4 The Last of Us Moments That Season 3 Has to Get Right

The Last of Us Season 1 was an incredible adaptation of its source material, expounding on the right things, adding where necessary, and making sure to hit the key moments and do them well. Season 2 was much more of a mixed bag. It did some things incredibly well, like Ellie hunting down Nora and that iconic porch scene. It also did some things pretty poorly, and there were some tonal and narrative disconnects between the best and worst moments. Season 3 lost Neil Druckmann, the creator of the games, so it’s going to be a tall task for Craig Mazin and company to really do justice to the second part of the second game.

We can always hope for a return to form, as Season 1 had no glaring misfires. Perhaps that is easier said than done, which makes it all the more important for HBO to hit the key moments from Abby’s side of the story. It’s probable that the third season will stumble in some areas, so to make up for those inevitable mistakes, these moments from the game must be adapted perfectly. The creators of the show have indicated that a fourth season may be necessary, so we can assume that season will tell the third act of the game, which is after Abby finds Ellie in the theater. The following moments, then, must be only from the second act when Abby is the protagonist. Spoilers for The Last of Us Part II game will follow!

1) The Rat King

Take your pick of any moment from either of the two games. It is not as scary, tense, stressful, and difficult as the Rat King mission. At one point, Abby ends up running for her life from a true abomination, a threat unlike any in this world of “undead” enemies. The fear is palpable, and that is one moment the TV show must get right. Kaitlyn Dever has the acting chops to carry a scene like this, but will the writing back her performance up? What about the practical design of the Rat King? There’s a lot that needs to succeed for this scene to be as good as it should be.

2) Lev and Yara’s Rescue

Lev and Yara are two of the most important characters in The Last of Us Part II. They help humanize Abby to the audience, and they influence her to be a better person, effectively being Abby’s reason for growing past her fruitless revenge ideology. The best scene that illustrates much of this is when Lev and Yara first rescue Abby, taking great personal risks and helping to further illustrate the complexities of the Seraphites vs. Wolfs conflict. The audience needs to empathize with Lev and Yara as well as Abby, and this scene is one of the best ways to do it, so the show has to nail it.

3) One Crucial Flashback

Season 2 already showed some Abby flashbacks, but there’s one we have yet to see. It’s when the Fireflies are about to do the surgery on Ellie before Joel takes matters into his own hands. It’s there that she reveals to her father that she would want the surgery done if it were her instead of Ellie, helping to reassure the doctor and illustrating a selfless nature. This scene effectively illustrates her selflessness and adds to the complexity of this part of the narrative. Season 2 was carried emotionally by the undercurrent of Joel’s decision, and if Season 3 is going to have any sort of similar weight, this one moment is imperative.

4) The Sky Bridge

Perhaps due to a fear of heights, I found the sky bridge scene one of the most stressful aside from the Rat King. Abby is also afraid of heights, so there needs to be some genuine terror infused in the scene, which requires Lev and Abby to go over Seattle instead of through it. There are tons of visual tricks the show can use to make the audience feel every bit of the height and all of Abby’s fear. This part of the game also helps showcase the growth in the relationship between Lev and Abby. For much of the game, Abby’s the older, more mature leader in the scenario, but this is a chance for Lev to return the favor and help Abby through something incredibly difficult.

What do you think? Is there a scene you need HBO to hit on for The Last of Us Season 3? Let us know down below!

The Last of Us: 8 Moments from the Game Not in the Show