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Starring Bella Ramsey, Pedro Pascal, and others, The Last of Us Season 1, is a post-apocalyptic drama that is based on the popular video game franchise. The show has received critical and commercial acclaim for its performances, visuals, and writing. Created by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, the show is about a smuggler, who must escort an immune teenager safely, after the world is ravaged by a deadly infection, which leaves humans in a zombie-like state. It has many emotionally-heavy moments and here are seven of them.
Tess's sacrifice, Anna's death, and other heart-wrenching moments from The Last of Us Season 1
1. Henry and Sam’s death
Played by Lamar Johnson and Keivonn Woodard respectively, Henry and Sam, are one of the most noble characters in The Last of Us. Not only are they brave and support Joel and Ellie, but they also stand alongside each other as brothers. Fans of the video game know that the brothers are very important to the quest of Ellie and Joel but they also know that the two siblings do not have a particularly happy ending. The two brothers are introduced in the middle of the season and they vow to protect and fight for Ellie and Joel. They help the protagonists during out-of-town escapades and even protect them from the threat of FEDRA. However, a heart-wrenching moment occurs when Sam gets bit by the creatures. Even though there is a ray of hope as Ellie decides to offer him some of her immune blood, the next day shows that the experiment was unsuccessful and Sam has turned fully into an infected. The scene is heartbreaking as Ellie, Joel, and Henry tried their best to save Sam but couldn’t. Moreover, Sam also tries to attack Ellie and as a result, he has to be put down. The scene gets even more devastating as Henry is unable to bear the loss of his brother and decides to shoot himself in the head.
2. Sarah’s death
The Last of Us, is known for being a poignant game and those heartbreaking moments have been translated into its TV adaptation as well. From the very beginning, Joel is shown to carry a lot of trauma and pain because of his daughter’s death. This pain is also the reason why Joel feels a strong connection with Ellie because he sees her as his long-lost daughter. In the first episode, Joel and his daughter, Sarah, are introduced and the viewers immediately notice the sweet father-daughter bond between the two. Their bond also showcases the caring nature of Joel and how he is a devoted father. However, their sweet little world is ruined by the end of the episode, which lays the groundwork for future episodes. As the father and daughter are caught in a crossfire, Joel does his best to carry his daughter in his arms and keep her safe. However, they get shot on suspicion of being infected. Even though Joel makes it out alive, Sarah’s death comes as a big shock as she is unable to survive the gunshot wound. Her death is one of the most pivotal and shocking twists, early in the season. Not only is it heartbreaking, but it also becomes the defining moment for Joel’s character.
3. Anna’s death
Another devastating moment in the series, The Last of Us, is when viewers finally get to know the backstory of Ellie and how she became immune to the attacks of the infected creatures. Ellie’s immunity is a mystery throughout the show, until the last episode, which reveals the secret. As viewers, even though one knows the backstory of Joel, no one knows what became of Ellie’s family. However, in the episode, audiences get to look at Ellie’s mom, Anna. Interestingly, Anna’s role is portrayed by Ashley Johnson, who was the voice actor for Ellie in the video games. The flashback is poignant as Anna is shown pregnant with Ellie trying to fight off the creatures and running for her life. The whole scene is heart-wrenching as Anna tries her best to deliver her daughter in safety. Finally, when she does find an abandoned house in the woods and goes into labor, a clicker is able to locate Anna and it breaks through the door. The scene is already devastating to witness as Anna will now become infected soon but then the viewers are shown how her best friend, Marlene, had to kill Anna to save her daughter Ellie from any harm. The scene is emotional as the mother gladly sacrifices her life for her daughter and it is in that moment that viewers get to know how the original Ellie died so that a new Ellie could be born.
4. Tess’s sacrifice
During the beginning of The Last of Us, viewers get to see the bond between Joel and Ellie as they traverse across the ravaged country to find a means of safety. However, even in this desolate landscape, they come across a survivor, Tess. Tess proves herself to be a strong woman and she knows how to handle attacks by the clickers and joins Ellie and Joel. However, when they decide to journey through Boston to get to Bill and Franks, they run into trouble. The trio is attacked by a group of infected creatures. Tess, soon becomes viewers’ favorite with the strength and bravery that she shows. During the deadly encounter with the clickers, Tess, unfortunately, gets bitten by them and tries to brush off the encounter to not alarm Joel and Ellie. However, during a tense moment later when the three are beginning to get surrounded by the clickers, Tess confesses to Joel that she is now infected. When Tess sees that Ellie’s wound is healing and how special a child she is, she gladly forces Joel to take Ellie to her place of safety and before she gets fully vicious, begs them to leave her alone and run for safety. The parting between the three is a heart-wrenching moment in the show.
5. Dr. Pertiwi’s conclusion
In one of the earlier episodes of The Last of Us, the series showcases how the infection came to be and how it originated in Indonesia. It also shows how rapidly that infection had begun to spread and how deadly its consequences were, which was unlike any other infection that had ever struck human society. The episode starts from a scientific point of view but soon becomes poignant and full of emotions as Dr. Pertiwi, played by Christina Hakim, realizes the full extent of the dangers of this infection. She is initially shown to be conducting tests on a dead, infected body, but when she sees how rapidly the infection changes a human, she is left in shock. The scene soon gets tense and heavy as Dr. Pertiwi gets emotional and tells her team and the authorities that there is no cure for such an infection. Her only suggestion to contain the spread of the disease is to start bombing cities, to minimize the spread. The extremity of the step suggested by the doctor is one of the first few scenes where viewers realize how helpless the whole situation is. The moment gets even more emotional, as Dr. Pertiwi requests the doctors to let her spend some time with her family before it all comes to an end. The doctor’s final words are therefore a warning sign of what is supposed to come and is heart-breaking to watch.
6. Ellie and Riley’s last moments
The Last of Us, mainly focuses on the relationship between Ellie and Joel, however, there is an episode, which also revolves around Ellie’s life, before she met Joel. The episode revolves around the events of The Last of Us: Left Behind, and viewers get to know about how Ellie was also just a normal teenager with friends who loved her. Ellie’s best friend, Riley, played by Storm Reid, is introduced in the episode and it is revealed that Riley wants to join the Fireflies and support them in their cause against the Clippers. The episode is heart-breaking and heart-wrenching, as the two friends decide to have one last day together, full of fun and abandon before Riley leaves Ellie. It has a bittersweet touch to it as Ellie and Riley have fun by playing arcade games, riding a carousel, and dancing around a Halloween store. Viewers might think that the episode is sweet and offers a sneak peek into the life of Ellie. However, the series is known for suddenly giving a twist and the two friends end up being attacked by an infected. When the both of them realize what has happened, the viewers also realize along with them that their friendship has ended before it could begin. While Ellie has an outburst and destroys the glass of a store, Riley is just left heartbroken and mute. The saddest part is that Ellie is immune so she will have to see her friend getting transformed into an infected.
7. Bill and Frank’s death
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The Last of Us, has given viewers some of the most devastating and heart-breaking scenes throughout the entire series. However, the episode where Bill and Frank’s love and tragic end are illustrated is one of the most heart-wrenching moments of the first season. The episode begins on a poignant and emotional note as viewers finally get to see the backstory of Bill and Frank. The two are shown as intense lovers who despite all odds, were able to create a beautiful life for themselves, even in the face of the apocalypse. The emotions that both of them show, are full of emotional depth and love. However, their love is marred by tragedy when it is revealed that Frank has a terminal disease. It is heartbreaking to see that Frank requests Bill to end his life in a peaceful manner and end his suffering. Even though Bill is heartbroken by this request and does not want to, he accepts to end his partner’s life but also decides to end his own. The scene where they both end their lives is one of the most romantic yet heart-wrenching moments of the show.
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