The Last of Us Season 1 Episode 2 Review: Infected

In the second episode of The Last of Us season 1, we got to see Neil Druckmann’s directorial debut. It opened up with a lot of information to new fans to better understand how the fungus works.

“Infected” backtracks to Jakarta in 2003 to Professor Ibu Ratna, Professor of Mycology at the University of Indonesia. It doesn’t take long for the audience to see the hope for humanity in her face lost.

There is none. Her recommendation is to bomb the city and everyone in it, in the hopes that doing so will keep it from spreading.

Because if it does spread, there won’t be a humanity left to save. She has spent her entire life studying this, there is no vaccine, no medicine, no hope that can stop this.

I personally love how both episodes of The Last of Us have given us so much insight into the fungus. It leaves much of the audience from being confused and asking what it is and what is going on the entire episode, before flash forwarding to the present-day apocalypse with Joel and Ellie.

It all starts off with Tess and Joel looking at Ellie in a sternly manner as she awakens. It is here where Ellie realizes she has to tell them the truth about her.

Even if Marlene was dead set against it. She tells them she’s not infected and that she was tested every day to make sure of it.

https://twitter.com/bellaramsey/status/1617545005907968004?s=61&t=_Ye9WQjJgN8TJs7FydFY_A

Bella Ramsey does a remarkable job as Ellie. She gives such a human reaction to the situation around her, between their surroundings to the two people transporting her, who clearly don’t want to.

Joel wants to take Ellie back to the QZ before things get even worse. He believes she’s going to turn sooner or later.

Joel wants to find a different way to get the battery. The risk seems a little heftier than the reward.

Tess has a little more heart for Ellie, knowing if they take her back, she’s as good as dead. However, Joel knows her death, as well as theirs, is looming over them.

Tess kneels down to Ellie and levels with her about who they are and what they want. Maybe gaining a little trust will push her to tell them more.

Ellie tells them about the Firefly base camp out west, with doctors working on a cure. She is the key to the cure.

Joel is not buying into her story; he’s heard it all before. He still doesn’t want to do it but Tess convinces him otherwise.

It doesn’t matter if she is or isn’t the cure, it’s still going to get them what they want. Ellie, Joel, and Tess are going through the ruins of the city.

To them she is nothing but transportation and a ticket to finding Tommy. As the three of them travel along the bombed hit city, Tess explains to her what happened there and why.

Now that a little trust has been gained, Ellie reveals to Tess how she got bit as Joel walks behind them. She’s very curious if all the tales of the infected are true.

But for Tess and Joel, they know there’s only so much they should tell her. She’ll have to find out soon enough.

Joel hates Ellie’s questions about himself almost as much as he likes to answer them or any questions for that matter. He’s focused on the job at hand and just wants to come out of this alive.

The chemistry between Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey is perfection. The fun, father and daughter banter we saw between Sarah and Joel is very present between these two as well.

Though it’s not as lighthearted, it’s still very humorous.

The Last of Us Season 1 Episode 2 – It is all connected

As the three of them look down on a large group of infected, Tess does a great job explaining to Ellie about the infected and how the fungus works. Which also helped the audience understand at the same time.

Ellie notices that they are all connected. Tess explains that the fungus grows underground too.

Long fibers like wires, some even stretching over a mile long. If you step over a patch of cordyceps in one place, you can wake the infected from another place.

She may be immune from a bite, but she’s not immune from being killed by them in other ways. Joel, Tess, and Ellie go through the museum that soon turns into an action-packed scene that places everyone on the edge of their seats.

We meet our first Clicker, a fungus erupted head with the body of a human. They are as scary to look at as they are to see in action.

They are named obviously for the clicking sounds they make. The Clickers are the third stage of the infected.

The fungus has overtaken their heads and blinded them, so they have to attack by sound. They have enhanced strength, bat radar, speed and are more intelligent than stalkers and runners.

As this scene becomes more intense, we see Joel, one of toughest fighters there are struggle with this inhuman like form. They are difficult to kill.

It took a lot of strength for Joel to fight them off and several bullets to take them down.

The Last of Us Season 1 Episode 2 – ”Are you f%^&ing kidding me?

During the events, Ellie was bitten again in her arm, to which she replies, “Are you f%^&ing kidding me?” She brings such humor to a serious situation and has quite the sailor mouth on her for a kid.

But this is a different world and a different way of life. Bella’s acting is impeccable and the way she reacts to the horrors of this world is spot on.

She plays sassy and tough to a T. After the traumatic affair, Ellie looks out at the view as a hardened Joel looks on.

She still has a little hope seeing picturesque views like that. Joel would like to but doesn’t.

We sadly come to find out that Tess is infected too. She knows it’s the end of the line for her and she’s staying.

Meanwhile Ellie’s infection is already healing. Joel still doesn’t want to go through it, he wants to take her back.

But Tess knows he has to get her there, this is real and this is bigger than all of them now. She tells Joel to get her to Bill and Frank’s.

They’ll take her off his hands and finish the job. She begs Joel to get her there alive.

It will set all the bad things they’ve ever done right. It’s hard to say goodbye to such a tough, bada&* character so soon, but Anna Torv left no stones unturned in this episode.

What is the most fascinating thing about this series is the fact that you know what’s coming but you are still awed and impressed by what you are seeing on the screen. Including the acting, the story, the cinematic experience, and so much more.

The Last of Us Season 1 Episode 2 – ”Save who you can save.”

https://twitter.com/naughtyndc/status/1617390755533975554?s=61&t=_Ye9WQjJgN8TJs7FydFY_A

In Tess’s last act of bravery, she ensures that Joel and Ellie won’t be followed. She pours gasoline and grenades on the ground and fumbles with her lighter to get it to ignite.

She wants to do one act of goodness before she goes, but it’s almost becoming too late. We were then all subjected to undoubtedly the nastiest kiss in television history.

The expectation was for them to lunge at her and bite her, as Tess tried to go out on her terms. Instead, the infected moves slowly toward her and in for a kiss.

The tendrils move into her mouth, and she finally ignites the lighter. Joel and Ellie look back at the explosion and watch the building go up in flames.

Joel is distraught by his loss but there’s no time for emotion, they have to move again and the journey to Bill and Frank’s begins.

How did you feel about the latest episode of The Last of Us? Let us know in the comments below, we would love to read them!

Watch an all-new episode of The Last of Us to see what happens next on Sunday 9PM ET on HBO Max.