The first episode of Season 2 of The Last of Us gave viewers a scene that those who played The Last of Us Part 2 never knew about. In its first season, The Last of Us more or less stayed true to the source material that it was based on. While the show did deviate from the plot of the game occasionally, these differences were never vast and ultimately didn’t change the outcome of the story. And while this seems like it will remain true with Season 2 of The Last of Us, the latest episode of the series quickly introduced a scene that is wholly new to the TV show.
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Warning: Spoilers for Season 2, Episode 1 of The Last of Us are mentioned below. Read onward at your own discretion.
Before the opening credits of The Last of Us Season 2 ever appear, viewers are introduced to a handful of surviving members of the Fireflies, the group that Joel massacred at the end of Season 1. The survivors, who are led by Abby (Kaitlyn Dever), are found burying those who died in the previous attack on their base. After weighing their options and trying to decide what to do next, Abby vows that no matter what the future may hold, she will eventually hunt down Joel and kill him (slowly) for what he did.
By comparison, in The Last of Us Part II video game, Abby and the rest of the former Fireflies crew are introduced without any backstory whatsoever. In fact, when they first show up in the game, players don’t know if they’re friends or foes and are left trying to determine why they’re even in the story. This reason quickly becomes apparent, but the show chooses to instead use this new moment where they’re burying their dead to make their motives clear from the jump. In the process, it adds a bit more depth to their characters and informs viewers that there is a looming threat in the world that is seeking revenge on Joel.
Beyond simply changing this introduction of Abby and the ex-Fireflies when compared to the game, The Last of Us TV show also does something else: it shows the giraffes that reside in Salt Lake City once again. While the appearance of the giraffes is a major moment in both The Last of Us game and TV series, they’re never seen in the video games again outside of this instance. Season 2 chooses to bring them back briefly for no reason other than to let fans know that they’re still chilling out in the city, enjoying their serene lives. With Abby and the former Fireflies now seemingly making their way to Seattle, the giraffes will stay behind and keep watch over the graves of the Fireflies who died.
The Last of Us Season 2 is airing now on HBO and Max. Season 2 will be seven episodes in total and will receive new episodes on a weekly cadence each Sunday at 9PM ET/6PM PT.
