The first season of The Last of Us is in the books, and the finale stayed true to the game, which is something I didn’t think they would do. I thought they would leave the resolution of the first video game till next season being that the show was always very likely to be renewed. It ultimately was.

But they did indeed reach the end of the first game and Joel’s controversial actions at the end of that story. Joel’s decision to kill the fireflies to save Ellie’s life at the cost of a potential cure, is one of the biggest moral conflicts of video game history.

However, most viewers didn’t flinch at Joel’s actions. In fact, if you were like me, you were cheering him on. Applauding the last nail in the coffin of the survival of humanity.

Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey are just that good on this show.

That’s right. If these two hadn’t crushed their performances, then we would not have built these attachments to these characters. But over the past couple of months, these two actors and showrunners have gotten us aboard. We’ve lived these challenges with them, and in the end we were all Joel.

This flash poll below illustrates my point..

Do you agree with Joel’s actions???#TLOU #TheLastOfUs #TheLastOfUSHBO

— The Frank Torres Report (@ftrtoday) March 13, 2023

If you would have removed the emotional attachments we had to these characters, then those numbers would be much more balanced.

We have to talk about the future. Where do they pick up in the second season? Do they go with the second video game? I don’t think the viewing public is ready for that. Even on HBO.

For now, let’s celebrate this successful campaign. I wasn’t as big of a fan of the game as many others, but they did a damn fine job with this television program.

Until next time.

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