So, now its time for the last part of my look at the Last of Us TV series as I will cover the finale of Series 1 and see how it compares to the dramatic climax of the video game.
So, with that said the usual warning is coming...
PLOT SPOILERS ARE AHEAD!!!
Episode 9 - Look For The Light
So, the episode begins with a flashback of Ellie's mother Anna (Ashley Johnson) who is heavily pregnant running through the woods trying to escape an infected who is chasing her. Anna tries to bar the doors to prevent the infected breaking but it doesn't hold as the infected bursts through and attacks Anna, who manages to kill it with a knife but sees that she has been bitten on her leg and at the same time she gives birth to Ellie. Later on, Marlene (Merle Dandridge) who is the leader of a group of Fireflies finds Anna, who begs her to kill her and take Ellie, which Marlene hesitantly does.
In the present day, Joel and Ellie have made it to Salt Lake City in search of the Fireflies secret lab and we find that Ellie is very quiet and subdued and clearly still feeling the trauma of her killing David in the previous episode. However as they travel on, they soon encounter a herd of giraffes much to the delight of Ellie, who feeds one of them some leaves. Joel then suggests they could forget the lab and head back to Jackson to reunite with Tommy but Ellie says they've come too far to not follow it through and says she wants to finish what they started.
As they move on, Joel opens up about his feelings of loss over his daughter Sarah and how he even tried to shoot himself and failed. Ellie then suggests time heals all wounds but Joel tells her it wasn't time that did it and he gives her a look that says she is the reason his wounds are healed and Ellie after a beat tells him she's glad his attempt didn't work out. After this, Ellie reads some puns to cheer up Joel but then they are suddenly interrupted by a smoke grenade and they are both captured.
Joel soon comes to and finds himself in the secret lab with the Fireflies and Marlene tells Joel that Ellie is being prepped for surgery and that her immunity comes from her being born with cordyceps within the womb that tricks real cordyceps into thinking she has it and that's why she is immune. Marlene however also explains that the surgeon says that the cordyceps has spread into Ellie's brain and by removing parts of it they can reverse engineer a cure but the process would kill her. Joel insists they find someone else and demands to be taken to Ellie but one of the soldiers knocks him down and Marlene insists she has no other choice and apologies but Joel coldly says "I do". Marlene then has Joel escorted out the building by two soldiers but he manages to kill them and take their guns and kill the remaining Fireflies as he makes his way to the operating room. Once there, Joel kills the surgeon and takes an unconscious Ellie off the table and he leaves with her.
We then cut to Joel being confronted by Marlene who says they can still fix this despite what he has done and lowers her gun just enough for Joel shoot her with his in the stomach. Marlene pleads to be let go but Joel tells her she would just come after them and shoots her in the head before leaving with Ellie in a car. As Ellie comes round, Joel lies to her that the Fireflies gave up trying to find a cure and that there were dozens like to Ellie and also raiders attacked the hospital and he apologises for what has happened.
And the episode finishes with Joel and Ellie hiking back to Jackson on foot after the car breaks down and as Joel cheerfully talks about Sarah and comparing her to Ellie, Ellie suddenly stops and tells Joel about her best friend Riley being the first one she killed. Ellie also asks Joel to swear to her that everything he said about the Fireflies is true to which Joel says he swears and Ellie, giving an uncertain look says "OK".
THOUGHTS
As a series finale, Look for the Light is an excellent ending to the season and its good to see it remain faithful to the ending of the game and its a great ending which has split fans right down the middle since the game was released debating whether Joel's desperate acts of violence to save Ellie were justified. The episode itself is ironically the shortest of the entire series at just a mere 43 minutes, it does have a rushed feel to it but at the same time it manages to squeeze what story it needs to in its short run time. However it would have been nice to have had a longer finale episode and an hour long one wouldn't have gone a miss and again there is a disappointing lack of infected in the episode apart from the one at the start who attacks Anna, Ellie's mother. That aside though this episode really is a very solid way to end the series and it has some wonderful moments as well as dark ones.
PERFORMANCES (Warning spoilers are ahead and strong language!)
As for the performances again the cast here are top notch and give it their all in the finale.
Starting with Pedro Pascal, who is excellent in the finale and he has some great moments with Bella as Joel and Ellie really show how far their relationship as adopted father-daughter has come but he does have the off moment here and there in his performance which I will get to but they don't detract from what has been a great performance throughout the show.
And Pedro's notable scenes include the one where Joel confides in Ellie over his suicide attempt after he lost Sarah. So, Joel sits down and sits to Ellie "I was the guy who shot and missed. There's no story. Sarah died... and I couldn't see the point anymore. Simple as that. And I wasn't scared either. I was ready. I couldn't have been more ready. When I-- When I... went to pull the trigger, I-I flinched. Still don't know why. Anyway, the reason I'm telling you this...". Ellie interrupts him and says "I know why you are telling me this" and Joel says "Yeah I reckon you do" and Ellie says "So time heals all wounds, I guess" and Joel looks at her says "It wasn't time that did it" and they share a silent moment and Ellie says "I'm glad that didn't work out for you" and Joel tearfully says "Yeah, me too".
And then there is the scene where after Joel has been captured by the Fireflies he comes to and sees Marlene who says to him "Welcome to the Fireflies". And Marlene says to Joel "You are the last person I want to be in debt to you but I owe you one, we all do. How did you do it?" and Joel says "It was all her. She fought like hell to get here" and Marlene says "She would have been dead on day one". Joel then asks "Where is she? Can I see her?" and Marlene says "You can't, she's being prepped for surgery" and Joel confused asks "What do you mean surgery?". Marlene tells Joel about the surgeon discovering the cordyceps infection has spread into Ellie's brain but they can take samples of her brain to make a cure but it dawns on Joel that it would kill Ellie.
Joel then says "Cordyceps grows on the brain..." and Marlene regretfully says "It does" and Joel says "Find someone else" but Marlene tells him "There is no one else. We didn't tell her, there will be no fear and we won't cause her any pain" but Joel angrily says "No, no. You take me to her! You take me to her NOW!!" and one of the Fireflies hits him in the chest and he goes down and he pleads with Marlene "Please, you don't understand". Marlene however emotionally says to Joel "I do understand. I've know Ellie her whole live, I made a promise to her mother to look after her, I promised! So, I do understand, I'm the only one who understands. I'm sorry but I have no other choice here" but then Joel looks at her and says in a foreboding tone "I do".
Then there is the scene where Joel drives Ellie away from the hospital after killing the Fireflies and she comes around from her sedation. So, Joel lies to Ellie about what happened and says "They were running some tests on you and some others. Turns out there's a whole lot more like you. People that are immune. Dozens of them. And the doctors, they couldn't make any of it work. They've actually... They've stopped looking for a cure". Joel then explains "Raiders then attacked the hospital and I barely got you out of there" and he says sadly "I'm sorry". And this is followed by the flashback to Joel having shot Marlene in the underground car park of the hospital and she pleads with him and says "Please! Let me go!" and Joel says to her "You'll just come after her" and shoots her in the head.
And last of all is the scene at the end of the episode where Joel and Ellie hike back to Jackson and he cheerfully talks about Sarah and how Ellie would have liked her. So, Joel says to Ellie "You know, Sarah and I used to hike like this all the time. I wouldn't say it was her favorite thing. She wasn't a fan of the mosquitoes and such. But she was such a big climber... or scampering. That's probably the right word. That girl... she'd see a big rock, and just... pew. She would liked you. Not to say the two of you are the same. Definitely different kids". Ellie asks "How so?" and Joel says "Well Sarah was more...I don't want to say girly not that you're not girly" and Ellie says "I'm not" and Joel admits "No, you're not". Joel then says "She was taller, she had a killer smile" and he nervously says to Ellie "I'm not saying you don't. But you know why I think she'd like you?" and Ellie asks "Why?" and he says to her "Because your funny".
And then there is the final moment between Ellie and Joel as Ellie tells him about Riley dying and how she regrets how Tess and Sam followed and Joel says "None of that is on you". Joel then says "Look, sometimes things don't work out the way we hope. You can feel like... like you've come to an end... and you don't know what to do next. But if you just keep goin'... you find something new to fight for. And maybe that's not what..." and Ellie interrupts him and says "Swear to me. Swear to me everything you said about the Fireflies is true" and Joel after a moment says "I swear" and Ellie looks at him uncertainly and says "OK".
Bella Ramsey next is also great in her final performance of the series as Ellie and here we see a different side of Ellie as she is no longer playful as before and has become more sullen and subdued after the trauma of her harrowing, violent encounter with David. However Ellie does cheer up in the episode as she encounters some giraffes and reads some puns for Joel to cheer him up before it all goes south.
And Bella has her share of good scenes her such as the one where Joel suggests they just forget about the lab and just head back to Jackson but Ellie refuses. And Joel says to Ellie "We don't have to do this" and Ellie says "What do you mean? What else are we supposed to do?" and Joel says "Nothing. We head back to Tommy's and forget the whole damn thing" but Ellie says "After all we've been through... everything I've done... it can't be for nothing. I know you mean well. I know you wanna protect me. You have. And when we're done, we'll go wherever you want. Tommy's, sheep ranch, the moon. I'll follow you anywhere you go. But there's no halfway with this. We finish what we started" and Joel nods.
Then there is the scene where Ellie tries cheering up Joel with her pun book and Joel says to her "You know what I'm in the mood for?" and Ellie asks "What?" and Joel smiles and says "Shitty puns" and Ellie perks up and says "Oooh!" and gets her book out. And Ellie reads from a page "People are making apocalypse jokes life there's no tomorrow" and Joel groans and Ellie asks "Too soon?" and Joel says "No, its topical" and she laughs and reads another "Why do space rocks taste better than earth rocks? Because their meateor!" and Joel says "That was terrible, that was a zero out of 10!" and Ellie says "That was good! How about this one. What did the green grape say to the purple grape? Breath you idiot!" and Joel says "That was a three" and Ellie protests "Three that was a seven!" and Joel says "A five! I'll give it a five out of ten!" before they are interrupted by a smoke grenade and captured.
And last of all is the scene where Ellie and Joel hike to Jackson on foot at the end and as Joel cheerily talks about comparing Ellie to his daughter Sarah, Ellie stops him and tells about her best friend Riley. And Ellie says to Joel "Back in Kansas City, you asked me about the first time I killed someone. When I got bit in the mall, I-I wasn't on my own. My best friend was there and she got bit, too. We didn't know what to do, and she says, we can just wait it out... be all poetic and just lose our minds together. And then she did. And I had to-- Her name was Riley... and she was the first to die. And then it was Tess. And then Sam..". Joel tells her "None of that was on you" and Ellie says "I know that but..." and as Joel tries to tell her things don't always work out the way we want she says to him "Swear to me. Swear to me everything you said about the Fireflies was true" and Joel after a moment says "I swear" and Ellie looks at him uncertainly and finally says "OK".
As for the other cast members, Merle Dandridge does an excellent job as Marlene, the leader of the Fireflies who takes in Ellie for surgery but has some bad news to share with Joel about Ellie's survival which leads to Joel making a drastic choice.
And Merle really only has a few scenes in the episode, so I will mention two of them starting with the one Joel and Ellie are captured by the Fireflies and Joel wakes up on a bed in the hospital to see Marlene stand over him. And she says to him "Welcome to the Fireflies. You know I'm amazed you made it here, I had five guys protecting me and I almost got killed. How did you do it?" and Joel slowly gets up off the bed and says "It was all her, she fought like hell to get here" but Marlene says "She would have been dead on day one. You know you are the last person I wanted to be in debt to but I owe you. We all do". Joel then asks "Where's Ellie?" and Marlene tells him "She's fine" and Joel says "Can I see her?" and Marlene says "You can't, she's being prepped for surgery" and Joel puzzled asks "Surgery". And Marlene explains that Ellie was born with coryceps while in the womb and that the real cordyceps was fooled into thinking she had it and that's why she is immune.
Marlene then tells Joel "The surgeon says that he can look at parts of her that infected that are sending out chemical messengers, remove them and multiply those cells in a lab. He thinks it could be a cure, Joel. A cure!". Joel however realises that Ellie might not survive this and asks "Cordyceps grows in the brain?" and Marlene grimly says "It does" and Joel after a pause says "Find someone else" but Marlene says "There is no one else. We didn't tell, we won't cause her any pain or fear" but Joel defiantly says "No, you take me to her. You take me to her RIGHT NOW!!" and one of the soldiers butts him in the chest.
Joel gasps on the floor and says "Please, you don't understand" and Marlene tells him "I do. I was there when she was born, Joel. I promised her mother that I would save her child. I promised! So I do understand. I'm the only one who understands. I'm sorry. I have no other choice" and Joel gives her a defiant look and says "I do". After a pause, Marlene tells her soldiers "Walk him out of here to the highway, give him his pack and this" and she holds out Ellie's switchblade "If he tries anything...shoot him".
And last of all is the scene where after Joel has killed most of the Firefly soldiers, he carries an unconscious Ellie as he arrives in a lift in an underground car park where Marlene waits for him with her gun pointed at him. And Marlene pleads with Joel "You can't keep her safe forever. No matter how hard you try no matter how many people you kill she's gonna grow up, Joel. And then you'll die. She'll leave. Then what? How long till she's torn apart by Infected or murdered by raiders? Because she lives in a broken world that you could have saved". Joel however says "That's not for you to decide". Marlene then says to Joel "So, what would she decide, huh? Because I think she'd wanna do what's right. And you know it. It's not too late. Even now even after what you've done. We can still find a way" and Joel for a moment ponders over what she says but then shoots her in the stomach. And then we see Marlene lie on the floor, pleading for her life "Wait! Let me go!" but Joel looks at her and says "You'd just come after her" and he shoots her in the head.
And last of all is Ashley Johnson who makes an appearance as Anna, Ellie's mother who gives birth to Ellie in her main scene where being attacked by an infected who bites Anna on the leg but Anna manages to kill the infected with a switchblade (presumably the same one Ellie uses later on).
And I will mention her main scene where Marlene finds Anna in the abandoned house a short while after she gave birth to Ellie And Anna pleads with Marlene to shoot her and look after Ellie and says to Marlene "How long have we know each other?" and Marlene says "All our lives" and Anna pleads with her "Please you have to take her and shoot me" and Marlene tearfully refuses at first but realises she has little choice. So, Marlene takes the baby outside and gives it one of the Fireflies and says "Cover her ears" and Marlene goes back in and shoots Anna.
SUM UP
So, to sum up Look for the Light is a great ending to the series which remains very faithful to the original ending of the game. The episode all features great performances from the two leads as well as solid performances from Merle Dandridge and Ashley Johnson in her brief role as Anna, Ellie's mother. It also features some charming moments between Joel and Ellie such as the giraffe scene, Joel opening up on his suicide attempt over losing Sarah and the puns scene.
There are one or two complaints however such as despite his performance for the most part being great, Pedro does deliver a couple of lines in a lame way and the main one being when Joel says to Marlene "You'd just come after her" before shooting her as he says it in such a flat lifeless way that doesn't work. Then there is the line at the very end of the episode where Ellie asks Joel to tell her that what he said about the Fireflies is true and Joel says "I swear" and again he delivers it in a flat way with little conviction. But these are minor complaints and Pedro's performance over all as Joel has been excellent throughout the series.
Another issue is to do with of course the lack of infected once again as there is a moment in the video game where Ellie and Joel take out some infected before they reach the Fireflies lab and we only get that one infected at the start that attacks Anna. So, viewers really do get short change once again with the lack on infected, who were intrinsic part of the game and the world.
The episode is also a bit too short as well given it is a finale as I mentioned earlier, it has the shortest run time of all the episodes in the series, which seems a bit puzzling given a finale should by all rights be longer. So, this definitely gives this episode a rather rushed feel particularly in the moments such as the pun scene, which could have had more time to breath than it was given.
Regardless of all that, this is still a strong closing episode of series 1 and it bodes well for series 2, which might not be for another year or two yet.
So, I will give Look for the Light:
9 out of 10
So, that's it for this one guys and I will be back at some point with a non Last of Us related post.
Until then its bye for now.
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