References from the game and previous episode’s of The Last of Us pop up in this week’s episode of the HBO series.
The following article contains spoilers for Episode 7 of The Last of Us.
The first season of HBO’s The Last of Us is already approaching its end, with only two episodes remaining. This week featured the plot of The Last of Us: Left Behind as Ellie and her best friend Riley spend time in an abandoned mall in Boston. When the duo head off into the night, it is expected that the episode will be largely adapted from the original content, and therefore hardcore fans prepare themselves for some major Easter eggs to pop up in almost every scene.
The story begins when Ellie is seen sitting on her bed in the latest episode of The Last of Us. Her room consists of several Easter eggs from the game and previous episodes of the HBO series. Whether it’s her love for space, reading, or video games, nutshells of each can be found within her bedroom, and more. When Riley arrives and convinces her to go off on a magical journey with her, the game references begin to light up their path as they proceed further.
This week’s episode of The Last of Us gives viewers a chance to understand Ellie and her motivations better. While Bill and Frank’s story in Episode 3 was modified for the series, Ellie and Riley’s story remains the same as the game. The episode’s title ‘Left Behind’ is a direct reference to the game’s downloadable content that takes fans through the duo’s last night together. For fans of the series, it showcases Ellie’s loss and helps viewers understand why she isn’t ready to let go of Joel just yet.
Within Ellie’s room, there are several references to previous conversations that occurred in the HBO series. Her pun book lies on her bedside table, which has appeared previously as Ellie reads puns out to Joel in Episode 3 of The Last of Us. In her room, Ellie is seen reading the comic book Savage Starlight, which is a callback to a moment she shares with Sam.
