The Last Of Us Season 2 Episode 2 ending song has a special connection to the games (& here's what it means for the show)

The Last Of Us Season 2 Episode 2, which dropped on April 20, 2025, on Max, ended on a sad and grim note. The closing scene of the episode showcased the aftermath of the death of a pivotal character, and the gruesome attack on Jackson, which was until now considered a haven for the Cordyceps-infected zombies in the post-apocalyptic U.S.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from The Last Of Us Season 2 Episode 2

The most shocking and disturbing scene of the episode was when Abby tricked Joel and brutally killed him right in front of Ellie. She shot him in his leg with a shotgun, hit him with a golf club, and finally stabbed him to death. The reason? To avenge the death of her father and the Firefly rebels whom Joel killed to save Ellie from the life-threatening operation.

When Abby's henchmen pinned down Ellie, she screamed her lungs out as Abby brutally killed Joel, right in front of her eyes. Ellie threatened Abby that she would kill her to avenge Joel's death. Then, Ellie slowly crawled over to Joel's lifeless body and lay beside him in absolute pain and shock.

The camera panned to a wide drone shot, and the episode concluded with a beautiful, haunting cover version of the 2012 song Through The Valley by Shawn James. This soulful version of Through The Valley was sung by Ashley Johnson, The Last of Us video game cast member who voiced Ellie. Interestingly, Ashley Johnson also did a cameo as Ellie's (Bella Ramsey) mother in the debut season of the HBO series.

Here's what Ashley Johnson's cover of Through The Valley means for The Last Of Us Season 2

The music cover perfectly sets the ending of the episode as it portrays a montage aftermath of massive chaos and killing in Jackson, and Dina, Ellie, and Jesse's journey back through the snowy valleys with Joel's lifeless body in a bag.

The song underscores the emotional weight of Joel's death on Ellie, setting the stage for the upcoming revenge plot of Ellie. The tune and lyrics highlight the show's themes of survival, trauma, betrayal, and revenge. Additionally, the lyrics are symbolic of the events of the episodes.

For instance, 'I walk through the valley of the shadow of death' points towards Ellie's traumatic state after Joel's death. It encapsulates the upcoming journey of Ellie, teasing grief, trauma, and revenge.

Meanwhile, the lines 'I fear no evil, because I'm blind to it all' imply Ellie shutting down her emotions and turning her grief into her strength. At this point, Ellie has only one goal — to kill Abby and avenge Joel's death.

The Last Of Us Season 2: Showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann on choosing Ashley Johnson's cover of Through the Valley

Showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann spoke to Variety about why they selected Johnson's cover of the 2012 Shawn James song, Through the Valley, for The Last of Us Season 2 ending.

Craig Mazin revealed how they wanted to merge Ellie's past and the present, and also connect the series to The Last of Us Part II video game. Since Ashley Johnson essayed a cameo as Ellie's mother (flashbacks) in Season 1, and is the voice artist behind Ellie in the video game, the showrunners thought the song was a perfect choice. Mazin told Variety:

"Because Ashley played Ellie's mother, there is this sense of ghost that's always there. So in the end, there is little Ellie gasping for breath with the man who is her father and we hear the voice of the woman who is her mother. Sometimes the parallel universe touches."

Craig Mazin told Variety that they wanted to give the audience a shared experience of The Last of Us franchise — a treat to both those who have played the game and the ones who have not.

Shawn James' Through the Valley is available to stream on YouTube, Apple Music, and Spotify. Ashley Johnson's version is also available on the above-mentioned music streaming platforms.

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To know what happens next, watch The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 3 on April 27, 2025, at 9 pm ET on Max.

Also read: The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 3: Release date news, time, streaming details, and more

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