A game easter egg in The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 1 that even the first one didn’t have

The Last of Us season 2 episode 1 (image via Instagram/@thelastofus)
The Last of Us season 2 episode 1 (image via Instagram/@thelastofus)

The Last of Us Season 2, Episode 1 finally sees one common gameplay feature that the first season lacked — utilizing a throwable bottle as a distraction. In the games, bottles and bricks are key items that the player utilizes to stun or distract the infected. Although Season 1 had various references and Easter eggs from the game, it omitted this simple yet symbolic mechanic.

In The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 1, Future Days, the show at last gives a nod to this feature. As part of a heightened scene within a supermarket, Ellie uses a bottle to distract a clicker. This adds a known and practical technique from the game to the show's live-action universe. It may not seem like much, but it is a nod to the creators' ongoing desire to remain faithful to the game's essential elements.


Bricks and Bottles: A crucial gameplay element omitted from Season 1

In The Last of Us games, the players make extensive use of bricks and bottles that litter the terrain. These can be hurled to distract enemies off their patrol lines or utilized for close-range attacks to stun or hurt them. This mechanic is major when it comes to survival and stealth. Throwing an object, such as a bottle, can distract the clicker, allowing the player to escape or set up an ambush.

These objects are simple items, yet they are essential to the player's success, particularly in more difficult levels. Despite this, Season 1 of the series never had any bottles or bricks active. Although the series borrowed several features from the game — like character narratives, backgrounds, and voice actor guest spots — not having this feature at all stood out to devoted followers.


How The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 1 brought back the Bottle Mechanic

The Last of Us Season 2, Episode 1 has Ellie and Dina patrolling. They find a blood trail that leads them to a supermarket that is full of infected people. They find a clicker inside, located near an office area. To address the threat, Ellie quietly takes up a brown beer bottle and hurls it into a corner. The clicker is distracted by the breaking of the bottle and is diverted from its path.

Ellie seizes this opportunity to creep up and strike. This action is similar to how players handle such a situation in the game. The bottle employed here is a brown beer bottle that appears much the same as in-game.

Even The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 1 includes an advertorial element in the branding detail with the bottle being displayed with the branding 'Bud Light,' contrary to the unlabeled bottles used within the game. Nevertheless, the general atmosphere remains faithful to how the product is utilized when gaming.


Why this easter egg is important

This Easter egg brings the fanbase and the show together on an emotional level. It demonstrates that the creators are responding to fan criticism and seeking out methods of incorporating more realistic in-game content. The bottle mechanic is subtle, but it serves to add realism and create a living game world in a functional, story-based manner.

The action also assists in creating tension and strategy for the scene. Rather than utilizing boisterous action, the bottle contributes to the stealth and suspense that is characteristic of the game. To incorporate such scenes is to have the show imitate the tone and play style of the game more accurately.


The Last of Us Season 2, Episode 1 finally brings a fan-favorite game mechanic to the screen. By featuring Ellie using a bottle as a distraction, the show adds a key piece of gameplay that Season 1 missed.

Edited by Apoorva Jujjavarapu