Ryan Shoots First: The Last of Us (S1 Ep4) “Please Hold My Hand”
Last week’s episode of The Last of Us was polarizing and beautiful. Powerful stand alone story telling that had everyone talking, but this week I would say served as the most important episode yet.
While the infected are a massive threat the antagonist has always been other humans and survival. This week we see an entire episode with no infected but the most dangerous situation Joel and Ellie have faced. Ellie is forced to take a large step in her growth but the two of them as a dynamic take massive steps. Some of that is put on by the circumstances they find themselves in but also their personalities beginning to find common ground.
For some of the larger themes of the show to really work this episode had to be nailed. Joel and Ellie’s relationship, the hard choices we make, how they shape us and how we live with them. All of that stems from what starts in this episode. If multiple seasons from now this show is able to pull off what it wants to pull off it will all trace back to this episode. When Joel and Ellie really started their journey and where the core tenants of the series were introduced.
The episode had so many great moments. A few key ones early on I was really hoping they would bring over and was delighted to see play out. But one of the abilities of the game was the way it could transition to light hearted fun, to wholesome moments, to gut wrenching tragedy on a dime. You never knew what was around the next corner figuratively and literally. This episode did a good job showing the show can strike that tone as well. We can laugh at Ellie’s puns, enjoy Joel trying to hide his smile, then be devastated by what is coming as they introduce two key characters from the game in the final shot. The way they can set you up emotionally for the big shocks is a hallmark of the game’s storytelling. It’s to the point if anything good happens in the back of your mind you know something terrible has to be right behind it.
We also saw some new stuff as well! Henry and Kathleen were introduced as freedom fighters leading the cause in recently liberated Kansas City. Henry is played by Jeffery Pierce who played Joel’s brother Tommy in the game, and Kathleen is played by Melanie Lynsky. These are both new characters for the show and given Neil’s love for humanizing villains it will be interesting to see where they go with them and how they relate to Sam and Henry’s story.
Programming note: Next week due to the “big game” (can we say Super Bowl?), Episode 5 will be available for streaming on Friday, so be sure to check in here for my thoughts and observations!
Observations
- She made pew pew noises haha
- Man there already out of their signature clothes from last week.
- Man I thought she was gonna find the magazine.
- Yes!!!!! Perfect
- What’s their deal with Arby’s?
- That little smile. Puns bring us all together.
- Ugh here it comes.
- Man the rolling bus hit it’s kinda what makes that scene
- Man this was so significant. Ellie hurting her first human.
- First bloater?
- I loved this moment.
