s aftermath weighs heavily on all of us. The streets outside are littered with the Infected, and inside, grief hangs thick. Joel’s death is still raw, and Ellie, drowning in PTSD, is confined to the hospital, thrashing and screaming through her trauma. Fast-forward three months, and Jackson is rebuilding itself, but Ellie hasn’t moved much. Gail, trying to assess her psyche, finds little improvement beyond a hardened scowl.
Back home, Ellie stumbles upon Joel’s old watch but brushes past it for a handgun. Her moment of vulnerability is brief. Dina arrives with cookies and bigger news: she has intel on Abby’s group. Manny, Owen, Nora, Abby, and the WLF (Washington Liberation Front) are all based out of Seattle. Ellie fumes at Dina for the delay, but the town’s recovery took precedence.
Tommy, ever the voice of caution, urges Ellie to consult the council before acting. Unsurprisingly, the council rejects her proposal. Determined, Ellie gears up anyway. Dina, now on board, introduces Seth, their unlikely ally, supplying provisions. After visiting Joel’s grave, Ellie and Dina hit the road. Nine miles out from Seattle, they discover a chilling sight: dead cultists from the Scars faction, likely victims of Abby’s crew. The stage is set for confrontation.
This episode is a slow, heavy grind, and not always in a good way. While I appreciate the show giving us space to breathe and sit with grief, the pacing crawls. Bella Ramsey’s portrayal of Ellie struggles under the weight of constant scowls and muted emotions, making connecting to her inner turmoil harder than it should be.
Some plot leaps don’t sit right either. Dina’s sudden cache of detailed intel raises more questions than answers. Her resources, time, and methods are glossed over. Tommy feels sidelined, his character stripped of the quiet strength I loved from earlier episodes.
Still, I won’t deny that the foundations are being carefully laid. The grief, the fractured community, and Ellie’s growing obsession hint at explosive conflicts ahead. The episode falters in momentum but plants enough seeds to keep me locked in.
