The Last of Us Creator Reveals Why THAT Game Scene Was Moved Up in the TV Series

The second season of HBO’s acclaimed adaptation of The Last of Us is proving to be a fascinating journey for fans of the source material, diligently recreating some of The Last of Us Part II‘s most pivotal and emotionally charged moments. However, the series also makes bold choices in how it presents this narrative, with key The Last of Us scenes appearing in a different order than they did in the game. The most recent episode, the sixth of the current season, delivered a significant example of this approach, shifting a poignant scene initially found at the very conclusion of the game to an earlier juncture in Ellie’s harrowing experiences in Seattle. This restructuring choice was not made lightly, and series co-creator Neil Druckmann, who also helmed the Naughty Dog games, recently shed light on the specific reasoning behind this impactful change during an appearance on the official The Last of Us podcast.

Warning: Spoilers below for HBO’s The Last of Us and the game The Last of Us Part II

“That porch scene, I was so nervous about that because again, that scene is to me the most important scene in the entire story, which is why, you know, in the game, it’s at the very end,” Druckmann explained on the podcast. “One of the choices that we made to bring it up and the reason we brought it up is because we were worried it wouldn’t work if you had to wait years to get this payoff. It felt here as if we’re on this journey with Ellie, and it felt appropriate to do it at this moment in time. But yeah, it was such a joy. It was a freaking joy to work on this and it felt like I was living in the world of The Last of Us and it was really cool.”

[RELATED: The Last of Us Season 2 Has Changed One of Its Best Characters For the Worse]

In The Last of Us Part II video game, the porch scene is a pivotal and emotionally charged flashback. It depicts the last significant conversation between Ellie and Joel, taking place on the porch of Joel’s home in Jackson the night before his murder. During this interaction, after years of strained silence following Ellie’s discovery of Joel’s actions at the Firefly hospital, she finally confronts him more directly about his choice. Ellie expresses her immense survivor’s guilt and anger. Joel, unwavering, tells her that if he had a second chance, he would do it all over again. This scene is revealed to the player very late in the game, just before Ellie’s final pursuit of Abby. Its placement there is critical, as it recontextualizes Ellie’s entire quest for vengeance. It shows that Ellie and Joel were on a fragile path toward reconciliation, a path obliterated by his death, making her subsequent actions even more tragic. Moving this crucial beat earlier in the television narrative significantly alters its immediate impact and sets a different emotional context for Ellie’s motivations and journey as depicted in the show.

Ellie’s Saga Will Unfold Beyond Season 2 Of The Last of Us

While Season 2 of The Last of Us is nearing its finale, fans can rest assured that this is not the end of the road for the adaptation. HBO officially renewed The Last of Us for a third season back in April 2025, ahead of Season 2’s premiere. Plus, showrunners Craig Mazin and Druckmann have been very open about the fact that the entirety of The Last of Us Part II is far too extensive to be contained within a single season of television. Their strategy involves adapting the second game over multiple seasons, ensuring that the intricate plotlines and deep character developments receive the space and attention they deserve.

This multi-season approach means that while Season 2 is bringing a significant portion of Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) and Abby’s (Kaitlyn Dever) intertwined narratives to the screen, there is much more story to tell. HBO executives have even suggested that the plan for adapting Part II could extend to a fourth season, though only Season 3 has received the official green light so far. The shifting of the porch scene flashback, while surprising to players, is a deliberate narrative restructuring designed to serve a multi-season arc rather than a condensed one. The creators have been thinking about the viewing experience for several years, aiming to maintain emotional resonance and narrative cohesion across a much longer storytelling canvas.

The Last of Us Season 2 airs new episodes on HBO and Max every Sunday.

What do you think of the decision to move the porch scene earlier in the series? Let us know in the comments!