‘The Last of Us’ 1×07 ending explained: What happens to Ellie and Riley after the last scene?

— SPOILERS of chapter 1×07 of ‘The Last of Us’ —

The end of the sixth episode of ‘The Last of Us’ left us with the intrigue of know if Joel was alive or dead. We thought that they would not be able to eliminate the character of Pedro Pascal from the HBO series, but if we take a look at all the differences between the series and the video game of ‘The Last of Us’, the truth is that the shadow of a doubt I was there.

Finally, joel survived. At least for now, because the stab wound seems very deep and Ellie is going to have to work hard to try to keep her from going any further. But why does she risk her life to help Joel? Why does he carry a kind of “survivor’s guilt” throughout the series? We could think that it is because of the deaths of Tess, Frank, Bill, Henry and Sam, characters that have been marked in his memory in a very short time. But it’s not just that.

Chapter 7 delves into her past, weeks before she met Joel in Boston, and reveals her emotional story with Riley, her best friend… and her first love.

Ellie and Riley, a tragic love story

Just a few months ago, Ellie was studying and training at the Boston military school to become a PHAEDRA officer. There she met Riley, her best friend, but she escaped from the academy to join the Fireflies.

However, Riley returned several weeks later to say goodbye to Ellie in a night that seemed magical, with both teenagers having a great time in the center commercial. There Ellie discovered with amazement the “wonders of the mall” such as the escalators, the photo booth or the arcade machines like ‘Mortal Kombat II’.

While spending time at the mall, Ellie and Riley talk about Phaedra and the Fireflies. For Ellie, staying with FEDRA means having a stable future. And, in the universe of ‘The Last of Us’, it’s easy to understand why people want to cling to any kind of comfort, regardless of the moral price they have to pay. Meanwhile, Riley changed allies after being chosen by the Fireflies, who made her feel like family for the first time since her parents died. Riley’s view of the Fireflies is naive, as she believes that there are no casualties caused by the revolutionaries’ actions. According to her, the Fireflies fight for freedom, while Phaedra worries about control.

It has always been said that on the first dates you should not talk about religion or politics, but even so it seems that things flow and Ellie emboldens herself and plants a kiss on Riley’s nose. A kiss that is reciprocated. Ellie and Riley are on a cloud. But in ‘The Last of Us’ there are no happy endings. A clicker appears and bites them both.condemning their love story.

Ellie and Riley’s sad ending

Ellie and Riley are bitten by a clicker and realize that their romance, which has just begun, is counting down. Ellie still doesn’t know she’s immune, and rage seizes her. But the truth is that Ellie is immune… and Riley is not.

First (and so far only) love has died a horrible death, with Cordyceps fungus slowly replacing the tissues of her body. And what’s worse, once the two girls are bitten, they decide to disappear into oblivion together enjoying every last second they have. So after agreeing to stay by Riley’s side until they both died, Ellie survives against all odds and witnesses the tragic end of her beloved.

A few episodes ago, we learned that Ellie’s biggest fear is being the last person alive on the planet.. That fear seems to have stemmed primarily from Riley’s death, but it also shapes her relationship with Joel. and as soon as Ellie decides to stay with Joelinstead of fleeing to a safe place, he takes a big step to confront his fear and trust in love and care again.

At least Riley’s sacrifice served for Ellie to realize her immune condition, and from a love story the last hope for humanity was born. Let’s stay with that.