And just like that, The Last of Us has aired its final episode for its first season, leaving everyone who watched with irreparable trauma, persistent daddy issues and a deep and unforgiving need for more. Job well done, HBO.
It feels like only yesterday when we were introduced to Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey), watching them set off on an epic journey across a mushroom-ravaged America.
Last night’s finale was the shortest episode in the season and offered up a play-by-play of the video game with astonishing detail. Anyone who’s played the game probably wasn’t surprised by how fucked up everything gets at the end, but it’s still shocking to revisit.
just watched the season finale of the last of us pic.twitter.com/w5CMr3Ao3C
— jules of siobhan (@ariistosachaion) March 13, 2023
Just finished The Last Of Us finale pic.twitter.com/jcjARt8wot
— Georgie (@geogre_j) March 13, 2023
A total of 8.2 million individuals sat down to watch the final episode of The Last of Us, breaking viewership records set by *checks notes* The Last of Us.
As someone who thought House of the Dragon was a shitstorm with wings, I’m glad to see that HBO has a new child in town snatching views.
An audience of 8.2 million people watched Episode 9 of “The Last of Us.” The show’s finale broke its own viewership record — a significant feat, considering that the episode was released during ABC’s telecast of the Oscars. https://t.co/098YK3yyC3 pic.twitter.com/bfl6KYOgCj
— Variety (@Variety) March 13, 2023
Let’s not forget the show drew in all of those viewers while airing at the same time as the Oscars.
Now that’s an accomplishment.
Pedro Pascal being at the Oscars at the same time the season finale of The Last of Us airs pic.twitter.com/RUwk67AsA5
— sandy • carla day 🎉 (@thefuckinsandes) March 9, 2023
Now let’s get into some Twitter reactions.
Fans of the game were elated to see Ashley Johnson on screen playing the role of Ellie’s mum.
For those who don’t know, Johnson is the voice of Ellie in the video games, which was a nice little throwback.
i don’t think a show has honored the source material quite like what the last of us did with ashley johnson. watching ashley portray anna and share a scene with baby ellie — knowing all of the work ashley put into ellie and how much she loves her — is truly remarkable. i wept pic.twitter.com/gWg1CQhtAm
— Nora Dominick (@noradominick) March 13, 2023
Others obsessed over the father-daughter dynamic between the pair hitting some sweet highs during the ep.
Joel finding the strength to move on from his daughter’s death thanks to Ellie? My heart is shattered glass.
that’s literally her dad everyone shut up #tlou pic.twitter.com/qc1PQkQ1yt
— ﹰ (@DINDJARlNS) March 13, 2023
The Last of Us is amazing, and my favorite moment will forever be this face Pedro Pascal makes pic.twitter.com/jK4vY0t5Rw
— Thomas Sanders (@ThomasSanders) March 14, 2023
https://twitter.com/blktomekurata/status/1635358196411011072?s=20
And of course, there was the whole traumatic hospital scene in which Joel sacrifices multiple innocent lives just so Ellie can live on.
It’s an act driven by love and greed, and it’s very hard to watch.
Me the entire finale of The Last of Us despite knowing exactly what was coming pic.twitter.com/RndmPNzf90
— Noah (@PrimeNoah24) March 13, 2023
Finished the season finale of the last of us. Everything is totally fine 😅pic.twitter.com/BHuslJdfi5
— Katie 🔮🥀🌭🙃 (@SO_I_CRAVE) March 13, 2023
i started crying about 13 times while watching the last of us finale, ellie really is the whole world to joel— she was trying to save the whole world, but he was trying to save his pic.twitter.com/onIdm7GqPm
— cat (@thebyerscat) March 13, 2023
And then you have the gut-punch ending in which Joel lies to Ellie’s face and tells her that everyone died because a bunch of “raiders” came in to attack them, but he luckily escaped in time.
Ellie asks Joel at the very end of the ep if this story was true, and he decides to double down on his fib.
Unfortunately we won’t be able to see where the hell this goes until 2025 at the earliest, which pains my soul.
so you’re saying the last of us season 2 won’t come out until late next year or even early 2025? pic.twitter.com/Wpe0SCSbC1
— luna (@elliespov) March 13, 2023
Until then I guess I’ll just start watching The Mandalorian? I need to get my Pedro fix somehow.
