Tһe Lаѕt Of Uѕ Seаѕon 1 Recаp: 14 Tһіngѕ To Remember Before Seаѕon 2

The Last of Us season 2 is just around the corner—here's everything you need to remember from The Last of Us season 1 to prepare for the new season. The cast of characters in The Last of Us stars Pedro Pascal as Joel Miller and Bella Ramsey as Ellie Williams, both of whom have brought the incredibly popular video game to life on the screen. The Last of Us season 1 was released in January 2023, which means audiences have waited more than two years to see the next phase of Joel and Ellie's stories.

In addition to the anticipation those two years have built for audiences, it's also made a recap particularly important. Season 1 of The Last of Us covered significant ground, and there are a host of key characters, major events, locations, and plot points that may require a refresher. Here's everything you need to remember from The Last of Us season 1 to prepare for The Last of Us season 2's premiere on April 13th.

The Cordyceps Fungus Begins Spreading, Initiating The Pandemic

This Event Kicks Off The Show

In The Last of Us show as in the video game, the events that kick off this story involve an insidious fungus called Cordyceps, which essentially takes over the mind of the host and turns them into little more than a zombie. In The Last of Us episode 1, this infection begins spreading rapidly, creating chaos as people attempt to save themselves and evacuate in their cars. Protagonist Joel and his brother, Tommy (Gabriel Luna), and daughter, Sarah (Nico Parker), are among these numbers as well, attempting to flee in their truck.

Throughout these scenes, they face myriad obstacles, from bumper-to-bumper traffic that makes them sitting ducks to a full-fledged pandemonium of infected people and fires (complete with a plane flying low and ultimately crashing into the street). With no other option, Joel grabs Sarah from the truck and begins running with her. Tragically, this ends up being as deadly as anything Joel left behind on the street.

Joel's Daughter Sarah Dies In His Arms During The Outbreak

Sarah's Death Continues To Have A Lasting Impact On The Story

As he's running with Sarah in his arms, Joel crosses paths with a soldier who immediately holds him at gunpoint. No doubt at a shoot first ask questions later point, given how chaotic and deadly things have become so quickly, Joel's pleas to not shoot at them and insistence that they are not sick falls on apathetic ears. The soldier takes a shot at the father-daughter pair, sending them rolling down a hill.

Sadly, when Joel crawls over to Sarah, he sees that she has sustained a serious gunshot wound to her stomach. Although his initial reaction is (understandably) denial, in the end, Sarah dies as a result of these injuries. Sarah's death has continued to inform the narrative of The Last of Us, and it is clear that, even after the 20-year time jump, this memory and the loss of his daughter are still as brutally painful as ever for Joel.

20 Years Pass, During Which Joel Lives In A FEDRA Quarantine Zone

In The Wake Of The Outbreak, Survivors Have Become Clearly Divided

Following Sarah's death, there is a massive time jump, all in episode 1. The narrative jumps 20 years forward in time and shows that Joel has since joined a quarantine zone under the control of FEDRA (the Federal Disaster Response Agency). The episode certainly doesn't shy away from the brutality of the present day—nor does the original video game. In fact, Joel is shown taking the dead body of a child and tossing it into a fire in the first few scenes depicting this zone.

This also establishes that clear lines have been drawn between factions over the last two decades, all in the name of keeping people safe from infection. While the politics and motivations behind these groups unsurprisingly prove to be much more complicated than that, this episode sets an important baseline for understanding what Joel has been doing for the last 20 years and how much society has changed as a result of the infection.

Joel Meets Ellie, Who Is Revealed To Be Immune To The Infection

The Beginning Of Joel And Ellie's Relationship Was Quite Different

Perhaps the single most defining event in The Last of Us TV show so far has been the introduction of Ellie and Joel, who go on to develop a tight-knit father-daughter dynamic. At first, though, this is far from true. The two are antagonistic to one another from the beginning, with Joel even pointing a gun at Ellie early on. Neither one trusts the other, which is indicative of the climate at the time.

These scenes also establish an equally important point: Ellie is the only known person to be immune to the infection. This is why Joel, along with another character, Tess (Anna Torv), are taking Ellie out of Boston and across the country to another faction, the Fireflies. The hope is that Ellie's immunity can be used to identify a cure, thereby saving humanity.

Tess Sacrifices Herself To Save Ellie And Joel, Knowing Ellie's Immunity Is Critical For The Future

This Moment Proved How Essential Ellie Really Was

In large part because she is aware of how important Ellie may prove to be, Tess ultimately decides to sacrifice her life to help Joel and Ellie get away. In episode 2, after being bitten and therefore infected, Tess hatches a plan wherein she will serve as a distraction for the impending infected who are swarming Tess, Joel, and Ellie. In a truly gross scene, one of the infected approaches Tess, kissing her.

As she's being kissed, Tess drops the lighter she's been holding, setting the building on fire and killing the infected surrounding her—and herself along with them. In addition to this being a key moment for Tess's character and an emotional character death for audiences, this also solidified how crucial Ellie is. This scene made it clear that Ellie is the hope for the future, which becomes increasingly important throughout season 1.

Bill And Frank's Standalone Story Adds Emotional Depth To The Show

This Love Story Was A Heartwarming Deviation From The Larger Narrative

Largely considered one of the best episodes of The Last of Us, if not the single best, episode 3 "Long, Long Time" feels like a major deviation from the rest of the story in a brilliant, heartwarming way. This episode focuses not on Joel and Ellie but rather on Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett). At first, Bill and Frank see each other as a threat, simply by nature of the world they live in. However, they end up developing a genuinely beautiful romantic relationship amid the horrors.

Even stylistically, this episode feels very different. Compared to the grittier violence and chaos of most of the other episodes of The Last of Us, "Long, Long Time" feels artistic and even peaceful at times. One of the most significant differences is also the handling of Bill and Frank's deaths. It's clear that the couple died together peacefully and of old age, but The Last of Us doesn't show their bodies. Instead, they leave a note asking Joel not to enter their room, and Joel respects their final wishes.

Joel And Ellie Meet Henry And Sam, Which Ends In Tragedy

This Story Is Truly Heartbreaking, Even In A Show That Is Already Heartbreaking

Although Bill and Frank have arguably the most beautiful deaths in the entire show thus far, some of the most brutal deaths follow closely on their heels. In the very next episode, Ellie and Joel meet Henry Burrell (Lamar Johnson) and Sam Burrell (Keivonn Woodard), brothers who have been surviving on their own. Although they are more overtly affectionate towards one another, Henry and Sam actually have a dynamic similar to Joel and Ellie's, which only makes their story all the more tragic.

After Ellie and Sam were growing closer, and both of them seeming much more like the kids they really are, Sam is tragically revealed to be infected. In a split-second decision, Henry shoots and kills his brother—the very person he had given everything to protect. Distraught at what he'd done, Henry then turns the gun on himself, leaving both brothers dead.

Joel Reunites With His Brother Tommy In Jackson, Wyoming, And Nearly Leaves Ellie Behind

Tommy's Life Now Looks Very Different Than Joel's

Joel's brother Tommy hadn't been seen on screen since the horrible night the outbreak began and Joel lost his daughter Sarah, but the brothers do reunite in The Last of Us. After nearly being killed as intruders, Ellie and Joel are taken to Tommy's settlement in Jackson, Wyoming, where he seems to be living a relatively comfortable life given the circumstances. Tommy's wife, Maria (Rutina Wesley), is even pregnant, reflecting how different Tommy's life has been than Joel's since the outbreak.

Presumably because Tommy's life is clearly much better suited to having a child, Joel attempts to leave Ellie with Tommy and go on without her. This is a key moment in the narrative because it proves just how attached to Joel Ellie has become. Knowing the dangers that await her if she makes this choice, Ellie elects to go with Joel and (somewhat surprisingly), Joel agrees.

Ellie's Loss Of Her Best Friend (And Love Interest), Riley, Is Explored In Flashback

This Plot Provided So Much More Insight Into Ellie's Backstory

In an eye-opening flashback, Ellie's relationship with her best friend and first love Riley (Storm Reid) is explored, as is Riley's tragic fate and Ellie's realization that she is immune to the infection. The Last of Us reveals that Ellie was effectively growing up in a military boarding school run by FEDRA alongside Riley, who had broken out and joined the Fireflies. The two reunite and spend a night together, at which point they share a kiss.

Sadly, both Ellie and Riley also get bitten, and they believe they are about to become infected together. Instead, because Ellie is immune, it is only Riley who becomes infected, and the implication is that Ellie then had to kill her. While neither the show nor the game has confirmed Ellie did so, this trauma/loss nevertheless informs so much of Ellie's story moving forward, and it also explains why she continued to seem closed off to Joel even as she clearly was growing to love him.

Joel Is Severely Wounded And Nearly Dies, Leaving Ellie To Fend For Herself

This Is Among The Most High-Stakes Moments In The Show So Far

Joel and Ellie are attacked in episode 6, leaving Joel seriously injured. Not only does this leave Joel's life hanging in the balance, which is terrifying enough, but also, it means Ellie is left essentially fending for herself in an incredibly dangerous world. While the entirety of The Last of Us obviously feels high-stakes, this felt like a newfound level of threat.

As scary as this world is, Joel was consistently protecting Ellie, and, although there were times when Ellie came to Joel's rescue too, it often felt like Ellie was sure to be safe if Joel was there. This event threw that entirely into question (especially for those who aren't familiar with The Last of Us game), and, sadly, Ellie does end up facing perhaps her gravest threat up to that point. While Joel is incapacitated, Ellie comes face-to-face with a cannibalistic cult that leaves her traumatized.

Ellie Survives A Cannibalistic Cult But Is Also Traumatized

Ellie Is Obviously Still Affected By These Horrifying Events

With Ellie now trapped by the cannibalistic cult, she faces some of her most harrowing moments in the show thus far. The creepy cult leader, David (Scott Shepherd), at first tries to present himself as the good guy, but he quickly turns on Ellie when she refuses to join him. At one point, David and another cult member attempt to cut Ellie up, clearly intending to eat her.

When that fails because of Ellie's bravery, wit, and strength, things take an arguably even more insidious turn, with David trying to sexually assault Ellie. In the end, Ellie is able to kill David, save herself, and reunite with Joel, but it wouldn't be accurate to say she leaves the encounter unscathed. Despite all Ellie has gone through, she's never seemed as explicitly traumatized as she does after this event. Following surviving this attack from David, there are many moments when Ellie seems to be dissociating.

Ellie's Backstory Is Fleshed Out Through Her Mother Anna's Story In Flashback

This Flashback Was Essential To Understanding Ellie's Immunity

Toward the end of season 1, we also get a glimpse at Ellie's mom, Anna (Ashley Johnson) and learn how Ellie got immunity in The Last of Us. Episode 9 of the show reveals that Ellie's mother was pregnant when she was bitten by an infected. In fact, Anna wasn't just pregnant—she was actively in labor.

Presumably in the same way that other antibodies can be passed between mother and fetus, antibodies that protect against the Cordyceps fungus were passed to Ellie in utero. This story was therefore essential not only for understanding Ellie's backstory better, but also for learning how she became the (seemingly) sole person who is immune to the infection. This also raises pressing questions about whether this immunity is truly transferable.

Joel Saves Ellie From The Fireflies' Operation Plans And Kills Marlene In The Process

Joel Couldn't Let Ellie Die, Even To Potentially Save The World

From the beginning of season 1, Joel was meant to be taking Ellie to the Fireflies. However, when Joel actually hands Ellie over to the Fireflies, he realizes things are not as they seem. The Fireflies intend to perform an operation on Ellie that will kill her but may help them find a cure for the infection.

Unsurprisingly, given that Joel has begun to feel like a father to Ellie and is no doubt well aware of how much like Sarah Ellie has become to him, Joel isn't willing to let Ellie be killed by the Fireflies, even if it could mean a cure to the infection. Instead, Joel goes on a violent rampage, killing numerous Fireflies to save Ellie. In the end, he even kills Marlene (Merle Dandridge), who had seemingly been on his side from the beginning and who was a close friend of Ellie's mother.

Joel Lies To Ellie About What Really Happened, Setting Up Tension In Season 2

This Lie Will Undoubtedly Become A Problem Between The Two

The Last of Us season 1 ends with Joel lying to Ellie about what really happened to the Fireflies. He tells Ellie that she actually isn't the only person confirmed to be immune to the infection, suggesting that the Fireflies have other options. He also does not tell Ellie that he murdered the Fireflies, including Marlene, even when she asks about her.

It's difficult to be angry at Joel for these choices, as he undoubtedly did what he did to keep Ellie safe, but it's nevertheless true that this will absolutely come back to bite him in season 2. Ellie will uncover the truth eventually, and she will be furious when she does. Joel will also have to answer for these actions in other ways, although that remains to be seen in the upcoming brand-new season of The Last of Us.