The Last of Us TV Series Has One Major Change for One Character

The Last of Us made some pretty significant changes to Henry and Sam. The Last of Us is a character that is defined by its characters and so far, it's been largely very faithful to those characters. Episode 3 expanded more on Bill's backstory and introduced us to Frank, a character that is long dead by the time we find him in the game. It's a great way to use the time that would otherwise be dedicated to gameplay in the story to help enrich the story and add more depth. The show also doesn't have to follow Ellie and Joel's POV at all times like the game, so it's allowed to focus on these characters before the protagonists ever actually meet them.

We get a lot of backstory with Sam and Henry in the fifth episode of The Last of Us, much of which actually deviates from the game. For starters, Sam is deaf and also has leukemia, which is a big reason why the two brothers are on the run. Henry tells Joel that he ratted out Kathleen's brother, a resistance leader, to FEDRA in exchange for medicine for his younger brother. It was a high price to pay, but one that he thinks Joel will understand as a father. With that said, it also means that the resistance has made Henry public enemy number one. It's an interesting twist as the game largely keeps the human enemies as nothing more than a physical obstacle and doesn't really give much depth to Henry and Sam's situation.

On top of that, it also parallels quite nicely with Joel's arc. As a father, he will do anything to protect his child, including his surrogate daughter in Ellie. Anyone who has played the game knows the lengths Joel is willing to go to and he's able to empathize with Henry's situation. Of course, we have yet to see how that will play out in the show, but it likely won't stray too far from what we already know.

The Last of Us will continue to air every Sunday on HBO at 9PM ET. What did you think of the fourth episode? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder. For more Last of Us content, check out ComicBook and Entertainment Tonight's new podcast: The Last of Pods. The podcast will include breakdowns of each episode, interviews with special guests from the show, and more. The podcast will release after every episode of the show on Sunday nights.