This is cruel.. First Time Watching The Last Of Us Episode 7 *Left Behind*

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Original Series: The last of us
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[@ShadowDogProduction]

The Ship Detective clocked their vibe IMMEDIATELY. LOL

[@VebastionSettel]

Your last comment at the end of the video nailed it, this episode fundamentally was showing why Ellie will never leave someone she loves (and also breaking our hearts again, because why not?). Craig and Neil both explained how important that was, along with the letter at the end of episode 3 (giving Joel his mission statement, why he needs to protect Ellie). Also, can I say that your reaction to picking up the vibe, and your reaction to realizing this was about "the mall" were absolutely wonderful. Nice to see someone who pays attention and knows right away what that sentence meant. This was actually filmed at my local mall! It was scheduled for (partial) demolition so the production crew had complete free reign over decorating (and destroying) the mall to make it look abandoned. You are very right, Storm Reid fucking nailed that role. So good in fact that now I can't decide who I'd vote for between her and Tess (both were nominated for Best Female Guest Star Emmies).

[@sliceofheaven3026]

This episode was actually the dlc for the first last of us.

[@VebastionSettel]

@@sliceofheaven3026 And Craig is such a fan of the game he was adamant that the DLC get it's own episode. He also said he spent a ton of production money on the CGI to make the mall look 2 stories (the actual mall was only single storey) because it was important to make it match the game. I think they did an amazing job getting something real that already existed to match what we saw in the game. The carousel in the show is a real one that used to be in one of our other malls.

[@JigInsane]

The Emmy is gonna be difficult. I dont know whom else is nominated, but this alone. Anna Torv, who played Tess, was phenominal and right after or before the show started, the voice actress for the game, Annie Wersching, passed away. Making it even more impactful. But, Storm Reid was amazing as well. I dont envy the ppl voting on this category.

[@VebastionSettel]

@@JigInsane From Last of Us, Melanie Lynskey (Kathleen) is also nominated, can't remember who's nominated from other shows. After about 30 seconds of Tess I thought Anna Torv had nailed it and WAS Tess (couldn't even tell she wasn't American till an interview with her). But the Storm was damn perfect too? Ya I can't decide. The Best Guest Star (Male) category is maybe even harder: Sam, Henry, Bill and Frank are all nominated lol. Good luck picking just one. Also, Annie passed the morning that episode 3 aired and it was too late to get a tribute onto the show, but I remember Neil making a lovely post remembering her. As much as I loved Anna Torv, having seen Annie play Tess on stage in the (brief) live action adaptation was a tease, I needed more of her. She was my favourite part of 24 and if she wasn't sick would have been perfect to reprise her role like Merle.

[@JigInsane]

@VebastionSettel I remember she passed at some point during the show. I knew it was early on, I couldn't remember which episode. But it being literally the week after the episode that Tess died hit in a real way. I'm certain she would've reprised the role had she been healthy. This show had amazing performances all around. That male category is impossible, though I might side with Bill & Frank....Bill.. that whole episode hit in so many ways and deviated so far from the game, but felt just as in universe as anything else. I'm so excited for season 2.

[@meghanmonroe]

I'm just gonna sit here and cry and prepare myself for your reaction to the next episode because...I saw it months ago and I'm still not over it.

[@JigInsane]

I overstand, imagine playing it when it first released, and watching the show as well as reactions to the game and show. it hits the same every time.

[@meghanmonroe]

@@JigInsane Someday I'll get to play the game. I just don't have a console. But I look forward to that ❤️

[@JigInsane]

@@meghanmonroe whenever you get the chance, there's enough of a difference to keep you engaged, including the feeling of actually being the characters. I hope you have as impactful of an experience as I did.

[@Kayjee17]

It doesn't spell it out in this episode, but it's clear that Riley was the person Ellie was talking about in episode 4 when she said the guy she shot wasn't the first person she ever shot. This whole thing just adds to Ellie's reasons for why she deals with life in this world the way she does. She grew up knowing that any family she had was dead because she was left in the care of Fedra. She had Riley as her best friend, and she started falling in love with her, but Riley left her. Then Riley came back, and they had this one fantastic night where she knew Riley loved her too... and they both were infected. Finally, Riley went on to the afterlife and she was Left Behind again because she killed Riley rather than leaving her to live as an infected. It really changes the way you see Ellie's actions with that infected that was trapped in the rubble, doesn't it?

[@TahoeNevada]

The music playing on the carousel was the lullaby version of Just Like Heaven by The Cure. Hint: it’s an 80’s song…

[@irrelevant_noob]

The stairs' Take On Me was also 80's...

[@TahoeNevada]

@@irrelevant_noob It sure was! Subtly letting us know the whole adventure was doomed from the start.

[@TomTomson81]

Like every episode before, this was a great one. 2 more coming. This is absolutely not a filler episode. Many claim this because they simply do not pay attention to anything. It has almost the same status as the pilot and Joel's past and connects various episodes through Ellie's behavior due to the events of the last night with her girlfriend. The mall is located in the QC. Quarantine means cleaned zone. Usually no infected. Therefore, people who enter or leave without permission are also executed by Fedra. This prevents infected people from contaminating this zone. It was just propaganda to claim that they were full of infected to prevent people from going in. That there was finally an infected in it is unfortunate, but by no means predictable. Probably a smuggler who came back to the zone infected. That's why Ellie and Riley are so carefree with noise. In addition, both have never seen one before because they grew up in QC. Everything they know, they know from propaganda. In episode 3, Ellie was standing in front of a Mortal Kombat 2 machine that didn't work. There she explained to Joel how the finisher of Mileena works that was shown here. Mileena was Riley's favorite character. If you payed attention, the episode shows you how the story with Ellie and Riley ends. They don't have to show that explicitly. Riley played Mileena in MK2 and Ellie played Baraka (last game). Baraka skewered Mileena with his blades as finisher. That was the metaphorical endgame. Ellie had to kill Riley. Most likely with her knife. I don't think she used Riley's pistol. She would have had to disarm her first and it wouldn't have caused such a heavy reaction from her when she shot Bryan. Besides, I don't think she stands in front of a mirror and plays with a gun after such an experience. That's why Ellie asked Joel in episode 2 what it was like for him to kill an infected, knowing that they once were human. I think she needed a comparison to her own feelings because she couldn't classify them. That's why she tortured and stabbed the stalker with her knife in episode 3. She first wanted to see if he felt something and then the anger broke through and she killed him because an infected bit Riley. Ellie kills Riley and because Riley didn't get in touch with Marlene the next day, she showed up at the mall, saw and took Ellie with her. She has prevented Ellie from being shot by her people, because she knows Ellie. As we learned in episode 1, it was Marlene who brought Ellie to Fedra Orphanage as a Baby. Marlene then locked her up for 3 weeks to see if she turned. Riley was first mentioned in episode 1 by Marlene. Ellie said to her Fireflys are terrorists, and Marlene then asked Ellie if she thought Riley was a terrorist as well. The escalator can also be seen metaphorically. No matter how much Ellie runs against it (sometimes everything stays the same, sometimes there are highs), it still goes further and further downhill for her. Also, we've learned that Ellie's first impulse is to leave when she feels pushed away or is pushed away or is disappointed in any way, but she keeps coming back. This is one parallel between Joel and Riley. Another parallel is, both are Ellie's protectors. And don't forget Ellie's greatest fear of ending up alone. In the end, she will try everything possible to save Joel or even the world, which she was not able to do with Riley. Ellie has lost Riley and Sam to the fungus. She is the cure. She wants her survival to have value. Here it is shown no matter Fedra or Fireflys, for both you are just a number. They tell you what you want to hear and what benefits them, to achieve the respective goals. The officer at the beginning may be really nice, but he's definitely manipulative and told Ellie bullshit. There is no leader at all in Ellie. Riley brings everything that makes a leader and she was assigned to the sewers. There are always only 2 options to choose from and both are manipulated into thinking there are not more. There is only one clearly good or one clearly bad choice. Leaving Fedra obviously does not exist as an option. It is noteworthy that the officer's keys, which stood for the positive path, were also the first thing he immediately took off the table after Ellie's decision. But orphans are easy to manipulate, as you can see from Ellie, who simply repeats what the officer told her in the conversation with Riley. Which in turn also shows that she is not a leader. And also with Fedra the people starve and kill each other, whereby Fedra officers lack nothing. The Fireflys are no different. Everyone comes in quickly, they made you feel you belong to a family and you are important to them. In fact, Riley is parked alone in the mall with bombs. These also kill civilians, as we saw in Episode 1 on Tess when one of these bombs exploded, killing two teenager. The series in general is all about the number 2. Bill and Frank, Ellie and Joel, Ellie and Riley, Sam and Henry, Joel and Tommy, Kathleen and Daniel, always only two choices, Mortal Kombat 2, joke book volume 2, t(w)ogethernes I actually thought Ashley Johnson (OG Ellie) would have her cameo here. Obviously, this was not the case, but it comes later in another memory. Most likely in the season finale. Next episode Troy Baker (OG Joel) will get his cameo. An important question was not answered. What do you call an alligator in a vest? An investigator. 😁 Your welcome. On the officer's keys was the Naughty Dog emblem.

[@tuco74]

I apologize for the length of this post. This episode just gave me a lot to think about. Show me, show me, show me, how you do that trick The one that makes me scream, she said The one that makes me laugh, she said Threw her arms around my neck Show me how you do it, and I promise you I promise that I'll run away with you I'll run away with you “Just Like Heaven,” the tune issuing from the carousel. I know some have compared this episode unfavorably with episode 3. Which is fare in that both episodes depart from the central dynamic of Joel and Ellie striving to survive against everything. But while episode three sweeps us off on a bittersweet engrossing romance between Bill and Frank, episode seven stands as a sorta coming of age fantasy for Ellie. It’s sort of a vignette, that lives and dies by the dimension and heartbreak conveyed in Bella Ramsy's and Storm Reid's performances. The way that simply restoring the lights in an abandoned mall creates a weird nostalgia and wonder, akin to seeing Disneyland for the first time. And there’s the “I’m not crying--you’re crying” gimme more schmaltz of Joel's face when he sees Ellie return to him with a needle and thread at the end. “Do you trust me?” and “I guess we’ll find out,” are shown in this flashback episode, to be echoed by Joel in earlier episodes. An especially nice touch that illustrates the bond between Joel and Ellie. Also, Ellie interlacing her fingers with Reilly after they've been bitten by one of the infected, and believing they won’t survive, syncs with the moment Ellie returns to Joel, with the needle and thread to sew up his wound. As Ellie intertwines her fingers with Joel’s, and he clasps on to them, showing his now total acceptance of her as someone he needs, it shows their fates are now aligned. Up to now, Joel has protected Ellie. But, in the aftermath of the quick and brutal chaos of one desperate rando and his wicked-sharp broken baseball bat handle, Ellie must now save Joel. Neither can survive if the other falls. There’s an interesting thematic aspect of “either/or” choice that stitches through episode 7. It’s starkly illustrated in the contrast between the choice of the kind of “life” that Terry Chen lays out for Ellie, when she is brought into his office for punishment, for fighting, and “Option one and Option two,” described by Reilly after she and Ellie are bit. But neither one considers that there could be a third option for Ellie… in either scenario. This scenario that Terry Chen describes seems to offer an aspiration to Ellie. If she works well, she’ll be rewarded. But really, it’s a contrasting philosophy, step in line, and you’ll receive comfort, fall out of line and you will be punished. It’s interesting to note that the captain’s motivation for Ellie is in contrast to what he says he actually believes. He tells her that he believes in FEDRA because it’s the only thing stopping the people from starving or killing each other. Since we’ve seen the Kansas City FEDRA fall, and what happens to the people who took over, he does seem to have a point. But his assertion to Ellie, to fall in line, because then you’ll become an officer, and therefore be in charge of those who will have to do what you tell them, or disobey, and you’ll be one of the grunts, who have to take orders, doesn’t speak to the value of FEDRA being the only instrument keeping the peace. He’s basically telling her, you should be a leader, because it will benefit you, and that’s the only reason that matters. It’s also interesting that later, when Reilly tells Ellie that she learned her assignment after she finished school was essentially to be a Grunt, she describes it as Sewer Detail. Then she clarifies and says that she would be guarding the workers, who would be the ones cleaning the sewage. It would seem that the incentive of being in FEDRA is that even the Grunts have somebody to lord over. The entire story can be seen as a consideration between two opposing alternatives, that are both nevertheless insufficient in accommodating and accessing the essence of humanity, which is our need for connection. Connection is especially powerful in a world where any emotional bond between people is rare and can also be dangerous. But the story also hints that the binary choice offered in all the various scenarios shown, is false; there is often a hidden third choice. A third choice that is not necessarily easy, or smart, or even right. But a choice that points people toward connection. These opposing alternatives, these binary choices, are illustrated in many ways throughout The Last of Us, but a primary metaphor is the distinction between FEDRA and The Fireflies. So, FEDRA are a fascist regime, in charge of the various pockets of surviving human society in the former U.S. The Fireflies are the organized resistance to FEDRA, bent on overthrowing the in-power regime and establishing democracy. But where FEDRA institute brutality to maintain order, they by and large do maintain order in the areas they control, in a world overrun by a chaotic actor, in the form of several billion infected people. The Fireflies do seem to be a preferable contrast, in that they want to reinstitute democracy to the remaining societies of humans, but in order to do that, they need to overthrow FEDRA, and the guerilla war they wage to achieve that end, leaves many people as victims of collateral damage… not exactly the splash page for democratic ideals. But what about that illusive third option? The will to seek out, or not reject human connection when it occurs, doesn’t quite supplant the need for society to move toward equality and freedom for the people. In some ways, that’s what Tommy and Maria’s "it’s not communist" communist township is trying for. But human connection is the option that comes from individual choices. It is not a panacea that washes corruption and malice from whatever form of government is in charge at whatever place and whenever time. But connecting with other people, even when it’s hard, is what reminds us that we can live with other people. It reminds us that the essence of living is not just surviving. Living is sticking around long enough to find somebody, or even a few somebodies, to make you grateful you survived long enough to find them.

[@traviscue2099]

Both games are very much in the same light of not being "fun" but its an experience.. a different kind of enjoyment and satisfaction of enjoying great character writing.

[@jamesdodds9407]

I love Ellie's big ass smile as much as your's. It is just wonderful when you are having such a fun time in reactions but equally interesting when you show anger, sadness and are frightened too. Storm and Bella did a wonderful job in this episode and the fact I had played the game years ago didn't spoil this episode especially as it topped that experience, I hope no one spoils the stories for you with only 2 more remaining. when you say you "I hate this show" I know it actually the best, because they are doing their job and making you feel and it's totally real to you.

[@Dark__Thoughts]

I wonder if there's still some dumbasses with their house full of stashed toilet paper that they couldn't get rid of. The cute thing between Ellie and Riley is that normally Ellie is the big smartass with the potty mouth, but Riley is even more dominant than her, causing Ellie to become more submissive in comparison. Show Riley is portrayed by Storm Reid. Honestly fantastic portrayal of her character. 19:13 She also asked Joel about killing infected in episode 2 when Tess was crawling through the rubble. In hindsight this talk is also very Riley related.

[@TahoeNevada]

Only Riley can boss Ellie around.

[@dylanholman3]

Whoa. I rewatched the show a couple times and never clocked the episode two question and connected it to Riley.

[@Dark__Thoughts]

@@dylanholman3 Did you connect at least her disdain for the stalker that she kills in the beginning of episode 3? :)

[@dylanholman3]

@@Dark__Thoughts I did connect that one at least! Haha

[@dylanholman3]

@@Dark__Thoughts also, nice pfp. Jinjer kicks ass 🤘

[@bawzzzz]

Finally, it's been too long since you reacted to a TLOU episode! Waiting for the next ones!

[@inescosta2671]

6:25.... I mean, in your defense in portuguese they are called escadas rolantes (rolling stairs)😂

[@TorchySmurf]

The stitching part really killed a great moment for me, lol.

[@boqndimitrov8693]

romance and tragedy. if you watched the next episode, you know that this show can ALWAYS make things worse.

[@jp3813]

If she didn't watch the next episode yet then there was no need to spoil that kind of expectation for her.

[@silverflamess]

sofie please i need your next video reacting to the orignals

[@DiegoFernandesLima]

Interesting to see how their government is willing to overlook Ellie's behavior, but will punish Riley and limit her future prospects. Wonder why...

[@irrelevant_noob]

17:27 / 18:38 you still haven't learned... 😏

[@notjinx99]

pls watch the boys for next show!!

[@Dark__Thoughts]

Attack on Titan (subtitled), The Boys, Invincible, and Silo.

[@tloj2469]

That would be sick!

[@yohanespaskal9352]

Succession

[@maievagug95]

Where's the rest of your reactions to The Originals?