The Last of Us Episode 8 Makes Subtle Changes to David Compared to the Game

The latest episode of HBO’s The Last of Us opted to make some subtle changes to the character David compared to his appearance in the video game. Throughout the course of Season 1 of The Last of Us, those in charge of the TV series have tweaked some of the biggest characters in the series for one reason or another. David is no different in that regard and while the broad motivations and actions that he carries out in the TV show are the same, he does have some meaningful changes that flesh out his motivations a bit more. 

Who Is David?

David is perhaps the biggest villain that appears within the original The Last of Us. He stands as the leader of an antagonist group that Joel and Ellie come across in their journey. After Joel and Ellie end up taking down members of David’s following, he later looks for revenge on the duo after coming into contact with them by happenstance. 

In HBO’s version of The Last of Us, David is quite similar to how he is represented in the game. Portrayed by Scott Shepherd, David ends up eventually kidnapping Ellie and making advances on her. Fortunately, Ellie is able to escape and eventually kills David in the midst of a burning building before escaping and meeting back up with Joel. 

How Is David Different in HBO’s The Last of Us?

The biggest difference between the David seen in the video game compared to the one in the TV show comes in his interactions with his own group. In the game, it’s never shown how David is as a leader. Outside of some cutscenes with one of his cohorts, James (played by Troy Baker in the TV series), the game never gives an insight into how his evil extends beyond his interactions with Joel and Ellie. 

Likely the biggest change to David though is one that ties in with religion. David is shown as a pastor of sorts to the group that he runs in HBO’s The Last of Us and uses religion as a means of pushing his influence. While it’s clear that David doesn’t practice what he preaches whatsoever, these religious connotations tied to the character are never hinted at whatsoever in The Last of Us video game.

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For more on The Last of Us, be sure to check out The Last of Pods podcast which features weekly breakdowns, reviews, and interviews centered around the ongoing HBO series.