episode 7 of The Last of Us arrived this Sunday (7), with another long flashback in the middle of one of the most tense moments of the series. The HBO production takes us into Ellie’s past and presents some answers to the questions we have been asking ourselves so far.
Before the flashback begins, we go back to the after-event scene at the end of the previous episode. We see a trail of blood in the snow leading to a house, implying that Ellie somehow dragged Joel there after he fell off his horse due to his stomach wound.
Ellie tries to heal Joel’s wound and he, conscious and in pain, asks her to leave him there to die and to return to Jackson to find Tommy. For a moment, Ellie is turned away and Joel cries as he watches her go. However, before we see what decision Ellie will make, the series flashes back.
Ellie reappears at the military school in Boston’s Quarantine Zone, where she has to deal with other young men who are bullying her, but defends herself by fighting back. In charge of the school, she Ellie is introduced to a future where she can be an officer if she follows the right path, something not all young men will have the opportunity to become.
In Ellie’s room, we see the bed across the room empty, which leads us to wonder who used to live there. The question is quickly answered when Riley enters through the window and is recognized by Ellie as her best friend. Riley is a character from the games, more specifically from an expansion called Left Behind, which is exactly what this episode fits into.
Riley offers Ellie an opportunity for a fling, and soon they’re finding themselves on the rooftops of buildings in the Quarantine Zone at night, evading FEDRA guards, stealing booze from a dead man, and discussing the future as they leap over buildings and tells Riley. Ellie who joined the Fireflies.
The two soon arrive at the place Riley wants to take Ellie: the mall, which is locked down and a no-go place. We already know in Episode 2 of the series that it was at the mall that Ellie was bitten, so it stands to reason that things are going to go very badly.
Despite the expectation of disaster by the most attentive spectators, the two experience a magical night, as it becomes clear how Ellie feels for Riley. They ride a carousel, drink the dead man’s drink, take pictures together and play games like Mortal Kombat, another moment we’ve already referenced in the past, at the beginning of episode 3, when Ellie even describes Mileena’s fatality to Joel, appearing here right now.
However, the danger is there as the two laugh and enjoy themselves. At one point, we see an infected awakening, confirming that something bad is coming. Despite this, the two are totally unaware of it. Riley gives Ellie the pun book “No Pun Intended: Volume Too”, which makes its first appearance in episode 4.
Their moment of joy is cut short when Riley tells Ellie that this is their last night and that she will be leaving the Boston Quarantine Zone with the fireflies the next day. Ellie leaves the place distraught, but she gives up and returns when she hears screams. She soon finds Riley, and the two make up and dance, ending the moment with Ellie kissing her.
just that The Last of Us it taught us that almost every good moment is followed by something very bad. And this is where the infected come in and surprise them. The two fight him and Ellie eventually kills him, but the two soon realize they have been bitten and fall into despair.
Riley opts for a path where they both stay alive until the infection takes hold, rather than choosing to take their own lives in order not to transform. But as we know, that time never came for Ellie. The series saves us from looking at the inevitable, and it just becomes clear that Riley was the first person Ellie killed, which she already referenced in episode 4.
Instead, the flashback ends with the two embracing and we see Ellie searching the house for anything that might help her save Joel. She finds a needle and thread and stitches up Joel’s wound, providing hope that he will survive and that they can continue their journey.
Again, The Last of Us surprises by including a long flashback, as well as in episode 3. Ellie’s past closes several gaps in the story, and answers some questions that have remained open over time, as well as explaining small objects and information that Ellie knows.
At the same time, it helps us understand Ellie. If there was any doubt that she would ever leave Joel, there was none left by the end of the flashback. Despite this, the episode still leaves open Joel’s future, and how the two manage to survive in an unknown place and with Joel incapacitated, to continue the search for the Fireflies.
The first seven episodes of The Last of Us are available on HBO Max. Episode 8 will premiere next Sunday (5) at 11 p.m. on HBO and HBO Max.
The post The Last of Us: We travel to Ellie’s past episode 7 first appeared on Olhar Digital.
Source: Olhar Digital
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
