The Last of Us Episode 2 Thoughts

Spoiler warning obviously 

Somehow with every episode this show gets better and better. I enjoyed Neil Druckmann's directing, I think he framed a lot of the tense parts really well. I enjoy that we got to learn more about Tess's character, the episode felt like a lot of it was kinda focused on her. Seeing her reactions to Ellie's immunity, and her franticness when they finally get to the building with all the dead Fireflies was a lot more gut wrenching than it was in the game. Anna Torv portrays Tess so well and gives her so much more character 

Bella Ramsey continues to be the most awesome Ellie ever, I love how snarky yet silly she can be. In small moments, you can see where Joel subconsciously tries to protect Ellie or immediately goes to her aid when something happens, like in the hotel. During the clicker scene when a clicker runs at Ellie and Joel grabs her and puts her behind him made me scream. In the game it felt like a lot of the ways Joel opens up to Ellie is pretty slow, but since this is in the form of a show and no one is in control of Joel, it's really cool to see how he reacts to things and what not. Pedro Pascal seriously does such an amazing job as Joel. I think he has such an awesome balance of being closed off, yet caring and protective. 

I absolutely LOVED the clicker scene. It was so creepy and scary, I was seriously on the edge of my seat the entire time. I think the show truly displays how horrifying being in the same room with a clicker would be. When I was playing the games, I would often wonder how loud something would have to be to catch the attention of a clicker in real life, because there's so many things that happen in the game that had me thinking "Yeah if this was real, my ass would be dead right now." Like even watching Joel try to reload his gun was so nerve wracking.

 I was initially apprehensive about the change from spores to tendrils, and in the first episode I started to be more open to the idea of it, I mean it seriously makes the infected and the virus in general a lot scarier, but after this episode I am fully on board and in fact incredibly fond of the change. It adds a lot more.. realism I suppose? To the world. Stepping on a tendril and waking up a horde of infected a mile away is such a terrifying thought.

I'm really excited to meet Henry and Sam soon, knowing what happens to them and knowing that the virus does in fact not kill and just controls the host is going to be so heart wrenching, but at the same time I can't wait. I love the show so far and I feel like it's going to give the entire franchise in general so much more meaning.