how to turn a villain into a monster

[@gustavosalles496]

There is a detail in the dinner scene, David's plate is the only one full, everyone else is less than half full.

[@FawnieFox]

And he KNOWS what he’s eating. I think some people in the room suspect, others are ignorant, but he absolutely knows and fills up his larger portion.

[@spyros219]

​@@FawnieFox You can notice James eating his food slowly while others do it quickly. Also, when he tried to kill Ellie, he probably knew that he would save her from David. That's why he tried to convince him of letting her go

[@mia-yf8pz]

@@spyros219 yesss also David is the only one eating his food calmly and without hesitance. Like he just seems at peace, even with knowing what he's eating and feeling starved. Although now that you mentioned his plate was the only one that was full, maybe he isn't exactly starving like the rest of his people 😒

[@caronstout354]

In a post-apocalyptic community, never ever trust a leader-religious or otherwise-who dresses and eats better than you!

[@LuXuri0u5.]

@@mia-yf8pz tbh I thought that hearing the utensils hit the plates was just showing you how hungry they were, but now that I rewatched the episode, it makes so much sense that David game himself the larger portion while everyone else had scraps. Just shows how he lives for the feeling of having power over others

[@microwwave]

"when suddenly the bad guy stops being a villain and turns into a monster" I absolutely love this line, a monster being a creature of little motivation other than destruction and self preservation, whilst a villain who creates chaos aiming for his motivations

[@__-fm5qv]

You can really really see his god complex when the building is burning down. A normal person would try to put the fire out, or get out of there as the flames rise higher, but David doesn't. He paces slowly, calmly, without any urgency. Sure this is part of him "stalking his prey" but imo its more than that. David doesn't believe for a single moment he's in any danger here, it doesn't even cross his mind that the burning building will even hurt him. In this scene he does not believe in his own mortality, in his mind he is too powerful to die. Now thats one hell of a God complex.

[@redrover7427]

Facts !!!!

[@lorddreagus7253]

The combination of fearlessness and predatory nature make David the ultimate psychopath.

[@josevinicius6908]

Agreed 💯

[@amsbeats841]

I have seen all of these video essays on show David, and I'm wondering why not one person mentions the p*do or rapey aspect to David's character. The game was a little ambiguous about it, but the show was very clear about what David was about to do before he was killed. It was one of the most upsetting things I've seen on TV.

[@vicki5322]

i've also been wondering this. it was so clear and a big part of why i felt this episode was absolutely gutting (as another small girl who'd be easily overpowered by grown men). incredibly impactful episode that wasn't afraid to touch on some real dangers of being a young, vulnerable girl.

[@amsbeats841]

@@vicki5322 yeah, I'm assuming why nobody mentions it is due to demonetization, but there are ways around that.. censoring certain words etc. I don't think you can do a complete video essay on David without discussing this because, the desires that he so clearly had motivated absolutely everything he did. Why he wanted to give her the penicillin, why he imprisoned her, and nearly everything he said to her was in service of grooming her for this purpose.

[@malachorfives]

I know right, it's kind of starting to annoy me. even in the official podcast they barely touched on it. i don't get why when it's so central to the whole thing

[@Rosesmellsbad]

Yes! I watched it with my dad and I was the only one who caught on to that aspect. Since not playing the game

[@tellanpairama9245]

David was all kinds of evil and I think the pinnacle of his sickness sadly ain't the pedo sht but the cannabilizm? tho the tiny little pedo-e type dialog I can imagine hits alot harder in reality compared to eating humans

[@yourfavoritebubbe7444]

I had a really really hard time watching that scene in the restaurant. Hearing Ellie’s screams tore at my chest, it makes me cry. It makes me angry. She’s fighting for everyone who’s ever been in that situation. The choice to not have Joel pull Ellie off David was also very good

[@xenawarriorprincess4495]

It’s nice to see someone finally say that! Choosing not to have Joel pull Ellie off forces her (and us) to stay in that lonely, horrific moment. Joel gets to her too late, so she has to do the violent thing and it breaks her. Find it very fitting for this dramatized, character-driven version of tlou

[@Freyas01]

Yeah, her screams even after he's obviously dead and she's still hacking away are heart-wrenching. And then her reaction to Joel coming up to her outside was so good in showing what she's just been through- she saved herself from David, but it's so clear that she's deeply scarred and traumatized from the experience.

[@colinjensen8303]

@@xenawarriorprincess4495 The Last of Us was always dramatized and character driven homie. And she has to do the violent thing on her own in both versions, the show just gives it a tiny bit more time to breathe, but the effect is the same.

[@xenawarriorprincess4495]

@@colinjensen8303 of course, I completely agree. I suppose I meant that the game has more of an action element to it with the gameplay, and features the infected more frequently. That inherently changes the pace/mood of the story. The show takes a step back from that and is an even more focused look into the characters + its world building (with the flashbacks). For example, Sarah gets a whole 20 minutes to herself, there’s an entire Bill and Frank episode, and Henry and Sam got room to shine, etc. I think that’s great, the game did perfectly so the show is taking its own path.

[@Mysticbeee]

I don't think Ellie was fighting for anyone but herself. Thats the whole point: everyone is just trying to survive in a terrible, broken world. That's what makes it so scary and impactful. The entire series is about the human condition to want to live no matter what.

[@blancaatencio3624]

I played the game years ago, and I was delighted by this new interpretation of David, particularly the detail that he apparently was a teacher... of Children, before the apocalypse. Just knowing that made me recoil. And his dialogue later on when he says that he "has always struggled with violence" heavily implies that he always was a child predator. Wouldn't surprise me that he also abused that girl from his group.

[@snowi8650]

It also gives more meaning to the people wanting to kill Ellie. First you think its because they are bloodthirsty for vengeace which is understandable but something about that is slightly off. They know the little girl didnt kill their guy but are so insistent. Later you realize its kind of mercy. Better be dead than his new "toy"

[@crowing3886]

​@@snowi8650 that's a angle I didn't consider.

[@laurie8857]

​@@snowi8650 oh wow, I didn't think about that. Yikes

[@choukettechoukette5342]

That, or she was next. We saw he has that horrendous/horrible/blood curling thing where he associate being a pedo to acting like a ‘’father’’, and this girl just lost hers. My thought is that he didn’t touch her yet, but if Ellie didn’t came, she was next on the line.

[@tyrannapusandfriends6254]

@@snowi8650 Ik a lot of the discussion here right now is in relation to the show’s David, but in the game you hear NPCs refer to Ellie as “David’s new toy”, basically saying that not only were at least some of them aware of intentions but also that there were girls before Ellie…

[@hannah-bx8nf]

ellie screaming made me burst into tears. the fear in her voice seemed so genuine. even when they opened the cage and she didnt have anywhere to run. i felt scared myself

[@lividlarry1026]

I haven’t seen the series yet, didn’t have the time, but from the few clips I saw her acting looked amazing. I’m legit scared for her when she screams like that. It’s so genuine and sounds exactly how people I know screamed when they were absolutely terrified and scared.

[@Halfort57]

Maybe you shouldn't be watching TV at all

[@allensu9363]

9:13 Bella Ramsay’s performance here was the first time I preferred a scene from the show more than the game. The moment where Joel finds her too is amazing. She’s unable to speak and still tries to hit him in the chest even after realizing who he is, showing how visibly traumatized she was.

[@nightraven8814]

@@NymbusCumulo928 take a shower, I can smell you through my screen 🤮

[@totalhufflepuff203]

@maaathel disagree with that statement, don’t know why you need to diminish game Ellie’s expressions to make Bella look better. Why not compliment both?

[@thaloblue]

@@NymbusCumulo928 Yeah, no, we all know you wanted a "hot" teenager to play this role and you didn't get what you wanted. Sorry, most of us have better values in actors than looks.

[@cosmicchicken579]

@@NymbusCumulo928 take a chill pill dude, every single point you made there was stupid

[@biazacha]

@@NymbusCumulo928 how being a ginger would make the acting better? LMAO what you’re actually angry about is super ironic considering the contents of this video.

[@MrOblivion94]

david telling ellie she had a violent heart could be a bit foreshadowing for part 2, absolute carnage

[@Venom_1462]

Absolutely when he said that I immediately thought of grown up Ellie from part 2

[@allthebananas9232]

***SPOILERS*** I understand what you're saying, but I have to disagree here. David's heart was always corrupted - the apocalypse gave him the freedom to express it. Ellie has a good heart that is capable of violence which she only shows when violence is expressed upon her or someone she loves. In the 2nd season there are multiple drivers that you can attribute to her behavior: her love for Joel, her loyalty to Tommy, her own guilt at wasted time, her fear of how her PTSD may affect her family. She still has a good heart because, for the most part, her motivations weren't selfish. Her decision to let Abby live is a testament to that goodness she has. More than anything, the steakhouse burning down while David myopically pursues an ultimately lost cause is the 2nd season foreshadowing to me.

[@ookami1279]

On the official podcast they discuss this, I totally agree with D&M when they say that (paraphrasing): yes both David and Ellie have violent hearts but fuelled differently, David's is fuelled by pure ego and selfishness while Ellie's is fuelled by empathy and love. They are both capable of incredible savagery but for completely opposite reasons.

[@kidayoon9923]

Ooooooooh it's true. Can't wait for violent, badass Ellie

[@javiermd5835]

Indeed. And in that same scene one shot is lifted from TLOU2’s box art.

[@dlweiss]

I'm surprised that you didn't discuss the single biggest reversal/recontextualization that happens in the episode: for the first 2/3rds of the episode, David behaves towards Ellie in a seemingly kind and caring manner, giving her medicine for Joel and even demanding that his followers don't kill her when they have the chance. All of these actions at first appear to suggest that David is morally ambiguous, still showing kindness and consideration for a kid trapped in a bad situation. But THEN, we discover David's true motivations for all of this behavior: he's intentionally grooming Ellie, because he's a predator looking for his next victim to assault and trap. Everything that seemed kind before, now becomes disgusting and horrifying in retrospect.

[@bluesteno64]

I’m guessing he was going to go after the girl who lost her father in the altercation with Joel but idk. This episode made me so uncomfortable and I was Cheering like wild when Ellie went in on the attack. Her reaction is totally justified and I could just feel the fury and fear when she finally got free.

[@nyom6378]

​@@bluesteno64 this. The way I started breathing again when Joel found her shocked myself lol. And then I broke down when he hugged her and assured her she was safe now

[@justinhamilton8647]

And the switch from ellie being confident and confrontational to instantly being terrified when they barge in is so so realistic because she’s just a kid that’s maybe about to be BUTCHERED and eaten and of course she would be TERRIFIED, the game version is just scared but it doesn’t have that gut wrenching terror so when she thinks to say she’s infected in the show, it’s almost like the brain forces the words out her mouth in desperation and she stumbles over them not even registering what she’s said yet, but in the game it’s like she was already thinking about it and just waited for a pause to say it, the acting is so so much better in the show it’s not even close

[@ughlwtmechangerhisthabks8349]

You didn’t understand the full terror of what was about to happen to Ellie in that scene

[@parzival3632]

The game version doesn't hit as much coz we know we could kill all of them when we get to control her.

[@geekjokes8458]

you left out an important detail of his monstrosity, that the episode never clearly states he was a teacher, presumably of children he became a preacher, not just because it rhymes he wants ellie _by his side_ he likes when *they scream* at the end, her screams when he's pinning her down isnt just of fear of being killed, but of something far worse than what even the zombies do

[@katieviolet29]

I think men and women watched this episode very differently. I haven't seen any men mention how David is established as a predator right from his introduction. The girl who lost her father is a foil to Ellie, she is who Ellie could become if David had 'taken her in"; a little girl with no one to protect her. There is no doubt in my mind that David was abusing that little girl behind the scenes, their interactions have so much subtext.

[@roughpatmusic]

I wouldn’t base interpretations off of someone’s sex.

[@katieviolet29]

@@roughpatmusic it's an interpretation based in the collective experience of every female. Of course men also experience predators, but every woman has an experience with a predatory man. It's not to say men can't read into the scenes, I believe the show is written and directed by men, it's just a generalization based on how myself and many other women viewed it in comparison to how I saw many men interpreting it in a different way.

[@endlessstudent3512]

@@roughpatmusic I am not so sure. Especially that attempted rape scene, the "I will teach you" he says....it hits women much harder. Men might well think, oh he is not that scary, look the the old guy. But for a woman, that guy is like unconquerable. While beeing just as clever and determined, women are physically weaker, so a man, even a single one, is a big threat. Ellie wins by sheer luck. So I thing Katie is right, most men will not be scared by David, most women will be.

[@roughpatmusic]

@@endlessstudent3512 yeah, you’re rigjt

[@queerlibtardhippie9357]

@@roughpatmusic it's not based off of his sex. you can literally tell he's a predator from the moment he first appears on screen and you could have if he was a woman...

[@kashe7285]

I've found other people's reactions to david quite interesting. a lot of female presenting people I've talked to about this episode were seeing red flags from the moment david started talking. the way he merely speaks to ellie in the beginning was making alarms go off in their heads. but others only picked up on his true intentions once he touched ellie's hand, or even when he pinned her down. either way it makes for an incredibly unsettling and tension filled viewing experience.

[@kristina7065]

exactly. I was weirded out by the guy assuming abusive nature from the first scene where David interacted with the daughter of the dude who was killed. Red flags all over the place. Excellent acting/editing

[@maellaykacelestino7800]

I felt the uneasiness from the start, yet for some reason I tried gaslighting myself that maybe I should give him the benefit of the doubt. In the cage scene, when I felt like it's too late and that she was already trapped is where it all clicked. I'm only 17, so I hate that if I were to encounter this for real, I'm fckd.

[@leilanidrennan1767]

I feel that it's because women have been accustomed to having to spot the signs in predators, especially sexual predators. If you don't learn the signs and try to be cautious in situations where they show up, then you'll be really vunerable.

[@nyom6378]

It's sad women and female presenting people were the only ones who saw the red flags. It's sad that femeninity goes hand in hand with this. But it's surprising how a lot of people didn't see it coming until he touched her hand. Really from just the moment he started talking he was so weird to me. And then he hit that girl. The worst thing that dawned on me is that when he tried to do something to Ellie at the end, I realized he must've done exactly the same thing to the other girl.

[@nyom6378]

​@@maellaykacelestino7800 like you said, you're only 17. You're learning, and that's good, but always be careful.

[@luisrivas7814]

Always expecting your videos after each episode! Your way of editing and narrating is elegant and enjoyable

[@javiereguez]

Ya pues dale un hijo

[@richytheking1315]

Recently watched The Young Pope in which Scott Shepherd played a much different character. It was fascinating to see him here because you really get to see how fantastic his acting is. How he uses his eyes is especially the highlight. He rarely blinks, and manages to make them so empty and inhuman. The range is so impressive.

[@Mike90317]

Oh, that's why he seemed familiar to me! He was the Pope's best friend.

[@warbler1984]

He was also in el camino

[@chelscara]

7:17 I really appreciate this part because I think he’s right and wrong. Obviously Ellie is not like him. He has violence in his heart for his pleasure and for others pain., which Ellie does not have. Instead she has strong feelings of protection and love, she has a violent heart out of love and experience. And her nature in the scenes you chose to show while he was talking proved it.

[@mrfrecklestein3194]

I wish they had the quote in the show because it was my favourite from the game but it’s bills quote when speaking of the infected “as creepy as those things are at least they’re predictable, it’s the normal people that scare me” I think this quote perfectly incapsulates what makes apocalypse stories so entertaining

[@juliettebourbon8645]

"How effectively they made you hate david" Honestly I was way too scared to be angry. This episode was horrifyind. Like you said, by the end, it wasn't a villain anymore, it was a monster, and when you face a monster you just want to escape it, there's no place for other emotions.

[@HK-gm8pe]

I have been a stabbing and a rape victim and this scene actually was a little triggering for me and brought back flashbacks for me....Bella is soo amazing, I would be surprised if she doesnt get an emmy nomination

[@benardman2665]

What a cool and real story

[@-_-3315]

​@@benardman2665 what do you gain from doubting strangers online. Like even if they aren't telling the truth, why do you care?

[@benardman2665]

@@-_-3315 what do you gain from taking away my truth, a stranger online. And what I may think? What's the point? Why do you care?

[@-_-3315]

​​@@benardman2665 I care because I see people online like you all the time and I'm genuinely curious about the intent behind it. I answered your question, now you answer mine.

[@benardman2665]

@@-_-3315 bc it's funny and percentage wise I'm probably right. Betting on the house here. Real victims exist. It sucks. Pretty obvious to spot someone saying "oh ya I'm victimized in this exact way" as the second comment on a video stinks of hog wash. And it takes away from real victims. And if they are a real victim, and willing to comment that from a near-anon. Then I have just as much to call bs. And if that hurts them. Dont step up.

[@BambiLena666]

The first time we see David, even before Ellie shows up, my immediate reaction was why does he look so creepy. I was watching the episode with a friend and I couldnt shake off the thought that he wants to assault her since the beginning. By the time we were in the cabin scene and he was telling her about how he changed his mind and she does need a father I was starting to question my sanity and what was wrong with me, because technically at no point did he say or really do anything clearly or truly innapropriate in that way. I consider it amazingly brilliant acting on his part. I cant explain why exactly but some part of my brain picked it up. And Ellie screaming once it was revealed was all of us. thats a very accurate way of putting it.

[@FigmentPigmentCrosserTosser]

same here, I don't want to sound dramatic but as a victim of SA and grooming I can tell when people have that... vibe. As soon as I saw him my brain said " He looks like a child predator", guess I can trust my brain.

[@BambiLena666]

@@FigmentPigmentCrosserTosser really nice to know I wasnt the only one who got the vibes off him off the bat.

[@deaththekidluv8]

i’ve seen a couple analyses like yours (although yours are some of the best) that mention how david’s evil is revealed slowly, and i’ve noticed an interesting trend. it seems like the men who’ve been watching the show tend to be… not surprised by david’s evil, but certainly feel that it’s more of a turn. whereas the women i’ve spoken to recognized exactly what he was from the beginning. the world has trained us to be on the lookout for evil men like david, because it could cost us dearly if we’re not, and so the truth of his evil is less a reveal and more of a confirmation

[@vicki5322]

i'm so glad someone pointed this out! i was on guard the entire time, the "turn" was not a surprise in the slightest, more like confirmation of a suspicion. the way it snowballed was perfect though!

[@shaynapunim]

yes, was looking for this comment

[@anacat3400]

yeah, the moment i saw the fucking stew and him talking to that girl right on the first scene, i knew two things. that he was a fucking creep, and i even said out loud 'oh no that's people stew' lmao. the whole episode felt so rewarding to have all of those suspicions confirmed

[@tiinan375]

@@anacat3400 how can you tel that he’s a creep right from the start??? I picked it up when he pinned her down, but when he was talking to the other girl at the dinner scene I didn’t get that feeling. It’s depressing that I have no idea how creeps act, I don’t know if I act like a creep without even knowing it

[@SpacemanTheo]

​​@@tiinan375 there's a subtle invasion of personal space. Most people that are genuine will reach out but not force the connection or pick up when they've over stepped. Predators will keep seeing how far they can push boundaries and isolate.

[@gilodis23]

Your analysis videos are extremely well done, I find it criminal that you only have 10k subscribers. I wish you a speedy growth on this platform, you have the same skills and way with words as other more popular cinema analysis channels so you clearly deserve it

[@bobbygeorgiela]

I couldn't agree more!! He is going to blow up!

[@GlennDavey]

He has almost 12k subscribers now, so I guess it's going up fast?

[@otherplay_mike9936]

i completly agree, he deserves millions of subs for his extordinary analysis and persentain of his videos. im very jealous of his ability

[@keepyourselfsafe1386]

I've seen their Arcane analysis videos before, and now I'm back again for the Last of Us. Defo gonna subscribe now.

[@endlessstudent3512]

I do not understand the many people that wrote, David was not "evil enough". I thought him scary as f....Especially this growing sense of unease without beeing able to directly put the finger on it. And then the descend into his true psychopathie....amazing. And even less i understand the critics that say that Bella was "miscast"...(mostly by guys writing she is not pretty enough,...really guys? Can it once not be about the hotness? Just once?). She was imho not miscast, she was breathtaking!

[@thebusybeanhomecafe4035]

It's especially weird that they think she isn't pretty enough... why do they want the 14-year old character to be hot...? It's just gross

[@twgok3162]

Ok good job pat urself on the back u have out debated the strawmen in ur head

[@thaloblue]

@@twgok3162 Nah, they're correct and you're whiny too now move on.

[@thaloblue]

They probably wrote that he wasn't evil enough because the horror genre as a whole loves r@pe scenes. In any other franchise there's much more suffering and graphic shit before a r@pe scene ends. It's often that the assault is completed in one way or another and used to justify the next stage of barbaric violence. So some worms are conditioned to expect a lot more brutality and are upset that they missed out. One thing I like about TLOU is that the children stay children and the crimes stay criminal. It's not sensationalized or romanticized at all, and David no longer possesses any of his facial features after his UNSUCCESSFUL attempt.

[@thaloblue]

@@thebusybeanhomecafe4035 Because it's a world of men and men like kids too much

[@Trickyyeditss]

its so cool how this show managed to make such a terrifying character more horrifying

[@justinhamilton8647]

the last scene was the best of the entire show and much better than the game, better acting and wow bella ramsey is the best, the game actress is good but not convincing at showing true terror, bella ramsey’s genuine screams of horror scared me so much so that the final butchering was so satisfying

[@eliteteamkiller319]

Bella definitely made it a lot more real and cutting.

[@kp2ng]

Definitely not much better than the game, but I get where your coming from!

[@metroboomincam2787]

Disrespect Ashley Johnson like this is insane like did you even play the games at all??

[@The-Doctor6969]

@@metroboomincam2787 you can respect her performance and find specific moments lackluster- some people think this moment is a bit weak. Maybe it's the dissonance between the voice acting and mocap, idk.

[@GolgappaUwU]

I got goosebumps like crazy watching her stab that was def my best scene in the whole show then baby girl part xD

[@Theresia66]

what makes a truly evil/monster type villain good to me, is if he is also realistic. If they feel like they're a real person. They did that very well here too. Giving him motive, without making him likeable.

[@legofanofnz2466]

Thank you for pointing out that the antagonist did not actually believe the Bible, but was instead cherry picking verses out of context to "justify" his extremely unchristian behavior.

[@legofanofnz2466]

Please do not reply if you are only interested in throwing faulty accusations at me about the Bible. If you are actually interested in having a reasonable debate, please say so. I am happy to answer any questions you have. Sorry about this, but it happens far to much.

[@MathJfm]

"unchristian" nice joke

[@Beachgirl1]

@@MathJfm I bet you are the typical Christophobic, far left bigot who passionately defends Islam at every opportunity. Shameful hypocrisy vomited from your mouth.

[@MathJfm]

@@Beachgirl1 I'm an atheist. Your profile picture and the assumptions youre taking, however, do tell me all I need to know about you.

[@eliteteamkiller319]

Honestly as good as he played the roll, it was still pretty obvious fairly early on. Wolves in sheep's clothing have been around for eons, but in such a world, those kind of people will thrive. The only people Jesus got violent with were wolves in sheep's clothing exploiting people's faith. Not a chance Jesus would have slapped that girl.

[@ninahicks5210]

i found it so interesting how throughout the whole show we hear David reference the father, and you always think hes talking about God as up to that point we've only seen him as a reverend - we assume he's a Christian. but then in the scene where he slaps the girl, he references the father guiding and leading her through hardship, but this time it's clear he's talking about himself as the father. and again, when he says 'ive decided u do need a father' to ellie in the barn and explains that his God is basically the cordyceps. just really showcases his god complex and subtly helps shift the way the viewer sees his motives throughout the episode, until his true intentions are staring you right in the face. you're right, it does seem like a plot twist even though we always knew he was the antagonist.

[@queerlibtardhippie9357]

it was clear the first time he said "father" for me he had that whole charles manson thing going on in his eyes

[@syra1541]

bella is insane he absolutely blew me away in this scene I'm literally speechless

[@sophiab6239]

Yes!!!!!!

[@promisesinmidnight]

Ellie screaming while being held by David is by far the most disturbing thing I have ever seen from anything I’ve ever watched. Bella’s performance was incredible, and absolutely terrifying.

[@dylanchilders]

This episode gave me chills at multiple points. I couldn’t help but smile at David’s death scene simply because Bella’s performance blowing me away as well as how close they kept the scene to the game, while honestly making it better. I think I still prefer the game, but there are some things the show just does better, which is understandable when you realize this is essentially Druckman’s chance at rewriting the first story and improving where he can.

[@brewcrewbill]

Your videos have a very 'every frame's a painting' vibe to it and it's amazing. Your videos are very well written, edited, and performed.

[@PeyTheWriter]

what a compliment! I love every frame a painting, they are a major inspiration for my content

[@elsagreen1476]

The actor's performance is incredible. He gave me the creeps right away. The revelation that Joel killed the father that's mentioned in the beginning is incredibly effective. He's a captivating villain. It doesn't get much worse than cannibalistic pedophile cult leader, and yet, he manages not to be cartoonish. Incredible writing.

[@storkval9643]

This is also the episode that cemented Joel as Ellie's father for me. The understanding comforting tone of voice hits me right in the feels

[@jakobrenner2230]

This happened for me during the anime _Monster_ where basically *SPOILER* …the antagonist is presented with a sympathetic backstory…but then it is revealed that each and every time he seems to have sympathetic motives, it is just the story playing with your perception of him. Slowly the story reveals the antagonist to indeed be the titular Monster, and that he was always like that. What makes him absolutely terrifying is that he is just so inhuman and downright apathetic to the common good, that when he appears (or worse, when you just know he is near but unseen), you fear for the safety of all the characters, as he will not hold back on anyone, not even children or family members. If he wishes to see someone tortured, they will be tortured and if he wants to kill a character, that person is dead.

[@ProlificPops]

Monster is such an underrated masterpiece

[@zhamu4822]

after this episode, i couldnt stop crying. even when we were far into the 9th episode, i would still slip and go back sobbing ,, david is easily one of the most horrifying villains ive seen in a show.

[@kaboomzzz]

First of all, the editing in this video was fantastic. The bit where David is talking about her violent heart cut with moments of Ellie’s tenderness was perfect. Beautifully done. I’ve watched all of your Last of Us videos, and this is the one that got me to subscribe. Excellent job. Can’t wait to see what you do next. 👍🏼 Edit: and let me just add, that I’m very stingy with my subscriptions and I’m sure other people are too. Sometimes it takes time to reach that tipping point but I think you are very close to blowing up. Maybe put some effort into learning to game the algorithm a bit, maybe some tweaking to your titles or thumbnails, but your content is quality and you deserve to get a lot more attention. Best of luck and I’ll be watching from now on. Cheers.

[@Oxcymoron]

He’s definitely about to blow, every upload I look at the subs and he’s gone up 2 or 3k. As long as he uploads it won’t stop.

[@JC-sm4mp]

David's scene shook me to my core. I remember my dad just looked over, and I think he was surprised to see me shaken to the point of sobbing. Damn. It was powerful

[@shepard2226]

growing up afab that last scene was.. i cant even begin to describe the horror that scene brings me. i couldnt even say anything, i was completely frozen. it was every girls nightmare brought to an equally nightmarish reality. even thinking back to it now as someone who’s never experienced that kind of thing it makes me shiver. and he was a teacher?? jesus christ

[@bloddrinkeraka]

"afab" wtf 😂

[@OliverStarfall]

@@bloddrinkeraka do everyone a favor and shut up

[@tristonanan]

Bella said it perfectly when they said David was wanting Ellie to be like a little wife for him. When he was on top of her in the restaurant it became so much more real for many people.

[@Gwadzilla7]

9:12 eyy that's mee, but for real, that's a good point of how her(ellie's) fear is not only her own but the audience's as well. She's reacting to a monster, therefore making David's brutal death a lot more cathartic than it would be if he was just a villain.

[@youngbloodix]

Your channel reminds me of “every scene a painting” which is one of my favorite KZbin cinema channels of all time, unfortunately the channel retired. Please keep up the amazing work! There is space and an appetite for a channel like yours. I’m telling you now, you will go FAR if you keep up this work.

[@crimsoncreepermc1920]

A villain is an antagonist with goals and motives. A monster’s only goal is chaos and the torment of others. Edit: In other words, “Some men just wanna watch the world burn.”

[@kasia8306]

7:06 man the editing in this section is incredible, i've been rewatching this on a loop

[@drwahooka349]

As a relatively new sub having discovered this as a Last of Us consistent googler for a decade and the algorithm decide to add this to my suggested list I am loving your videos. It’ll take sometime to go through all the content but your presentation style is enough to keep me intrigued beyond just TLOU videos. Nice work bro.

[@Sophieisprettycool]

Awesome video and insight! I think his compassionate facade is chilling, given his inherent lack of it. He performs for his prey up until attack.

[@chelsocharles]

I am so curious as to how the hell you’re able to create such articulate, thought provoking material with such little turn over time. You’ve got an incredible mind and insane work ethic. Thank you so much for making these, they’ve been a pleasure to watch as the season comes out 💙

[@greenpants9152]

my thoughts during this video: "of course he's a redhead" "of course he's a preacher"

[@m3rrys0ngstr3ss]

I was talking with someone about David, and I love how we all came to different conclusions - you mention David of the Bible, my acquaintance said he thought the name was a reference to David Duke of the KKK, and I thought it was meant to reference David Koresh of the Branch Davidians in Waco.

[@ethancory6127]

I honestly thought Bella was going to give us a very mid performance, but every time there’s an emotional seen and she’s in it, she tears me to shreds

[@taniaarguelles1558]

Honestly when I saw the episodes opening I fr thought the whole building was in a hostage situation. I don’t know what it was about the atmosphere or the music, but for me it absolutely felt sinister since the beginning

[@Angel-flower12345]

I'm loving the way you are explaining parts of these episodes, The way you pointed out things in the episode makes me re-think everything I thought and I'm loving it !

[@FlaminTubbyToast]

It makes me happy knowing the show did this part so well. I haven’t watched it, but I’m familiar enough with the video game and this particular plot was what I guessed you were going to talk about. Absolutely wonderful ❤

[@justwantaname.]

@@NymbusCumulo928 people can enjoy both

[@Astartes-6969]

Ellie's reactions in the Diner scene felt so real, terrifying, and sad that real people had to go thru something similar.

[@capponi4250]

KZbin lost my interest for a while. Then the last of us started streaming and i was recommended your first video. From there the second the episode finishes I await your breakdowns. They're a breath of fresh interpretation, one that makes me fall in love with the show even more.

[@ashton3404]

"how to turn a villain into a monster" well making them a child rapist pretty much does it

[@Toast375]

been following your channel since last of us started streaming --- and these are the BEST analysis videos for this show out there!!

[@nickthepick7081]

elegantly edited with a calm narrating voice helping me sort my emotions after each episode immediately subscribed

[@nyom6378]

My mom and I (I'm afab) were watching this together, and the moment he appeared we were both unsettled by him. By the end of the episode we were crying, and my mom hugged me. I almost break down right there because I know she's always taking care of me and would never want anything happen to me. I just hugged her back and asked if she wanted to watch Botched because that would ease ourselves quite a lot. Bella Ramsey is a magnificent actor, and I'm so happy they picked them for the role. I genuinely think Ellie, as a character, is on her way to become a widely loved character by the general public, or at least by women and female presenting people.

[@thecheshire5762]

@@NymbusCumulo928 thanks for admitting human connection is a foreign concept to you. I mean you didn’t have to tell us most people can already tell but better to not beat around the bush

[@aurea.]

​@@thecheshire5762 Couldn't have said it better myself.

[@slyguythreeonetwonine3172]

Firm believer in "your hero can only be as good, as your villain in bad." If your villain is weak, your hero appears weak, even in victory. But if your villain is complex, formidable, even insurmountable, then your hero is too.

[@wadewilson8011]

Well you need to get over the fact that they're tropes where villains are "evil for the sake of being evil." Because in real life modern society you DO have people who are evil just for the sake of being evil. They hide behind excuses and catalyst. At the end of the day many are just evil by choice.

[@Lobstrique]

i got the chills. thank your for your essays, they are my favorites on the Last of Us

[@adriarey]

i always watch these videos after i watch the episodes and it makes me appreciate the show so much more. the analysis just highlights all of the strategical aspects of their decisions and just overall makes the episodes more emotional

[@justin_38]

Not me wishing this video essay was longer. Incredible, incredible work.

[@smiles9882]

You, sir, are an amazing youtuber. These videos are art; please keep making em. You're on track for success

[@Arcadiez]

The most amazing part of the episode is Bellas performance, when i discovered the last scene was filmed before the david death scene. That's some great acting

[@denniswade4998]

Great commentary. In every episode of this show I am once again blown away by the quality of the writing and acting. At first I was reluctant to even watch the show, because of what I feel are just too many post-apocalyptic series and movies, but when I finally did, I recognized right from the first episode that this was something different.

[@joedolin4982]

This is an excellent video. The cut ups of the earlier episodes over the current dialogue is perfectly done. Really good jon

[@ainaaina4505]

I love your factual analyzations🤜🤛

[@kylecook7187]

Playing the game made me think I knew what was going to happen in this show, and while the story beats are the same, it has managed to keep me on my toes.

[@apollotoaster5048]

I'm going to miss this series, hope it's back before the end of next year

[@LegendaryKlone]

Watched one video then proceeded to binge your latest videos, your content is great man don't stop!

[@leonzspotg]

i remember watching a play through of the game, and the moment you showed the tavern scene, i knew exactly what was coming, absolutely brilliant character design by them

[@carpevinum8645]

Another fantastic exploration.

[@raccoons_stole_my_account]

David's mannerisms really remind me of how people behaved in a Watchtower cult in which I grew up. This manicured uncanny valley-ish 'niceness'. There's always something horrible underneath.

[@thaloblue]

Proud of you for leaving that behind. I escaped a cult myself. The shit we went through creates a lifelong scar, but every day is very sweet because it's a day full of freedom and peace where people aren't watching my ass over nothing.

[@animecatalog9194]

@@thaloblue how do you guys even end up in cults

[@bofa722]

​@@animecatalog9194 born into them or groomed when they are young, dumb, and vulnerable

[@thaloblue]

@@animecatalog9194 Me? My parents hopped across a couple of cults over the course of my childhood. I made no such stupid decisions as an independent adult. Now, how did my parents get into cults? Besides the obvious answer that they're gullible and ignorant, I don't know. They aren't intelligent people, but it's not limited to that. I met many intelligent people that weren't aware they were in a cult. Many kind people. Many assholes. All types really. It's manipulation at the end of the day. A narcissist attracts their victims and spends their time projecting religious "messages" with their hidden agendas of control and subjugation within. They beef with other local narcissists and form schismatic groups each more feverishly dedicated to niche bullshit than the last generation. It's something that can affect any sort of group too, it's not just religious. Gyms can be cults, so can AA meetings and yoga studios. Churches are often cult hotspots, but another highly cult-infested area of life is business in the form of pyramid schemes. All you need is at least one narcissist, some dogma, and a herd of victims.

[@mydogsfacelookslikeastockp8275]

​@@animecatalog9194 their parents were in the cult, they were born in them.

[@AlexaRynay]

Your takes on this show are so profound! Keep up the good work

[@anubislee36]

so excited about your channel. You are definitely on your way to being one of the professional essayists, if you want to be

[@lilyreardon]

pey, youre videos are some of the greatest made about the last of us show. they are extremely well made and the way you explain things is perfect. keep it up!

[@Theresia66]

i didn't realise this at first.. the girl ate her own father without knowing

[@DiscoDumDumGD]

this video fits perfectly with a particular villain in a recent movie..

[@SingingSealRiana]

you see there is no real empathy, nor kindness in his face when he speaks to her, even if his words could be, their lack the right infliction, which made me instantly cautious.

[@laloisdone.]

well done. your two videos have made me like this episode alot more. I wasn’t too big of a fan of it at first but I think it had to do with me playing the winter section in the game before I watched the episode and was disappointed by the changes that were made. but the way you dissected it and revealed aspect of it for me has made me appreciate it alot more for everything it does and made me turn around on it.

[@heisenberg2545]

I commented this on another video of yours but wanted to make sure you saw it so here it is again.. Your videos are art, and the script for them is absolutely amazing. These last of us videos are a masterpiece in their own right, bravo brother.

[@PeyTheWriter]

Thank you. That's a very kind thing to say

[@spep_525]

This video brings great insight to the undertones of the episode. Nice job

[@sophiagionis]

i love the way you edit your videos, and your analyses are always so intriguing! thanks for always providing a great watch!

[@tylerf.145]

bella was so effective this episode. when ellie was in the steakhouse i just wanted to give her a hug :(

[@Carodactyl]

idk why youtube suggested your videos but i'm so glad it did

[@GrannyGamer1]

They didn't lock us up and teach us. No polemic, soap box, pulpit. David just being David, slow reveals. Wish we'd do that more IRL.

[@Songbirdstar]

You and Alt Shift X are now my new go to’s for movies and tv shows. You literally have an art for this and it shows. Beautifully done.

[@Cuhstard]

Love these video essays. Keep em coming!

[@FunkyEspelhoCat]

A villain that doesn't follow the bad guy cliché, but follows the evil christian cliché. Ironic.

[@thecheshire5762]

Maybe corpse worshipper cultists should stop raping and murdering people then lol

[@nanasenoah8139]

​@@thecheshire5762 you know nothing about theology 🤡

[@SunlessSage]

​@@nanasenoah8139 You have to admit though, symbolically eating the flesh and drinking the blood of your God sounds rather odd when you put it like that.

[@Dervitox]

@@SunlessSage 👆 this man dont know what a methaphor is

[@nanasenoah8139]

@@SunlessSage we don't do that, thats a roman catholic tradition. Also the RCC claims the eucharist is not symbolic, the church teach that the bread and wine are literally "transformed" into the flesh and blood of Jesus, go figure. Catholics lost their mind long ago, they believe in lies.

[@myron4445]

Definitely one of the most unsettling villians for me, great adaptation

[@lukebocko]

Can’t believe there’s only one more episode already.

[@Lofhaa]

“When we are in need he shall provide” you can interpret two ways. One, He referenced Jesus, or He references the next body they will eat. He shall provide. He, being the next meal. If you get what I’m saying.

[@ben71]

Holy........ what a banger you put out there. It is my first time ever watching one of your videos and from the first second I was impressed. The introduction, the use of music and the scene sellection was beautifull. Really great work, I appreciate it a lot. Your analysis and interpretation were on point as well. Absolutely love it

[@ben71]

I pretty much felt like in a movie itself watching your video. I deeply enjoyed it. Thanks a lot. amazing video

[@bluesteno64]

What a fantastic video!! I hope to see what you create in the future!

[@LLuminated]

I look forward to your videos on every episode. Keep making good shit

[@seggsssbennyyyy]

Prob one of my favorite episodes

[@liamblylod5954]

collenting on this video for the algorithm - this was a great review of this EP