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After a long wait, The Last of Us is back—and it wastes no time diving into the emotional weight left behind by the Season 1 finale. Season 2, Episode 1, titled “Future Days,” sets a haunting and introspective tone for what’s to come.
Five Years Later
The episode opens in Jackson, Wyoming, where Joel and Ellie have carved out a somewhat peaceful existence within a thriving community. Joel, visibly older and more subdued, appears to be doing everything he can to protect Ellie, but there's an unspoken distance between them. That distance, rooted in the secret Joel still keeps about the Fireflies and what really happened at the hospital, looms large.
Ellie, now 19, is no longer the feisty teenager we first met. She’s grown more independent, thoughtful, and suspicious. Her friendship with Dina begins to blossom, hinting at a deeper connection that may become central this season. The world is still dangerous, but inside Jackson, there’s a false sense of normalcy that clearly can’t last.
A New Threat
Midway through the episode, we meet Abby, a physically strong and emotionally driven young woman traveling with a small group of survivors. Her motivations aren’t clear yet, but the tension around her character is unmistakable. The camera lingers on her expressions a bit too long—there’s history there, and it’s personal. Whatever she’s searching for, it’s going to collide with Joel and Ellie in a big way.
Joel’s Guilt
Pedro Pascal delivers a layered performance as Joel struggles with guilt and the slow realization that his lie may eventually come back to haunt him. A quiet but powerful scene shows Joel playing guitar and singing Pearl Jam’s “Future Days,” symbolizing his desire to hold onto something good in a world that takes everything away. Ellie watches from the doorway, her face unreadable.
Tension on the Horizon
The episode doesn’t end with a bang, but with a growing sense of dread. A snowstorm blankets Jackson, but
it’s the emotional storm