The Last of Us 1x9: Look for the Light is Satisfying and Frustrating [Blind Reaction]

[@HeroesReforged]

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[@cristianaragon292]

First dope reaction 🔥💯

[@Osiristwinsister]

I have just started to watch your viewing and all I’ve been shouting at the screen the numerous times I’ve watched this episode already is …why didn’t they do something like a lumbar puncture first where you can get cerebral fluid without killing somebody!

[@BrandonWestfall]

Since no one has mentioned it yet in the comments. The nurse on the left is Laura Bailey.

[@moonra1458]

That scene when Joel said he tried to take his own life hurts so much knowing that Pedro's mother committed suicide.

[@KodaVoss]

100% play the second game and do reactions to it.

[@clcinden]

"Giraffes are cool animals. I don't think about giraffes enough. 🤔" One of the greatest things I've ever heard in a reaction video from a non-stoned person 😂💯

[@ypey1]

I’ve heard some great stuff from stoned persons though 😂

[@BurkieReacts]

Ashley Johnson saying "You fuckin tell 'em Ellie" instantly gets me in tears EVERYTIME

[@Hanne_mink]

Me too! She's passing on her legacy both in fiction and in real life! Extremely powerful!

[@terranncegilmore]

Same. Absolute same

[@stineranheim86]

yeah i cried too

[@CynicalRam]

Yeah that shit got me too

[@deviantassassin8141]

The “Your so tough” line wasn’t apart of the script. Ashley Johnson and Craig revealed this on the HBO MAX TLOU episode 9 discussion.

[@TomHickey]

"The only ones who can betray us are the ones we trust" took on a whole lot more meaning after this one.

[@Killerpeanut]

Yeah when that scene happened she might as well turned to the camera and said: “don’t worry gamers we got you just sit back and relax.”

[@itsflowerside]

except joel didn't betray her

[@superronjon]

@@itsflowerside He absolutely did, I can't say that I blame him for doing it, but he did. And that "Okay" at the end is her confirmation of it. She knows he's lying, and she gave him one last chance to get out of it before she truly loses her faith in him, and he didn't, and so now their relationship is irreparably damaged because of it.

[@jubilantsleep]

@@itsflowerside Joel totally betrayed her. Watch Season 2.

[@blurrylinesx8039]

@Jubilee You can't come in saying people are wrong for feeling one way or another about the finale because they are missing information from part 2 that you have lol let people make their conclusions based on this first season of the show. After all, they are two different things despite it being an adaptation and this debate would never end regardless of part 2 existing or not

[@jr4it06]

Imagine finishing the game with this ending, and not know if there will be a part 2, that was it for everyone back then

[@mediumvillain]

Imagine playing through this ending, waiting for a sequel, then loading up part 2 and going "HOW DARE they make this have terrible negative consequences for these characters" like many ppl did lmao

[@ghost_of_nyc]

Facts only gamers would know

[@vedranzajec970]

And it was supposed to stay that way. The ending was supposed to be open for interpretation. Everything else that comes after was additionally made up because of high demand for part 2 of the game. IMO the part 2 ruined the meaning of this ending, not because of the things that people complain about part 2, but because it was up to us to guess if Ellie trusted Joel actually, if they still stayed in good terms etc.

[@rockycvs3]

​@@mediumvillain most just didn't like how convenient and contrived so much of it was. Most sensible people just wish that it were handled better...now the incels and keyboard warriors...I can't speak for that. Lol

[@L-92761]

I still remmeber the awe when part 2 got annunced the chills

[@pabloc8808]

Good on you for pointing out that the hospital rampage wasn't a triumphant moment but rather Joel relapsing and going back to his old ways. Marlene, Tess and Bill all say Joel is a beast but we never see the full extent of his brutality until episodes 8 and 9, sure he killed a lot of people throughout the season but it was pragmatism and survival. David's cannibals and the Fireflies were a different ordeal, he became a true monster... for love.

[@arklytte]

Exactly this. People do great and terrible things for love. I know that, for myself, if my wife's life was in danger, I genuinely dont think there's anything I wouldn't do to save her.

[@Lucy-ny4gs]

yes i've seen a lot of reactors get excited and cheer at this scene. for me it was heartbreaking with the music

[@yukisohmas]

@@Lucy-ny4gs Those were mostly reactors that played the game though, from what I saw. It’s literally the climax, I think they were more just excited seeing it happen. Everyone understands it’s not meant to be a triumphant moment, but we understand why Joel does it.

[@pepe-silvia]

This season is basically Unforgiven set in the apocalypse. Right down to the badass old gunslinger relapsing into his violent ways.

[@beachie]

I'm sure someone has already mentioned it, but it's a real giraffe in front of a blue screen. Bella's excitement and Pedro's smile are totally genuine. You should watch the behind the scenes video on this part. Adorable.

[@alvhinator]

Joel's ultimate sin isn't killing the Fireflies or taking away Ellie's opportunity to make a choice. The real sin is that when Ellie gave him an opportunity to explain himself and come clean, he lied. She knew he was lying before but gave him a chance. She even prefaced it by revealing her darkest moment to show him how far her trust went. He violated that trust, not to protect her, but so that he would not lose her.

[@kevinscottbailey8335]

I've always wondered what would have happened if Joel had just told Ellie the truth in that moment. I think she would have been angry and maybe even closed him out for awhile, but I think they could have got through it. As it stands now, she just knows that he's lying but doesn't understand at all what happened or why. That's terrible for their relationship, but will be the driving force behind season 2 in my opinion.

[@mr.stuffdoer8483]

Idk literal murder is worse than lying imo

[@kevinscottbailey8335]

@@mr.stuffdoer8483 yes, the Firefly plan to murder a little girl on the off-chance they might be able to find a cure is worse than lying. Good point

[@melk6049]

​@@kevinscottbailey8335and when she chose her life over the billions of lives her dying could have saved she might have lost her mind...it would be hard to live knowing that every breath u take takes away the breath of millions

[@StefanScripca]

"I don't think about giraffes enough." Best sentence so far this year!

[@Martmyte]

"Swear to me" means that she already doesn't believe Joel, and is basically saying "I'm giving you this chance to tell me the truth". Great reaction, this ending has been discussed and disagreed over for a decade now, I couldn't wait for your discussion on this!

[@NATHANIELJELKS-PLANEJANE-FAN]

If Ellie Gets Mad Then That's Her Problem, She Hasn't Been Telling The Whole Truth All Season Long So If Joel Don't Want To Tell Her The Truth Right Now Then That's His Choice, Everybody Is Entitled To Not Tell Someone The Truth Right Away, Just Like Ellie Didn't Tell The Truth About The Mall Situation When She Was Telling Tess In Episode 2, I'm Sure Joel Didn't Believe Her But He Kept His Mouth Shut Didn't Say Anything, Nobody Is A Saint Not Even Ellie, So If Her Feelins Get Hurt Then They Just Get Hurt, Also The Problem Is Ellie Should Know Joel Is Not Gonna Get Mad At Her, So Ellie Should Understand What Joel Did Was To Protect Her At This Point, But Then Again Her Character Is 14 She's Not Gonna Understand, Also My Problem Is She Was So Worried About The Fireflies, She Needs To Be More Worried & Open Up About What Happened To Her Instead Of Worrying If Someone Is Lying To Her Or Not, Obviously You Haven't Processed Of What You Went Through Traumatic Ordeal BC It's Not Just Gonna Go Away BC You Don't Wanna Deal With It, But You So Worried About Joel Swearing To To Tryna Brush It Under The Rug As Like Nothing Happened To You Is Insane To Me

[@NATHANIELJELKS-PLANEJANE-FAN]

@@Smokey1419 It's Not Old Trauma, It Literally Just Happened, Her Whole Mood Changed In This Whole Episode WTF Are You Even Talking About She Was Just About To Get Assaulted By A Predator Who Kidnapped Her It Does Not Go Away But Then Again You Really Wasn't Watching The Episode Which Explains Your Comment 🤷

[@georgierose]

yes i agree! even in the 2nd game there are multiple times where she tries to get joel to tell her the truth, but he keeps digging his grave (💀)

[@aviatrix7774]

@@NATHANIELJELKS-PLANEJANE-FAN um yeah that's not the same thing. You're trying to compare apples to oranges. And yes, it is past trauma. Nobody is obligated to disclose their own personal past trauma to someone.

[@leithmcghie2082]

When Joel says "I swear" he accepts the lie as his truth, and when Ellie says "Okay" she accepts his truth as a lie.

[@Aussie27Legend]

She basically gives up her biggest secret (about killing riley) in exchange to see if she can get the truth out of him at the end, and he fails the test sadly.

[@lgoamity]

​@@Aussie27Legend Interesting View. Didn't think she was making those kind of Chess Moves in the show (or game). Personally was hoping for the show to have given us a few more clues/hints to support Ellie's "doubt" (Maybe she was told something in Boston or before Surgery to contradict Joel's story...). In the previous episode I was hoping they'd allowed for Ellie to have trusted David more... And that broken trust would have been shown or bleed into her questioning of Joel. Someone she should have/would have trusted before doesn't because her faith in others and the "hints" offered make her doubt.

[@Aussie27Legend]

@@lgoamity Tis just a theory but i have thought the same thing about that exchange even since the game came out. And yeah, in the show the Firefly's side is presented weaker than it is in the game, which is unfortunate (Marlene is probably the character most hurt by leaving out some of her incident dialogue while she is in your party going through the boston QZ).

[@jasonschuler2256]

Craig Mazin summed it up really well in the podcast. There are 3 options. Ellie might be saying 1) "Ok, you're lying to me, and I'm just going to hand-wave it away and move on because I love you" OR 2) "Ok, you're lying to me, and we're now forever changed in a negative way" OR 3) She's so terrified that what she's suggesting happened _actually_ happened that she forces herself to believe him because the alternative is too horrifying to her. All 3 are valid interpretations of that final "Okay."

[@DancingSamurai]

@@lgoamity Check out the official HBO podcast... Ashley & the actors & showrunners spend a long time on what that "OK" means.

[@301baby4l]

The fact they brought the voice actors of Ellie, Joel, Tommy, Marlene and Abby in one season is phenomenal

[@bennelson5254]

I think the thing that a lot of people miss from Ellie's reaction to Joel at the end is that she doesn't argue. She has spent the entire series fighting against Joel trying to prove her independence (Wanting a gun, Taking watch when Joel falls asleep). Joel fights against his feelings of protection. In the end they both have surrendered to each other. He has accepted that he cares for her, and in the response, she accepts that he is lying to protect her and she lets him.

[@AudiFrog]

Because you guys mentioned Anna’s note, I wanted to let you know Ashley Johnson said in the podcast that she wrote out the note on paper and had it in her pocket while filming the flashback

[@alannah0628]

Your reaction to Joel’s decision + lie was so in line with mine. The lie made me feel sick because Ellie is far too perceptive to believe it. I read that “okay” as “okay, well this relationship is different now, and all that trust we have built over the last several months is broken”. It feels like such a tragedy because the cost of saving her is their relationship and trust. Some people might think they win, they walked away unscathed and are safe in Jackson, but it feels like we lost.

[@pepe-silvia]

Totally agree. I can get behind Joel's decision to save her because she was never allowed to consent to the procedure and there's no guarantee it would even work. It's his lie at the end that's so tough to watch. She absolutely knows he's lying about something. No question. And yet, it's hard to say what would have happened had he been completely honest to her instead of lying at that moment. Would she have left him right then and there? Would her survivor's guilt been too much for her to the point that she would eventually consider ending her own life? I think it's clear that Joel chooses to lie because in his mind that's the best course of action to ensure she stays alive and stays with him so he can continue to protect her. It's just a tragic situation that will have negative consequences no matter what way things go.

[@veera9718]

@@pepe-silvia Joel might justify to himself that he is lying to protect Ellie, but he is absolutely lying to protect himself--from the consequences of his own actions. If Ellie deserved the truth from Marlene so she could make her own decision, even if that decision wasn't what Marlene wanted, then Ellie deserved no less from Joel.

[@OlmanWillo]

@@veera9718 100% agree there. He could just say they didn't tell you they were going to kill you and I couldn't let them do that. then explain the full situation. She could be mad at him or say she would have given her life for the cure but in the end his reasoning would be sound. she may disagree and be angry but could still trust him.

[@Sponce03]

I think the reason certain people feel it is rushed is because they already know all the story beats and how many episodes are left to tell it ahead of time instead of just sitting back and soaking it in week after week like the rest of us who don’t know the game. I hear the gamers saying; “how are they going to do all of X, Y and Z in __ episodes left?” which must be in the back of your mind the whole time you’re watching it, thus affecting the viewing experience. Absolutely loved this show as an avid HBO fan.

[@elizanneribeirodasilva928]

Yeah, I agree

[@catherinesanchez1185]

Yes, it’s annoying the gamers constant complaining . Relax and enjoy !

[@troikas3353]

Same. The shows been so damn good that to me, as some one with only vague familiarity with the games, I just sat down each week and was like "tell me a story". Because every story they've told has been wonderful. And in retrospect after this finale I feel like every single episode was needed as the story told in each one is reflected in this season finale.

[@Blinkptx]

​@catherinesanchez1185 I'm a gamer that has played TLOU all the way through five times...I'm not complaining one bit. They did a great job adapting the story. Would have liked a couple more clickers and maybe another bloater, but I'm happy with what we got.

[@Adam-xg1ch]

never played the game and i feel the finale was extremely rushed. the fact that we went from joel and ellie getting a concussion grenade thrown at them (so dumb by the way) to Joel killing everyone in the hospital in a 5 min span is crazy. i was screaming at the TV "can't ya'll just talk about it a little more?!?!" in my opinion, the way the finale was rushed made the grey area vanish and turned Joel into a villain. it also made Marlene very stupid as well (sending two guys to take care of joel after he wasn't even allowed to say goodbye to Ellie, i mean come on writers).

[@shovelyay]

This ending is always a fascinating discussion. Back when the game first released, Neil Druckmann first screened the ending to 100 non-parents, and they were split 50/50 on Joel's decision. Then, he showed the ending to 100 parents, and 100 supported Joel

[@ironwolf9876]

As a parent I agree. In Joel's mind he did save the world. To him, Ellie was the world.

[@TahoeNevada]

@@ironwolf9876There’s a saying in Judaism: When you save one person, you save the whole world.

[@jackbauer5455]

Interesting all these parents are selfish in this scenario your child could save the world there isn’t anything more amazing than having that kind of purpose however I agree that Joel should of had a chance to say goodbye to Ellie (ironically if they told Ellie about the procedure first then she probably would of said yes and Joel would of had no choice to accept)

[@lovinlorne]

@@jackbauer5455- How many kids do you have?

[@johnyd1911]

@Jack Bauer Nah, Ellie like the rest of us thought her blood would be the thing that saves everyone. The fact they didn't tell her that she would have to die would likely change everything. Especially with her realizing she saved him and she wanted to follow him anywhere after the procedure was done....

[@CataRDJ]

It's amazing to see this discussion resurface after almost ten years. I gotta say, I've always supported Joel's decision, it's selfish, it's horrible, but the reason why he did it is so pure that I cannot judge him. Henry did something horrible for his brother too, but he wasn't a bad person, just like Joel, they're good people who did a terrible thing out of fear of loosing the one they loved the most, and I think that's heartbreakingly beautiful.

[@lucidiously]

While I can't truly say I support him, I don't really judge him for going full terminator either. But I do judge both him and Marlene for not giving Ellie a choice. Even though I fully understand why they didn't I still think it's wrong. On a somewhat related note, recently both The Last of Us and Attack on Titan have shown me again how fascinating good morally grey stories can be, when you can understand and sympathize with all sides in a conflict and no one is truly a bad person, just people forced into impossible situations. I think it's great when you aren't necessarily asked to agree or disagree with a character, but simply to empathize with them and forced to think about your own morality.

[@AudoPlay]

I mean if it's selfish and horrible can it really be 'pure'?

[@SkeletalGoose]

If I was put in that situation and I had to choose between the possibility of saving a destroyed world that may never recover (certainly not in Joel's lifetime), or the person that gives me a reason to keep living I would most likely choose the person I care about. Now I'm not actually in that position so my answer could very well be different but that's what I think I would choose, and I know it's selfish and horrible but thats how i feel.

[@brie1026]

​@Goose I personally think that he made the right decision, monster or not. Ellie's a traumatized child & Joel did what a parent should have (and most would) in this situation. Even if the cure was 100%--which it wasn't, not even close. And let's be clear--if Ellie had been asked and said no, the Fireflies would be the clear baddies because c'mon, they would not accept that answer. I know it's supposed to be hotly contested and morally ambiguous, but not to me 🤷🏾‍♀️

[@X5J2UY]

@@brie1026 But Ellie wouldn't have said no. Joel knows it, Marlene knows it and we know it. And not because she has trauma - but because she always believed in humanity, Joel didn't.

[@Allyphant2909]

Hearing Joel be called a pendejo is very triggering for me 😆

[@Andjelka99]

Oh shit. Don't remind me of that golf game.

[@ninjadave3616]

Lmao 💀

[@thomasbaker2067]

Merle Dandridge was so good at bringing Marlene to life, and Ashley Johnson was amazing in episode too. Also Pedro going all John Wick on the Fireflies was awesome to see.

[@pabloc8808]

Merle did an amazing job as Marlene in the game and an even better job in live-action, she's a treasure I tell you

[@movieman175]

honestly it didn't feel rushed to me at all it was perfect. entire season is just amazing. not one single bad episode.

[@Anthony_Cika]

The only thing I would have wanted in terms of length was maybe 20 more minutes of episode 9. the middle section felt rushed.

[@Aussie27Legend]

I feel like people freaked themselves out because we know run times in advance, if you asked me if this was the shortest episode in a vacuum I would say no way; for instance Episode 4 felt way shorter than this. (I think the only part in the whole show that felt truncated was the university imo)

[@thedarkknight2221]

Ellie: So time heals all wounds does it? Joel: It wasn’t time that did it….. 😭😭😭😭😭 I played this game 10 years ago and to this day it is one of the single greatest stories ever told. I remember debating with other gamers for over a year about if Joel made the right decision or not. The question of “You have a chance to save the world but the cost is that you lose the person you love the most in the world after already suffering that pain before”. The answer, the REAL answer, is that both Joel and Marlene made the wrong decision, because that decision should’ve been Ellie’s to make. In the Last Of Us (GAME) podcast Neil Druckman talks about how Joel and Marlene had no right to take that choice away from Ellie. She would’ve said yes, and then Joel would have no choice but to respect her wish. She wanted the deaths of all the people she had lost, Riley, Tess, Henry and Sam, to mean something. Even if it cost her her life. And even though a small part of her knows in her heart that Joel was lying to her she feels that she can’t let herself believe that the only person she loves in the world took away her chance to save the world. Also I love that Ashley Johnson got to play Ellie’s mom Anna. It was a beautiful full circle moment that the woman who plays Ellie in the games played her mother in the show. Also Laura Bailey who played Abby in The Last Of Us Part 2 is one of the nurses in the OR. And it sucks that even though we have to wait a couple more years for season 2, it will be worth the wait! Until then, Endure And Survive!

[@trevvy2124]

I managed to replay and beat the game again before the show came out and a particular conversation between Ellie and Joel, stuck out and it's one they have in the show: sacrifice the few to save the many and I think that's pretty much what TLOU wrestles with. Do you sacrifice Ellie to save the many? Or do you sacrifice the many to save Ellie? The choice was obviously made but neither Marlene nor Joel was right. Even if Marlene KNEW what Ellie would have chosen, a lot of this would have been avoided if they could have asked Ellie first. But, at the same time, maybe it happened the way it did on the off chance Ellie would refuse. It's such a tragic mess that I love because there's so many conversations that can happen surrounding it.

[@alexhaggerty1011]

Line of the show

[@EhrineAshbark]

Laura Bailey did a whole bunch of voices in Part 1, including one of the nurses in that very scene, so it was kinda cool to have her in one of the scenes she voiced

[@olgabahirkina1286]

Few corrections - Marlene knew Ellie's choice when she told her about the possibility of a vaccine. Ellie fought like hell to get there, without Marlene telling her to. It was her choice. It was more important than anything, even Joel. Would she prefer to walk out alive and go with Joel? Of course. Would she die for the cause? Of course. Joel would've done the same thing he did, no matter what, he had said that in 2nd part. So the truth is, Marlene knew Ellie's decision and followed it without hurting her to tell her, and Joel knew Ellie's decision and prevented it and lied about it. Nobody's perfect, but after Riley, Tess and Sam, Ellie definitely wanted this, and while I understand Joel completely, I also respect her choice.It's her life on the line after all, and when a 14 year old kid travels across the country to get somewhere, risking her life several times a day - that says something. As for Marlene, she did not know that Joel lost his daughter, or the bond that was created between them. She only knew that they spent more time with each than they should have. She thought of Ellie.

[@EhrineAshbark]

@@olgabahirkina1286 Umm, if you go through the game lore (and also implied in the show), they didn't know exactly what caused the immunity and the doctor hadn't studied her yet. So they _didn't_ know they'd have to remove her brain at that point.

[@liliannguyen1467]

Marlene doesn't know ellie well enough to trust ellie's judgment, that's why marlene didn't tell ellie about the brain surgery, scared that ellie choose not to do the operation. While joel knows ellie, and he knows that ellie would have sacrificed herself for a cure, after all they've gone through. I think that's why joel lied to ellie about fireflies stops finding a cure. And ellie knows joel well, and she knows that he's lying, but she accepts it because she know that joel would be lost without her, like what happened after sarah died.

[@MsSwordwolf]

The irony, of course, is that Anna flat out lied to Marlene when she said she cut the umbilical cord before she was bitten, when it was really after. Back then, Marlene either believed her because they were friends or she chose to ignore the possibility that she was lying, but the result is the same. Like Joel, Anna decided that Ellie must live, because she's still trying to take care of the baby before Marlene can arrive and take her to safety.

[@Tizjiz]

I wonder if Joel knows that Ellie knows he’s lying. She specifically says “Swear to me” and that alone is evidence that Ellie knows he’s lying.

[@TheBadboubou]

did you play Part II on Playstation ?

[@DrWatson4]

I don’t think she knows he’s lying but suspects something is amiss and that he may be telling her a half truth she just doesn’t know the full extent of it

[@trevvy2124]

I feel like it's left ambiguous. In the game, you didn't really know if Ellie knew if Joel was lying or not or if she had any real inkling if she thought maybe he wasn't telling the complete truth but this is a plot point that will be explored going forward.

[@og_dith3865]

As someone who has played both games and watched the show, Ellie ABSOLUTELY knows Joel is lying to her. She knows its all bullshit. She CHOOSES to go along with it because she still cares a lot for Joel and doesn't want to destroy that relationship.

[@meikusje]

He knows. He is just so traumatized and scared to lose her that he ignores it all and tells himself everything is fine.

[@Katie.Spradling]

Incase someone hasn't commented on this yet, we also need to consider that neither of the adults in this situation gave Ellie a choice. Marlene said that they didn't scare her, they didn't give her any info about the surgery or what was about to happen. It was probably a very risky surgery with a high chance of her dying (which Joel obviously knew which is exactly why he did what he did) but if Ellie knew all the facts, I wonder what she would have done. I think we all assume that she would have still agreed but we'll never know for sure.

[@MaureenLongoriaTheOneAndOnly]

I think it was guaranteed that Ellie would die. They were going to cut open and extract tissue from her brain, even in a modern hospital environment that’s most likely to leave you permanently brain damaged if not dead, let alone 20 years into the apocalypse. They didn’t tell her because she was 100% going to die

[@trevvy2124]

I would argue that we could the answer in TLOU2. In the game, Ellie gives a very clear answer or what her choice would be. If they change that for the show, Idk.

[@elheber]

Since you didn't say it, you also need to consider that Ellie was mentally not in the right place for this decision. Joel noticed she was not herself, and as soon as he told her about the real danger and she doubled-down, he decided to tell her about the time he too wanted to die. He wanted her to know someday she'll find a reason to live. She should not be given that choice at this dark point in her young life. She needed a guardian to defend her when she could not defend herself.

[@Katie.Spradling]

I haven't played the game, but looking forward to seeing what they do with that.

[@Katie.Spradling]

@@elheber that's a really good point. After the events of episode 8, we see that they've kind of switched roles a bit, Joel is more upbeat, and Ellie is quiet and solemn. I'm really loving all the discussion so far around this ending, there's just so many layers to it.

[@Andy-roid]

The finale definitely leaves you with a 'dirty' feeling about Joel and Ellie's relationship and it's well done. I like when Hector said she built a bond with him and now might be realizing she's stuck. But I'd like to believe their relationship can be salvaged at least somewhat.

[@melk6049]

Their relationship will be fine...hes doing what any father would do. If they had arrived at the hospital within 2 weeks of the start of their journey Joel would have gotten his battery car and supplies and dropped off Ellie without a second thought as to HOW the cure would be made...he wouldn't have cared if they had to chop up Ellie into little pieces...that was Marlene's hope. So BECAUSE HE LOVES HER he lied to her...he didn't want to lose her and didn't want to burden her w the knowledge that her continuing to live condemned others to die. That's why Joel added that they found other immune kids and a cure still couldn't be found. He didn't want her to live knowing that she chose her life over the lives of billions of others.

[@sutairs]

I don’t know if anyone has said this before, but I really love it when Adam’s right shoulder lines up with Hector’s mic 😂 Is that weird 😂

[@Aussie27Legend]

Unironically thought his shoulder extended into hector's shot the first few videos it happened before I realised haha.

[@reymarkcasipit5296]

Same haha

[@gloryperazzo]

Pedro Pascal has a habit of keeping the "cargo" with him instead of delivering them as intended. One resulted in an adventure across galaxies, and this one...to be determined.

[@Dennisvdo1]

16:26 "He is so far gone" .. as the song in the background in the game is called "All Gone (No Escape)"

[@stephmgreen]

FINALLY. I was waiting for this react. P.S. don’t play part 2 before the show’s second season if you want to preserve one of the biggest reveals in the series

[@axlm.808]

Especially as they plan to make it on at least two season. They might add some backstory or change the chronology to make it more seamless

[@stephmgreen]

@@axlm.808 I mean I hope they do but they haven’t changed any major details in season one, so my guess is… they’ll stick to that.

[@lkcullen1918]

People have been going under non-gamers tweets and posting spoilers for fun on twitter, so they probably will end up knowing anyway lol

[@TheDopestOlivellaOnEarth]

@@axlm.808 Agreed, I don't think the chronology of the game would translate well to TV, so playing concurrently will likely not work the way it would have for this season.

[@raelshark]

​@@TheDopestOlivellaOnEarth That's what I was thinking too. I think a lot of stuff that jumped around chronologically will be told a lot more concurrently in the show. We likely won't be stuck with a single character for most of the season, but go back and forth between them more. Which will actually be fascinating as they serve as contrasts to each other.

[@mrtorrance1263]

Like 7 seconds in Hector nails the blade theory. You guy r so insightful, a delight to watch.

[@yodaguru]

That moment at the abandoned military hospital where Joel confessed to Ellie he wanted to end his life was heartbreaking. But when he told Ellie he saved her and the way they both looked at each other you know you wanted both of them to hug.

[@roryqpotter8242]

Fun fact: the music that played when Anna asked Marlene to kill her and that played when they showed the montage of Joel driving to Wyoming is the opening music for the second game. It’s called “Memory”.

[@lurgoyff]

"I dont think about giraffes enough", that line cracked me, lol! Also, that would a pretty good midwest emo band/song name

[@frankalvarenga8564]

You guys in particular are the ones I've been most waiting for!

[@aliciarivera3719]

Even tho it felt so short the episode really did show so much. I honestly was balling my eyes out during the birth scene. It was emotional and tough. Well done 👏🏼

[@skychamber_studios]

Right? it seems so short, but cutting out all the "gameplay" aspects and just showing us that incredible scene of Joel wrecking guys was so effective. It just shows how efficient the show runners and writers are.

[@uneagerly]

25:14 “and i would do it again” ugh that got me in my feels… iykyk

[@kevinscottbailey8335]

That conversation about it supposedly being the knife cutting the umbilical cord instead of, you know, the MOTHERS INFECTED BODILY FLUIDS GOING THROUGH THE UMBILICAL CORD that gave Ellie the slight bit of cordyceps it took to immunize her is just really funny

[@leonardopribic2661]

Yeah but it can't be just that. If all it takes is for somebody to get a small part of cordyceps into your blood to make you immune (in other words, that is what any regular vaccine does), then all of this would not have happened. Multiple scientists said that you cannot develop a vaccine or cure. And I doubt that in over 7 billion people, Ellie's mom was the only pregnant woman bitten. Which means there is something else at play. Most likely Ellie also has a genetic mutation. Which ofc nobody knows about cuz the fireflies we so eager to cup her open instead of doing tests first. On their ONLY immune subject. Morons. The guys used the Blade analogy. But you can also use Hulk as a metaphor. In the case of Ellie she survived, a one in a million fluke, but if you give what she has to somebody else, or try to replicate it, what is to say you will not get an Abomination instead of the Hulk? Maybe instead of curing, you will get cordyceps infected that actually use their brain and think, making the situation even worse. If we follow how tragic the story is and will be in particular, it makes more sense that Ellie and her immunity cannot be replicated. There is no happy ending here.

[@carolxs]

I love Hector's speculations for season 2. 🙃 And I love how you got divided, this is what Neil wanted... I am playing game 2 and I'm a little bit scared about the level of depressive content for a season of television. I think they will need to change the structure a bit if they want to keep the audience

[@system0fadowner251]

They're splitting part 2 into 2 seasons which I think is very smart. We'll get more buildup with our other main character and her inciting incident

[@DanteRU0312]

The show: shows the bite to the thigh and the umbilical cord that leads to the baby The reactors: MAYBE IT WAS THE KNIFE?!!

[@bxrosie04]

My thoughts exactly! lol It’s entirely possible that Ellie was exposed to a minute amount of cordyceps from the bite, especially b/c Anna’s heart rate would’ve been through the roof with stress effectively accelerating her circulation and rate of transmission to the baby.

[@resident429]

Honestly could be a combination of the two.

[@samuel-ux4gy]

Think it was the bite too, but dont think it's a crazy shout to say it was the knife.. Emphasis on the bite could just be to show Anna is infected

[@DanteRU0312]

@Dan Samoflange Except she didn't. At least watch the episode before participating in the discussion.

[@PeacockJac]

@@DanteRU0312 A bit of a dick aren't you? Knowing that Marlene got to the location after she was bit obviously means he watched the episode. He was just incorrect or heard it wrong. It happens. It could have been the knife or the bite though the show is definitely presenting it as the actual bite.

[@EdgarDiaz-pt4qx]

Wow, I’m amazed that Hector was able to pick up that Joel attempted suicide before he actually said it. That was very well caught sir lol

[@rog2224]

What did the man say? "God help any[one] who stands in our way."

[@maleala2048]

Good call on the knife transmitting the infection through the umbilical chord!! That makes so much sense

[@brandonwarmerdam5850]

I just love how Joel is so focused on saving Ellie while killing everyone in that hospital, it really emphasises how much Joel loves Ellie

[@theryancornelius]

I was a new father when I played this game in 2013 and I completely understood Joel’s decision, and it was one of the first stories that made me realize my thinking/emotions had changed due to parenthood. It wouldn’t be a good decision to make but I knew I’d be tempted to do the same thing.

[@djoscartj]

Being a father is one thing...being a father who has already lost a daughter is waaaaayyyy different and needs to be addressed when talking about Joel's decision

[@DrWatson4]

For that brief period everyone in that hospital became that single solider in ep 1 who killed Sarah and damn if Joel was gonna let that soldier shoot again

[@tristonsutterfield3523]

Yoooo been waiting on this. Glad you guys have went on this incredible journey. What a show!

[@DrWatson4]

10/10 show on a whole and a perfect finale onwards to season 2 you guys aren’t ready 😂😂😂

[@unofficiallypeeta15]

Hector talking about Dad Brain made me remember that in the official podcast for the show Neil said that when they were doing play testing for the game before its release and they asked people how they felt about Joel's decision, it was split 50/50 with people who had no children, but for people who play tested that had children, it was nearly 100% in support of Joel's decision and that is so fascinating

[@pinkie215]

Oh my sweet summer children. Y’all are not ready for season 2 😅

[@richardjohnson9543]

Ellie's reason for immunity was very reminiscent of Blade's origin story. Ellie is a Daywalker

[@murathansimsek5578]

Watching along with you guys has been an absolute blast, The Last of Us Part I and II are my favourite games of all time and seeing the 3 of you giving it the respect I personally think it deserves was a joy. You're all so lucky, we had to wait 7 years to see the continuation but trust me the 2 years will be quite a pain too. My advice about playing or watching Part II before the 2nd season is don't! :) Pedro and Bella are your Joel and Ellie, they were your first exposition to this story so I think it would be more special for you to watch the continuation from them but please avoid the spoilers because there will be A LOT.

[@Aussie27Legend]

agree

[@meekoSPN]

Omg the wait for this last episode react has been killing me!!!! And it did not disappoint! Also, I think Troy Baker summed Joel's decision up in a really thought provoking way. He said "Joel did save the world. He saved his world" and that quote from Troy has always struck a chord with me. I love that this show (and the game) shows people just how far some people will go in the name of love. And I love that part 2 is about the theme of forgiveness which you guys pretty much nailed in your theories for season 2.

[@Leiceku]

when you guys said this will cause drama .....oh HELL yes it will i am so excited for you to experience the next part of the story

[@xoKayCie]

Watching TLOU was one of the best decisions I've made this year but my favourite thing about it is finding you guys and watching along with you. Can't wait for next season, see you guys after the next episode of Mando 💞

[@austinsprinkles6097]

i love watching people watch this ending not knowing the end of the game. i have been waiting for this episode since the start. yall are in for a shock once season 2 comes around

[@RaphaelWithAnF]

Just like the game, this episode hits harder than a train. I remember the first time I played it, I emptied the whole flamethrower on the surgeon lol

[@maaxross9894]

When y'all said it's about to go Mission Impossible, i whispered, like you might be able to hear me, Nah, its John Wick. 😂😭

[@cmflegacy]

Guy on the left can’t help himself near spoiling things

[@elykphant1910]

That was a real giraffe, btw. They set up a bluescreen set in Calagary Zoo just for that shot.

[@zaneplatt3533]

The fireflies were constant failures who never succeeded at anything, really. Why feel bad for a group who not only hid the truth of what they would do, they also were very likely doing it in vain and were absolutely wiped out by just a single determined dad. Joel did his job as a father while they failed their job, that really is it. Cold light of day

[@soemmasays]

I also see people calling them innocent people that Joel murdered but uh, none of them were innocent. They were all going to murder a child for something that was not a guarantee and they hadn't even tried anything else with her yet. They were going to murder her on day 1. They were told to murder her protector if he intervened in any way (which includes peacefully). They stole away her chance to say goodbye, which also may have given Joel closure. They were also turning Joel out in the streets with only a knife after he'd traveled cross-country and risked his life countless times to protect her, which likely would have resulted in his death. Even the surgeon, who people have a lot of feelings about because of future events - he too threatened Joel (and yes, I realize he didn't really pose a legitimate threat, but he said he wouldn't let Joel take the girl that he was about to murder). Joel spared the nurses who were unarmed and didn't threaten him or Ellie (and they weren't innocent either considering they too were about to help murder a child). What Joel did may have been ugly, but those Fireflies were far from innocent.

[@lovinlorne]

Yeah, my thought as well. Like anything could come out of that busted ass hospital. Not to mention it was only ever a “possibility.” I also want to know how exactly they were going to distribute this miracle cure to the masses when there is no infrastructure in place to do it. My money is on the Fireflies using it as yet another weapon against FEDRA. Our people are immune, yours aren’t, and now we can just mow you all down without any potential repercussions. And PLEASE don’t try to feed mr the Marlene was good line. She was willing to kill her bff’s daughter on a whim. Not to mention she sheltered her in FEDRA, THEN PROCEEDED TO ATTACK FEDRA on a daily basis. Nope. Mow ‘em all down.

[@AudoPlay]

@@soemmasays "They were told to murder her protector if he intervened in any way (which includes peacefully)." They know the kind of person Joel is, and he made it very clear in that scene that he would not be intervening peacefully. Before Marlene said that, Joel made his intentions clear that he would kill them if given the chance.

[@AudoPlay]

I don't think the ending is about feeling bad for the Fireflies specifically. It's that Joel doomed all of humanity.

[@zaneplatt3533]

@@AudoPlay The point is that in all likelihood, he didn't doom humanity because the fireflies were incompetent buffoons who would have failed anyway

[@normasaldivar8645]

“giraffes are cool animals…” Hector. You are dying to give away the game. 😂😂

[@tommacari4103]

Regardless of the show, you guys are arguably the best reactors out there

[@chillvibes2176]

I'm better at reacting

[@HeroesReforged]

Thank you 🤗🤗🤗

[@tommacari4103]

There are other reactors who feign emotion for clicks. The reason we all watch reactions is to see how shows and scenes affect others, and these 3 guys seem very genuine to me

[@martinmillar7137]

I'll remember joel wicks rampage scene as possibly the most haunting beautifully shot scene I've ever seen.. it was stunning 😢😢

[@lady_elle]

The interactions between Joel & Ellie coming in season 2 will probably be nothing but emotional turmoil 😢 because they knowingly accept the lie out of fear of losing each other. We'll probably see and feel the tension building before it blows up and then my heart will break again. Can't wait and thanks for sharing guys.

[@joits]

Ellie is Blade! LOL... never thought about that until you said it.

[@ValentinasWatching]

You brought up something interesting Agustin. This entire time I've been thinking that the bite got to the umbilical cord, but you're right, that would be too quick. It makes more sense that the knife she used to kill the infected smeared residue on the umbilical cord. That still doesn't explain why Anna chose to lie to Marlene about cutting the cord before she got bit. Did she assume it was through the bite that she might have infected her baby?

[@maleala2048]

Yeah she knew Marlene would just kill the baby just in case it couldn’t infect others

[@kayiu102]

This was such a great reaction series, y'all are so expressive and analytical, and I think y'all not having the played the game really added to that.

[@mitchmatt6002]

Your reactions to that final scene - priceless (and entirely relatable)!! Fantastic adaptation - S2 is going to be PAINFUL! All the praise for this cast and crew - brilliant!

[@Danceylander]

That’s right, Hector. We ALL need to spend more time thinking about giraffes! 😂

[@ManlyPelican]

I can't wait to see your guys' reaction to part 2

[@W0NK042]

“This is why we’re here; We are here to protect the person we love, and God help any motherfuckers that get in our way.” I've been hit in the back of the head (by 1 of 2 muggers running up behind me, on grass). Thankfully, I was very drunk & half-dodged at the last second. Still passed out @ work the next day & woke in A&E. After an MRI was told I wasn't safe to live on my own for the next couple of weeks. At least. Almost 3 months to recover. If it had hit fully, even being that “relaxed”, I would have had brain damage. If I had been sober... 😬

[@ElewIV]

The last 5 minutes of the show is almost frame for frame the last cutscene of the game.

[@Cramdeon1969]

Great Reactions Fellas. The best thing is watching people react the same way as I remember reacting 10 years ago 👍👍

[@heythisislauren]

Joel murdered people for years after he lost his daughter instead of dealing with it. I was so incredibly unsurprised by what he did to the fireflies. I think the scene of him riding in the elevator, you can read the guilt he feels on his face. He knows she's going to hate him for it. I think his choice to lie to Ellie was pure fear that she'd leave him when she found out what he did.

[@zaneplatt3533]

The fireflies were constant failures who never succeeded at anything, really. Why feel bad for a group who not only hid the truth of what they would do, they also were very likely doing it in vain and were absolutely wiped out by just a single determined dad. Joel did his job as a father while they failed their job, that really is it. Cold light of day

[@heythisislauren]

@@zaneplatt3533 Agreed. No guarantee that they were going to be able to actually make a cure and they would’ve killed her.

[@project5877]

@@zaneplatt3533 To label Joel as just a single determined dad is such an understatement. Joel is a menace upon anyone he comes across when he needs to be and he very clearly is a formidable combatant. The fireflies also may have struggled in their fight against FEDRA but that has 0 connection to having scientists/doctors who are capable of creating a cure. Especially since we know that Ellie would have most likely gone with the operation if given the choice. Ultimately Joel did something selfish because he still suffers from the trauma of losing his daughter. We can recognize why he made the decision while still saying that what he did was purely selfish because he robs Ellie of any agency just like the fireflies except he knows which way Ellie would have leaned on the choice.

[@zaneplatt3533]

@@project5877 Dude, how many others out there are just as formidable as Joel and have greater numbers... Your comment is based on nothing bud. No one can name their successes and they would have needed that one doctor to complete the operation successfully, they would have then needed to formulate the cure (good luck) and distribute it across the nation without being killed... How would they have done that buddy.

[@zaneplatt3533]

@@heythisislauren Exactly, the only guarantee is that she would have died, while success was a very low chance anyway... People seem to have a very incorrect and fanciful view of the fireflies. They were an extremist group who consistently failed at every opportunity and were comically unlikely to succeed at their goal. So in actuality, they were very likely gambling away an innocent life.

[@Smedette]

9:50 Real giraffe! It's name is Nabo and lives at the Calgary Zoo. Keepers worked with Nabo to train for hand-feeding.

[@jenthejen]

I hope y'all get to watch Season 2 with the freshest eyes possible, spoiler-free. These reactions have been so amazing, it feels like watching people play the game for the first time.

[@mcdudely]

idk what was better: seeing Joel go HAM in the hospital or finally finding out how Ellie is immune.

[@briannicasio9445]

Never played the games before but this show is so great imma have to buy a PlayStation

[@RPG_Angie]

Amazing reactions. You guys knocked this season out of the park. Thank you for avoiding spoilers!

[@HeroesReforged]

Thanks for watching!

[@lolasnormandy]

This is my favorite season finale reaction because you guys immediately honed into what should be the most important take away: that Joel lied to Ellie. A lot of people get hung up on the hospital scene and wanting to justify Joel saving Ellie and arguing if he was right or wrong or if the cure would've even worked or whatever, but the ending is not about Joel, it's about Ellie. It's about how BOTH Marlene and Joel took away her agency in deciding what SHE wanted to do with HER own body and immunity. It's about how her trust in Joel is now completely broken because he lied to her about it. And yes, we can understand why Joel did what he did, but too many people waste time trying to justify how his actions were 100% right or 100% wrong and it's a lot more complicated than that, but most importantly, it's how it all affects Ellie in the end.

[@sonyfusion1994]

23:51 “What did he say” oh man it’s giving me flashbacks. Only the gamers will understand. FUUUCCCKKKK

[@sabrinnan1047]

I had so much fun watching this series with you! Thank you for your reactions, I really enjoy them. In the game is very clear that there are no good guys or bad guys, they are all people who make mistakes and suffer the consequences. What Joel did to save Ellie in this episode might have consequences and also lying to her will probably ruin their relationship when she finds out the truth. I don't think Ellie believed him in the end, she knows something's off. Looking forward to see you playing the game and also playing part 2 since it will take some years for a new season of the series :)

[@sherylmccormick]

I will never stop laughing over Hector's giraffe comment 🤣

[@andremellomsc]

been waiting for so long let’s go, great reaction amigos!

[@SkidMarx915]

Damn, you guys are the best reviewers on youtube, hands down! I just discovered this channel on your ep8 review and now Im 6 minutes into this video and felt compelled to pause the vid to type this. You guys feel so honest and genuine.

[@Matt-tq9nd]

Thank you for theses reactions! It has been my joy to watch these videos throughout the whole season. My hypothetical to Augustin would you lie to save someone's life? Never lie is a good virtue but real life isn't all virtues. A moral dilemma is exactly what this whole episode is about, it's suppose to make us feel uncomfortable. We are supposed to be conflicted with what Joel does. I also don't think Joel did the right thing. As a parent he only wants to keep Ellie alive. "My child is more important than the world, they are my world" is a decision made by love not rationality. Also think it's important to acknowledge that Marlene didn't give Ellie a choice either, she just drugged a child and took Ellie's autonomy away. Also how do you give a 14 yr old traumatized child the ability to make a rational decision? Also is it worth killing a child for a potential cure? And it doesn't stop the infected from attacking you, just from becoming an infected... if it works. They have no idea if what happened to Ellie can be replicated. So from a medical ethics perspective the doctor is doing harm and taking a patients autonomy away. Like there is plenty of wrong to go around. Fans have been debating the ending since the game first came out.

[@ValentinasWatching]

It's a real Giraffe named Naboo. Actually everything else around it was blue screen.

[@echogo]

Thanks for helping me decompress after every episode. Watching this weekly has been hard but glad to have time to process the trauma. Between the HBO podcast and your re-watch has got me though it! As a parent yes I would have saved my child but not lied to them about the reasons for my actions. Sadly Joel is so damaged that he is incapable of that. As an aside yes the giraffe is real! Nabo is in our Calgary Zoo.

[@yannym4605]

First people I've seen react to the knife on the baby the way I did. 😂

[@sandragorman8688]

Joel knows if Ellie got the truth she would make it her mission to find a Dr. and complete the process. She would 100% give her life to benefit humanity. Joel knows that. He ain't losing another kid, not today suckers.

[@Siansonea]

I agree with Agustin. Lying is just not okay, and regardless of what Ellie would or would not think about what Joel did with the Fireflies, _lying about it made it a hundred times worse._ So many people don't understand that.

[@Angevish100]

The fireflies by not giving Ellie a choice they gave Joel no choice, they didn’t tell her what was going to happen to not “scare” her while she was expecting to leave with Joel. They should’ve let them talk and her choose to die or not for the possibility of a cure. Marlene wasn’t sure Ellie would have said yes, so she rushed everything and that just pushed a guy who doesn’t want to lose another daughter over the edge.

[@AudoPlay]

I feel like it is extremely clear that Joel did not want Ellie to have a choice. He 100% knew that Ellie would have chosen to go through with it, that's why he makes sure that she will never have the chance to choose that again.

[@superronjon]

She gave Joel the ability to let them talk about it and discuss the cure, she tells him in the garage that it isn't too late and they can find another way, but he kills her instead, because just like the fireflies he also doesn't want her to have a choice. He knows what she would choose.

[@nachoman408]

Noticed last week but I like how Hector's mic looks like it's part of adams shoulder lol

[@edwinpoole257]

been waaaaaiting for ya'll's reaction.

[@MickeyValenz]

That Giraffe is from the Calgary Zoo. So cool that they were able to use a real one.

[@ELWATCH01]

If Joel did not act, Ellie would be dead. Joel had just bonded with her as his daughter. He had no other options. Will he come clean later, maybe. But right now his only concern is to get her somewhere safe.

[@NATHANIELJELKS-PLANEJANE-FAN]

Also If He Would've Just Left, People Would've Been Mad At Him For Not Doin Something & Why He Didn't Try To At Least Save Her, That's Not Like Him. To Me I Didn't Mind Him Bodied Every Firefly To Save Ellie, So Idk Why People Are Mad At Joel For What He Did & To Think Joel Wasn't Gonna Do Anything, Marlene Put Him In This Position & Marlene Didn't Even Let Joel Talk To Ellie

[@superronjon]

@@NATHANIELJELKS-PLANEJANE-FAN I don't think anybody is mad that Joel did what he did, everybody realizes that it is the right thing for him to do in his character and he wouldn't have done anything else, but they are at the same time acknowledging that it is the wrong thing to do morally.

[@VC-id1ho]

it was a pleasure watching this along with you guys! at least we still have the mandalorian which is my favorite!

[@Killerpeanut]

The things we do out of fear are terrifying. The things we do out of love are unspeakable.

[@lRomez]

Didn’t expect Agustin to be the voice of reason, wow.