The Last Of Us Season 2, Episode 3 Review: After The Unforgettable Twist In Episode 2, The Last Of Us Can’t Maintain Its Momentum

Warning! Spoilers for The Last of Us season 2, episode 3 ahead!

The Last of Us episode 3 opens with a heartwrenching moment of grief. Tommy sits next to the body of his brother, the imperfect man he knew well, and asks him to say hi to Sarah, Joel's long-dead daughter, with whom he's reunited in death. It's a gut punch, and this comes on the heels of Joel's brutal murder and the realization that The Last of Us, as we knew it, is gone. However, the pacing choices throughout episode 3 were interesting, as it's almost as if the series is as uncertain about where it's going as we are.

Many of my anxieties following The Last of Us season 2, episode 2, came true this week, as it's an Ellie-centric episode, and Bella Ramsey has many scenes they must carry on their own. Episode 3 had to clean up the mess of Joel's death and the town's attack, but something felt off about how the story unfolded. Like season 2's premiere, episode 3 is heavy on set-up and world-building, making me even more interested to see where the story will end, splitting up the game. However, the pacing wasn't quite right as the show expanded to fit its ever-growing universe.

The Last Of Us Season 2 Carries A Heavy Load Emotionally & Narratively In Episode 3

The High Emotional Stakes Of Episode 3 Contrast The Action Of "Through The Valley"

Compared to the third episode of season 1, there's not much to distinguish this episode from the rest of the series. The ghost of "Long, Long Time" might not be quite as heavy as Joel's in episode 3, but it's still present. In many ways, the third installment of season 1 was the turning point for fans getting into The Last of Us for the first time, cementing the series as more than just another video game adaptation. However, since they know they already have our attention, episode 3 stalls for time, which is surprising considering how short the season will be.

Episode 3 confirmed that I was right to be wary of the shift in The Last of Us following Joel's death. Ramsey spends much of the episode alone and is forced to telegraph the movements of a person wracked by grief and on the edge of a mistake that might be too big. They're not bad, and it's obvious they're trying, but Ramsey really struggles throughout the episode. Conversely, Isabela Merced gets to be the source of lightness that is Dina, proving that when Ramsey has a scene partner, they're instantly better off.

However, the issues with Ellie aren't just Ramsey, as time has changed the character. There are a few glimpses of the Ellie we got to know last season: snarky, silly, and determined to be taken seriously even in times of crisis. Times have changed, but I wish we had seen more of this before Joel's death, as she will be single-minded for the remainder of the season. We knew from the final moments of episode 2 that she was going to Seattle one way or another, so I'm not sure why The Last of Us pretended there was ever any question.

Even though season 3 will tackle the back half of The Last of Us Part 2, the pace is somehow both too fast and too slow. Though practically nothing happens, it's as if Ellie and Dina have teleported to Seattle, and we spend no time getting to know the W.L.F. or this new cult-like group, which appears suddenly only to be massacred. The Last of Us is laying the groundwork for the following episodes, but that doesn't mean the story had to grind to a halt. Discussing only emotional development isn't what the show is set up for.

It's a sad, emotionally wrought episode, but this is because the moments it relies on are inherently upsetting, not because of Ramsey's work carrying these scenes. Ellie is burying her grief; there's no question about that, but Ramsey is keeping it so far below the surface that I struggled to remember the moments when Joel and Ellie were connecting. However, this might be part of the point The Last of Us is trying to make. They were close and important to each other, but Ellie didn't know every aspect of Joel. Finding out the full truth about him might change her trajectory.

The Last Of Us Isn't Certain That Ellie Can Be Saved

Each Of The Characters Has Their Own Opinion About Ellie's Future

While I'm still not certain what the purpose of Catherine O'Hara's Gail is going to be, she made some searing points in episode 3. Though it's too soon to tell if Ellie can't be saved, I agree that it wasn't Joel who shaped her into the person she is today; she and Joel were always walking the same path. However, the moments with Dina pave the way for a potential light at the end of the tunnel. If Ellie has something to fight for outside her fading ties to Joel, it could pull her back before it's too late.

Or, if the W.L.F. militia is as terrifying as it seems, war could be on the horizon. This opens the door to new adventures outside the confines of Jackson. Episode 3 tells me that the best way to move forward, watching The Last of Us this season, is to stop expecting it to be season 1. Now that Joel is gone, there's no way that season 2 can recreate the specific magic of the debut installment, but I don't want it to. The Last of Us season 2 is struggling to define itself, but this doesn't mean it isn't going somewhere good.

New episodes of The Last of Us season 2 air weekly on Sundays at 9 PM EST on Max and HBO.