HBO’s The Last of Us
HBO’s drama series, The Last of Us, is based on the globally renowned post-apocalyptic video game of the same name. The show follows the adventure of Joel, a former smuggler, assigned to ferry a teenage girl, Ellie, across the post-apocalyptic United States in order to save humanity.
The show premiered worldwide back in June 2020, and within its 8 episodes, it managed to bring about strong emotions, shocks, and unexpected twists. The characters, their story, and their journey for survival has made a powerful impression on its fans and made Last of Us a compelling watch.
The Most Shocking Moments from HBO’s The Last of Us
The Last of Us doesn’t shy away from tackling issues of life, death, hope and despair head-on. Here is a list of the most shocking moments from the show:
- Joel Brutally Killing Tommy
In the penultimate episode of Last of Us, viewers were left shocked and speechless when Joel killed his brother Tommy in cold blood. This was a brutal moment that was shocking and unexpected, as the two brothers had been shown to have a strong bond before. Joel’s short-term gain of the computer parts he needed failed to outweigh his permanent loss of his brother.
- The Death of Abby’s Friend Owen
Abby and Owen had a close, friendly relationship in the show, particularly when it came to hunting down the human prey from their rival group, the Fireflies. But this was torn apart when Owen met his end in gruesome fashion — he was executed by his own team for refusing to fight. This loss was heartbreaking for Abby, and the suddenness of his death was a nasty surprise for all viewers.
- The Fate of Sam
Episode 3 of the show was one of its most heart-wrenching episodes. Sam, a boy from Ellie’s group of survivors, was attacked by infected while they were scavenging for supplies. After being saved by Joel, it appeared he had made it through the attack unscathed, but as the episode drew to a close it was revealed that he had been bitten and was infected with the fungus. This shocking revelation ended the episode with a gut punch, leaving viewers to stew over the inevitable tragedy that was to come of this.
- The Fate of Ellie’s Group of Survivors
The group of refugees that Ellie and Joel encountered while on their trek to their destination caused some shock to viewers when they were brutally killed mid-season. Having just been introduced to them and as many of them were children, it was a huge contrast between the beginning of their journey with Joel and Ellie and the end of it. This shocking death had a huge impact on both the characters and viewers, just like many of the other turbulent moments that occur.
- The Fireflies’ True Agenda
The Fireflies, the rival opposition to Joel and Ellie’s mission, made a lot of surprise decisions throughout the show. One of their most shocking was the true nature of their mission. It was revealed that the mysteriously well-prepared team were actually looking for a cure for the infection and not to protect humanity, as they had originally claimed. This twist was unexpected and made the agenda of Ellie and Joel’s mission that much more alarmingly delicate.
The Last of Us is a bleak and uncompromising show which doesn’t shy away from exploring difficult topics and emotions. The moments we’ve discussed here are only a few of the most heartbreaking, shocking and breathtaking moments from the show. The Last of Us is a powerful and captivating watch that will shake viewers to their core.
