The Last of Us: 3 best scenes from Season 1 Episode 7

The Last of Us is seven episodes deep into its first season, and the show has already staked a solid claim as one of HBO’s best programs of the past few years. It’s definitely one of the best videogame remakes of all time.

The Last of Us tends to show all sides of humanity, amid an apocalypse. In this episode, we get a more human backstory into Ellie, and why she may act a certain way in her relationships with others on the show, especially Joel.

This isn’t an episode of The Last of Us where our favorite duo spans the United States. This episode spent most of its run flashing back to Ellie’s FEDRA school days.

1. The Last of Us – Ellie helping Joel

But first, let’s start with the opener, a sequence that takes place not too far from where the show last left off in episode six. Ellie is attempting to nurse Joel back to health as he, looking close to death, is telling her to leave him.

Ellie stares Joel down before opening a door. Scene goes to black.

Though it’s a simplistic scene, it makes this list — opening with Joel alive, at least for now, with Ellie trying to take care of him, must come as a relief to the audience. After Joel was stabbed last episode, he slowly deteriorated and fell off his horse after he and Ellie escaped their most recent attackers.

2. The Last of Us – The five wonders

The beautifully lit, post-apocalyptic mall served as a reminder of just how much Ellie has missed out on growing up amid the apocalypse. She is amazed by the escalator, calling them “electric stairs.”

Riley promised to show Ellie wonders of the mall, which included: a carousel ride, a photo booth, an arcade and a Halloween store. But after seeing how excited Ellie was over the escalator, Riley amended the list to add that one, too.

3. The Last of Us – The kiss and the bites

Riley and Ellie kiss after dancing with masks on in the Halloween store of the mall. Then, they’re interrupted by an infected who attacks them.

They eventually ward off the infected successfully, but not without both Ellie and Riley getting bit. For context, Ellie said earlier in the season that she was bitten in the mall, but lied when she said she was alone.

This scene reveals crucial backstory into not only Ellie’s motivation for being at the mall in the first place, but also part of her reoccurring fear that the people she cares about most, abandon her (Riley was ready to leave for a Fireflies Atlanta post, saying it was her last night in Boston).

Ellie and Riley both wait for the infection to set in. What we know now is that for Ellie, infection never came, despite getting bitten that night.

The Last of Us had not given us a ton of information about Ellie prior to her meeting Joel, but that all changed this episode, and the show is better off for it.

What were your thoughts about The Last of Us season 1 episode 7? Which scenes stood out to you the most?

Share your answers in the comments below!