They say that time heals all wounds, but in the mushroom-infected apocalypse of The Last of Us, that might not be the case. For those who've played Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Part II, you'll know we're gearing up for an even bloodier Season 2.
Like the time jump between 2013's The Last of Us and 2020's Part II, we're expecting a similar lapse of time between Season 1 and Season 2 of HBO's hit series. This will give us a more mature Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and haggard Joel (Pedro Pascal), with the passing of time hopefully showing how the pair have bonded.
The Last of Us' timeline troubles
Season 1 played fast and loose with the source material with great success, moving the original Outbreak Day from 2013 to 2003 to make it more relevant to fans. This means the bulk of the series took place in 2023, matching up with our own present day.
Given the five-year jump of the video games, The Last of Us Season 2 should be taking place in 2028. According to several sources, there will only be a four-year jump, making Joel 61. We know his age because he was celebrating his birthday in the premiere's flashback.
Ramsey was 17 when she started filming the series, which already aged her up from Ellie, who was supposedly 14 during the events of the first game. Now, a four-year time jump puts the 20-year-old Rasmey much closer to the 19-year-old Ellie we see in Part 2.
Considering how different Ellie looks between games, there have already been complaints that Ramsey doesn't look old enough to play the hardened version of the character, but as she nailed the part in Season 1, we're confident she'll do it again. Others have also been mocking the idea that Joel is supposed to be 61, especially as Pascal is only 49.
What year is this?
It might seem like a minor complaint, but eagle-eyed fans have noticed that the first shot of Joel in Season 2 comes accompanied by a banner that seemingly reads Happy New Year 2029. A four-year time jump means Season 2 should be set in 2027, so the dates don't line up with 2029.
While we admit some people probably have too much time on their hands, it's the little things that matter. Considering Season 1 was so careful to nail its timeline of events, we're left scratching our heads at what's going on here. If Season 2 is set in 2029, it makes Joel's age even more unbelievable because that's a damn fine-looking 63-year-old.
It's important to note that HBO hasn't made anything official yet, and it's just rumours that there's supposed to be a four-year time jump between seasons. We'd argue it would be better to have a bigger time jump, allowing Ellie and Joel to settle into their lives in Jackson before having things ripped apart.
